Media

In September 2019, HKU acquired a unique photographic collection of rare, historic, original photographs dating from the 1860s to the 1997 Hong Kong Handover from FormAsia Books.

The precious collection of Hong Kong includes countless important moments of Hong Kong from the 1860s to the late 1990s, from the early years, the bombing, Japanese occupation, surrender in the World War II, to the riots in the 1960s and the 1997 Handover. The thousands of original photos, some of which have never been publicly displayed, are very rare and valuable.

The series is named as the "Frank Fischbeck Collection" and owned by Mr Frank Fischbeck, Managing Director of FormAsia Books. Frank is a photojournalist who personally took about one-third of the photos in the Collection. He settled in Hong Kong in the 1970s and used photography to document the development of Hong Kong for subsequent decades, including close-up photos of Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Hong Kong in the 1970s, and a dinner party at the Government House before the British retreat.

HKU Libraries will hold a press briefing via ZOOM on 10 December regarding the Collection. Mr Frank Fischbeck will share some interesting stories behind the photos, while Mr Peter Sidorko will introduce how the Libraries will preserve such precious images.  

Members of the media are invited to cover the event. Details are as follows:

Date:     10 December 2020 (Thursday)
Time:   11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Speakers:                         
Mr Peter Sidorko, University Librarian, HKU
Mr Frank Fischbeck, photojournalist and Managing Director of FormAsia Books
Language:  English 
Format:       ZOOM
Meeting ID:  949 1121 2036
Meeting Password:  722069 
Link:   https://hku.zoom.us/j/94911212036?pwd=MkFDUTJEZzhRMzhTbXI3QVdsZnVmdz09

HKU has launched an online exhibition of "Hong Kong Historical Photos from the Frank Fischbeck Collection"  to highlight a small segment of the Collection through six themes. (https://www.ffchk2020.hku.hk)

Media Enquiries:  
HKU Library’s Public Relations and Development team
Email: friends@lib.hku.hk
Tel: 2859-8903.

Communication and Public Affairs Office, HKU:
Ms Rashida Suffiad (Tel: 2857 8555 / Email: rsuffiad@hku.hk)
Ms Melanie Wan (Tel: 2859 2600 / Email: melwkwan@hku.hk)