How Many Old China Hands Ever Got The Order of Leopold II?

Well, just one I reckon. I happened to note that among those books published in 1927 and now coming into the public domain according to US copyright law is HGW Woodhead’s The China Year Book 1926-1927. Now, anyone who has looked at early twentieth century Chinese history will know Woodhead – if you don’t then there is an article I wrote for Visualising China on him here. What I did not know was that as well as a larger-than-life Old China Hand, the editor of the Peking & Tientsin Times, and author of several books Woodhead was also awarded the Order of Leopold II – ‘an order of Belgium established in 1900 and named in honor of King Leopold II. It’s awarded for meritorious service to the sovereign of Belgium, and as a token of his personal goodwill to both Belgians and foreigners, as well as a diplomatic gift of merit.’ Not sure how many other Old China Hands were also Knights of King Leopold II?