China photographs taken by Richard Henry Lovelock Lee

Photograph album and envelope of loose photographs, mainly showing Chinese life and work in Shansi [Shanxi]. These photographs were taken while Lee was in Shansi in China during the first decade of the twentieth century. They include pictures of Lee's home and show scenes of people such as teachers, pilgrims a blacksmith and a funeral parade. A temple thief is shown being captured and prisoners being executed. The Peking Syndicate theatricals are depicted. They also show landscapes, the Shansi railway and significant buildings such as the university and the Emperor's Palace. Lee himself is pictured in some of the photographs, as is Bob Swallow, H. D. Martin, K. Lance and P. McCarthy. A memorial in T'ai Yuan Fu to martyred missionaries killed in 1910 is shown, as are soldiers in revolution in 1910 at the station at Pei-ham railway. There are some duplicates.

Lee was born 10 April 1879 at Highgate. He was educated at the City of London and matriculated at Peterhouse, Cambridge University in 1898. He completed his degree in Natural Sciences in 1901. After graduating he worked in service of the Peking Syndicate, travelling to Siam and later Shansi in China. He taught English at Shansi University. When he returned he worked as a chartered engineer and was the proprietor of James Pitkin & Co Ltd which made scientific instruments. He lived in South Norwood and was a member of the Croydon Town Council from 1932 onwards and the Chairman of the local Conservative Association. Lee died in 1948 and left £7000 to Peterhouse college. They used these funds which to build an extension on site. A plaque commemorates Lee as a benefactor of the college.

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Donated to SOAS in January 1973 by Mr T. H. Brain.

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