Pre-World War 2 – Empire Made Me: An Englishman Adrift in Shanghai

This is the story of Richard Maurice Tinkler an ordinary Englishman who after fighting for his country in World war one found that his country has no job for him. He saw an ad of a policeman in Shanghai- Applicant must be unmarried, with good teeth, about 20 to 25 years of age. Salary is Taels 85 per month equivalent to 13 pounds per month.

He was given free passage to Shanghai. Sailed from Glasgow and arrived in 1919 via Port Said, Penang, Singapore, and Hong Kong. (see p 31-33 Bickers)

Coming from poverty-stricken England Tinkler was taken in by the prosperity he saw in Shanghai. Thus, Tinkler became a man-made by the British Empire and ended up An Englishman Adrift in Shanghai.

Bickers has written a good history of Shanghai pre-World war two. He has used the life of a nondescript Englishman to illustrate well the social and political pre-war Shanghai.

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