Ng Muk Kah

Jenny Ng Muk Kah (Chinese: 吳木金; 1917 – 19 February 2009) was a Hong Kong dock worker who assisted the Royal Navy and other Commonwealth naval vessels at HMS Tamar in Admiralty, Hong Kong between 1928 and 1997. Over a career spanning nearly seventy years, she became one of the best-known civilian figures associated with the Royal Navy in Hong Kong and was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1980.

Biography Early life Ng was a Hong Kong Tanka, born in 1917 on a sampan in Causeway Bay. Like her mother, Ng took "Jenny" as her English name. She learned English through her daily work and gradually became well-known to the Royal Navy personnel stationed in Hong Kong. These tasks took a long time, and the rust and paint were highly likely to fall onto the sailors' uniforms, making it a thankless and arduous job. After World War II, in addition to them, there was the "Mary Soo side party" on the north shore of Hong Kong Island specializing in serving visiting United States Navy warships, and the "Suzie's side party" serving ships of local Royal Navy personnel. The Jenny and Suzie side parties would sometimes quarrel over "competing" for ships. Ng's long-term service at HMS Tamar made the names of Jenny and Jenny's side party almost universally known among several generations of stationed Royal Navy personnel and visiting Commonwealth naval forces. Many sailors took commemorative photos with Jenny and her workers, treating her as an honored guest. Some sailors who became close friends with her later rose to become top naval commanders.

Ng served the Royal Navy from 1928 until the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, spanning nearly 70 years and hosting hundreds of warships. Over the years, she received commendation letters from various ship commanders, one of which was personally delivered by the Prince Consort, Prince Philip, during his 1959 visit to Hong Kong aboard the royal yacht HMY Britannia. The official citation from the British Crown praised her, stating: "The standard of Miss Ng's work is exceptionally high and one of which she can be justly proud. Personnel who have served in the Royal or Commonwealth Navies have been deeply impressed by Jenny." In 1983, the Royal Navy named a ferry after her, the Jenny.

However, Ng's close relationship with the Royal Navy led to a relatively difficult life during the three years and eight months of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong from 1941 to 1945. During this time, the sharp decline in visiting ships meant her work and income were far worse than before. Furthermore, she had to secretly hide all the commendation letters given by the Royal Navy in the double bottom of her sampan, and concealed the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal inside the heel of her shoe to avoid discovery by the Japanese military. however, until the final days of British rule in June 1997, her figure could still be seen at Tamar. As an iconic figure of the naval base, Ng was received by Prince Philip and Prince Charles in the 1980s and 1990s, and attended military commemoration ceremonies such as Liberation Day held at The Cenotaph as an honored guest.

Following the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on 1 July 1997, Ng officially retired as the Royal Navy withdrew from Hong Kong. In her later years, she was cared for by a niece, and was reportedly saddened by losing touch with many of her former naval friends. On 19 February 2009, she passed away in Hong Kong at the age of 92. Newspapers, such as Hong Kong's South China Morning Post and the UK's The Times and The Daily Telegraph, published dedicated obituaries reviewing her life in tribute.

Personal life Relatively little is known about Ng's private life. According to contemporary reports, she was married and had two daughters. Both daughters attended university in the United Kingdom and later settled in the United States.

Honours

Decorations Replica of the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (presented by the commanding officer of HMS Dorsetshire in 1938) Replica clasp to the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (presented by the crew of HMS Berry Head in 1969) Replica clasp to the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (presented by the crew of HMS Leander in 1975) British Empire Medal (BEM), awarded in the 1980 Birthday Honours

Namesakes Jenny a Royal Navy ferry named in her honour in 1983.