1891

Madam Chow Yee Man becomes concubine to Robert Ho Tung in order to have children but only bears one daughter Mary (1900).

1894

Margaret’s father dies, leaving his assets to Robert Ho Tung (will executor), not Margaret. Buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Happy Valley. As a condition of Sir Robert’s own will, his father-in-law’s grave is to be permanently maintained.

1895

Margaret arranges for her first cousin, Clara Cheung Lin Kok, to marry her husband, given her own and the concubine’s lack of success. Unusually, the marriage agreement stipulates that Clara should be treated equally as a co-wife (ping tsai).

“It didn’t really seem strange to me to have two grandmothers married to the same grandfather. After all, my Uncle Ho Kom Tong had one wife and a dozen concubines, all living in the same house. Now that was quite something!”

- Reminiscence of Robert H. N. Ho

1896

Mother-in-law Madam Sze passes away.

1897

Husband Robert Ho Tung buys plot for 8 Seymour Road for HK$14,000. When the 125,000-square-foot residence is built, it is called Idlewild and becomes Margaret’s main home. Those who live there over the years include adopted son Sai Wing, concubine Man Yee’s daughter Mary, and, two decades later, grandson Robert Hung Ngai. Family festivals and celebrations are held here.

“My grandmothers were cousins and seemed to get along openly. But whether they did at a deeper level, I don’t know. They were already elderly when I knew them and always friendly when they met. However, they didn’t live in the same place. Margaret lived on Seymour Road and Clara on the Peak.”

- Reminiscence of Robert H. N. Ho