Growing Up

George Taufer

In 1882, Josephine's stepmother died of a heart disease when she was in grade school. She attended elementary classes at the nearby school run by Italian Canossian nuns. Taufer remarried in 1890 and sired a daughter named Sarah. But his second wife, Francesca Spencer, died the following year after the family returned to Hong Kong from a three-month stay in Japan. He remarried for the third time when Josephine was about 15 years old. She did not get along well with her latest stepmother that made her leave home for the Canossian convent. Eventually, Taufer's relationship with his new wife turned to worse, tormenting him and Sarah with bouts of starvation.  So he begged Josephine to return home which she did and her stepmother was banished from their lives.

Taufer started to lose his sight in 1893. During this time, many prominent Filipinos who had been harassed or hounded by the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines had sought refuge in Hong Kong, other than Europe. They include Antonio Luna, Julio Llorente, Jose M. Basa, Dr. Jose Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar, the Abads, the Agoncillos, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, Marcelo Ponce among others. Propaganda materials, the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, La Solidaridad, arms and funds were either smuggled or channeled to the Philippines by Filipino patriots from here. They mostly formed the international front in the fight for liberation of their homeland. It practically became their second home where the seeds of revolution were spawned.

White arrow points to marker

Of course, Taufer's family were indifferent to all these developments, if they ever knew about it. And more so with Josephine. Their sole concern was Taufer's problematic eyesight. Filipino acquaintances suggested that he seek the help of ophthalmic surgeon, Dr. Jose Rizal who held his clinic on DÁguilar Street in Central District.

Unfortunately, when Rizal went home to visit his homeland in June the previous year, he was not able to make it back to Hong Kong because of intervening events back home.

Marker of Rizal's Clinic

Visiting the site of Rizal's clinic at #5 D'Aguilar Street in Central District and his residence at #2 Rednaxela Terrace, Mid-Levels can be a physical challenge to the ordinary tourist. Also, there is a certain amount of difficulty finding the marker of the clinic site because it keeps on changing places depending on renovations undertaken by the present building that house Century Square shops.  Of course, the original structure has long been gone and The Antiquities Authority of Hong Kong saw it fit installing the marker in approximate location.  Find the address with ease but invest a little time to search for the marker.

From Star Ferry, walk over the long footbridge towards Central, cross Des Veoux Road, turn right at Queen's Road and turn left at the second corner (D'Aguilar Street, occupied by a huge Coach Bag store). The former clinic site, where Century Square Mall now stands is located at the next corner (with Stanley Street).

Rednaxela Terrace

Marker of Rizal's HK Residence

To get to Rednaxela ("Alexander" read backwards) Terrace with the least effort, walk back down on D'Aguilar Street towards Queen's Road and turn left at the corner. Walk 250m northwest till you reach Cochrane Street. Get up the footbridge from there that would take you to the Mid-Levels with the help of a series of steps and covered escalators.  It winds-up a bit at certain portions but the series of escalators lead-up along Cochrane Street below and later along Shelly Street farther up. 70 meters after crossing Caine Road, on the right, is Rednaxela Terrace.

The marker is prominently pegged on the sidewalk on the right.
      

next page: Journey To The Philippines

My other blogs:

Traditional Hong Kong Herbal Tea House

Jou San! Sham Shui Po

Caramoan: Island-Gems of Camarines Sur, Philippines