Historical Photographs of China

All Collections

Grant, William Collection

William Charles Grant was born in England in March 1887 and joined the Shanghai Municipal Police in 1910. He left the force in 1912 to become a warder at the Shanghai Municipal Gaol (now Tilanqiao Prison) in Ward Road (Changyang Lu), Hongkew (Hongkou) district, Shanghai. Rising through the ranks, Grant was appointed Governor of the Gaol in 1939. He was retired by the Japanese in February 1942 and interned at Haiphong Road Camp. In December 1945, the Grant family arrived at Liverpool, England. W. C. Grant married Ivy Lillian Ellis in 1925 and the couple had three children: Donald Alfred Ellis Grant (1928), Alan William Grant (1932) and David Charles Grant (1937). See China Families entries, here and here. Only a selection of the William Grant Collection is currently online. HPC refs: WG01, WG02, WG-s.

Children's fancy dress party, Shanghai

Children's fancy dress party, Shanghai

Convicts (chain gang) from the Municipal Gaol making a road, Shanghai

Convicts (chain gang) from the Municipal Gaol making a road, Shanghai

Coffin of a Sikh warder killed whilst foiling an attempted escape from the SM Gaol, Shanghai

Coffin of a Sikh warder killed whilst foiling an attempted escape from the SM Gaol, Shanghai

Samson, Wall and Grant, with Sikh prison officer, outside SM Gaol, Shanghai

Samson, Wall and Grant, with Sikh prison officer, outside SM Gaol, Shanghai

Yuan Shikai, the Hongxian Emperor

Yuan Shikai, the Hongxian Emperor

Stretchers and Red Cross staff, Xinhai Revolution

Stretchers and Red Cross staff, Xinhai Revolution

Red Cross stretcher bearers, Xinhai Revolution

Red Cross stretcher bearers, Xinhai Revolution

Thirteen convicts (chain gang) from the Municipal Gaol, Shanghai

Thirteen convicts (chain gang) from the Municipal Gaol, Shanghai

Leaving the Chinese City and entering the French Concession, Shanghai, at a checkpoint barrier, during the Xinhai Revolution

Leaving the Chinese City and entering the French Concession, Shanghai, at a checkpoint barrier, during the Xinhai Revolution

Dutch sailors stationed near the S.M. Gaol, Shanghai during the Xinhai Revolution

Dutch sailors stationed near the S.M. Gaol, Shanghai during the Xinhai Revolution

Russian and Japanese Sailors being told to guard the Settlement Boundary, Shanghai, during the Xinhai Revoltion

Russian and Japanese Sailors being told to guard the Settlement Boundary, Shanghai, during the Xinhai Revoltion

A tram, wheelbarrows and rickshaws, the Bund, Shanghai

A tram, wheelbarrows and rickshaws, the Bund, Shanghai

Russian sailors guarding the Foreign Settlement, Shanghai, during the Xinhai Revolution

Russian sailors guarding the Foreign Settlement, Shanghai, during the Xinhai Revolution

S.M. Gaol where the landing parties were quartered, Xinhai Revolution, Shanghai

S.M. Gaol where the landing parties were quartered, Xinhai Revolution, Shanghai

Japanese sailors in Zhabei District, Shanghai, during the Xinhai Revoltion

Japanese sailors in Zhabei District, Shanghai, during the Xinhai Revoltion

Russian Officer giving instructions to a Japanese Officer, Xinhai Revolution, Shanghai

Russian Officer giving instructions to a Japanese Officer, Xinhai Revolution, Shanghai

Soldiers near the Shanghai Nanking Railway Goods Depot, Shanghai, during the Xinhai Revolution

Soldiers near the Shanghai Nanking Railway Goods Depot, Shanghai, during the Xinhai Revolution

On the northern wall, looking eastwards toward the French Concession, Shanghai

On the northern wall, looking eastwards toward the French Concession, Shanghai

Convicts (chain gang) working in a prison stone breaking yard, Shanghai

Convicts (chain gang) working in a prison stone breaking yard, Shanghai

Chain gang convicts having a meal, Shanghai

Chain gang convicts having a meal, Shanghai

A convict chain gang working on dredging Suzhou Creek, Shanghai

A convict chain gang working on dredging Suzhou Creek, Shanghai

Chain gang convicts at work, road making, Shanghai

Chain gang convicts at work, road making, Shanghai

Pailou beside a waterway

Pailou beside a waterway

Tidal bore (‘Hangzhou Bore’), Qiantang River, Hangzhou Bay (杭州湾)

Tidal bore (‘Hangzhou Bore’), Qiantang River, Hangzhou Bay (杭州湾)

Sedan chairs and bearers on a path near pailou

Sedan chairs and bearers on a path near pailou

Foochow Road, Shanghai

Foochow Road, Shanghai

Convicts working in a prison stone breaking yard, Shanghai

Convicts working in a prison stone breaking yard, Shanghai

Convicts lined up in a prison stone breaking yard, Shanghai

Convicts lined up in a prison stone breaking yard, Shanghai

The Iltis Monument, the Bund, Shanghai

The Iltis Monument, the Bund, Shanghai

Gordon Road Police Station, Shanghai

Gordon Road Police Station, Shanghai

Chinese School, Ward Road, Shanghai, damaged during Sino-Japanese Hostilities, 1937

Chinese School, Ward Road, Shanghai, damaged during Sino-Japanese Hostilities, 1937

Shanghai Municipal Gaol, Ward Road, Shanghai

Shanghai Municipal Gaol, Ward Road, Shanghai

Damage to S.M. Gaol, Shanghai, during Sino-Japanese War, 1937

Damage to S.M. Gaol, Shanghai, during Sino-Japanese War, 1937

Tuberculosis Ward, S.M. Gaol, Shanghai, damaged during Sino-Japanese War, 1937

Tuberculosis Ward, S.M. Gaol, Shanghai, damaged during Sino-Japanese War, 1937

Wardens and other prison staff, SM Gaol, Shanghai, 1936

Wardens and other prison staff, SM Gaol, Shanghai, 1936

Prison staff, with a badger, SM Gaol, Shanghai

Prison staff, with a badger, SM Gaol, Shanghai

Sikhs practicing Gatka, Shanghai

Sikhs practicing Gatka, Shanghai

Garden made by prisoners at SM Gaol, Ward Road, Shanghai

Garden made by prisoners at SM Gaol, Ward Road, Shanghai

Flower beds made by prisoners at SM Gaol, Ward Road, Shanghai

Flower beds made by prisoners at SM Gaol, Ward Road, Shanghai

Physical Education class, Cathedral School for Boys, Shanghai

Physical Education class, Cathedral School for Boys, Shanghai