A history book is one thing - but he shows that holding history in one’s hand is another thing entirely.  Roy is bringing items with him for viewing, allowing attendees to witness and hold the documents that made history.

His vast collection of ephemera includes diaries, letters, maps, photos, newspapers, documents, tickets, directories, yearbooks, posters and receipts concerning Hong Kong and China from the 19^th and 20^th centuries.   

Drawing on items from his collection, Roy shows how these pieces of paper not only illuminate history but summon up a range of emotions:  sadness, fear, amusement, awe and “who would have imagined?”  
 
Roy will also talk about how he got started as a collector, what kinds of items especially animate him, special documents that he’s still looking for and the “unknown unknowns” that fell into his hands. 
 
Roy Delbyck is from the United States and is a long-term resident of Hong Kong.  He has spoken about and exhibited his collection to groups in Hong Kong, China and the US.  When not collecting, Roy is a lawyer, practicing in the US customs and trade area with his own firm in Hong Kong, which he opened in 1993.  Roy is a Council Member of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong and on the Board of Trustees of the Museum of Chinese in America in New York City.
 

Members of the RGS, their guests and others are most welcome to attend this event, which is HK$200 for RGS Members and HK$250 for guests and others, including free-flow drinks.

The Royal Geographical Society - Hong Kong wishes to express its thanks to
Hill Dickinson as the Venue Sponsor of this talk.