MISS EUNICE PREECE, MISSIONARY

EUNICE PREECE THE WOMAN WHO LOVED CHINA.

EUNICE SMILES HAPPILY IN THIS 1935 PHOTO, WHICH APPEARED IN THE NEW ZEALAND MISSION JOURNAL, THE MISSIONARY REAPER.

Eunice Laura Preece was born on the 16th of October 1884 at Shortland, Thames. She was the youngest child of Alfred Azariah and Agnes Preece.

Alfred was a son of the pioneer missionaries of the Thames Coromandel area, James and Mary Ann Preece. His wife Agnes was a daughter of Master Mariner George Thom of Shoalhaven New South Wales, and Kautawhiti, a woman of high rank from the Kawhia area. Kautawhiti was closely related to the family of the second Maori King, Tawhiao. As a young girl, Agnes had lived with her parents in Australia.

Alfred and Agnes had six children. They have many descendants, some of whom still live in the Coromandel area. See Alfred and Agnes Preece. Eunice was their youngest child.

EUNICE IS STANDING SECOND FROM THE LEFT AT THE BACK BETWEEN HER SISTER AGNES AND BROTHER IN LAW RICHARD SIMMONDS

Eunice grew up at Coromandel, where she attended the Coromandel School, leaving at the age of sixteen. Perhaps she then helped her parents on the farm or with running the Preece's accommodation house at the Tiki. She was a tall good looking young woman. She taught Sunday School at the little Anglican Church at Kapanga. Her sister Emily married Richard Simmonds, who became Town Clerk at Coromandel. Another sister Ethel Isobella married James Ecclestone a farmer of Coromandel. Her brother James Wathen Alfred, who never married, fought in France during the First World War. Her sister Eliza Agnes, four years older than she, remained unmarried.

Eunice's mother Agnes died in 1915, her father in 1916.

In 1917 Eunice applied to train as a nurse, probably with the intention of becoming a missionary.

Eunice applied for admission to the Auckland School of Nursing on the 28th of May 1917. She was thirty years of age. She gave Tiki Road, where her brother Alfred and sister Agnes were still living in the family home at Coromandel, as her home address. Three testimonials, which supported her application, were from the Reverend Trevor Gilfillan, T.W. Rhodes and D A Worth.

Eunice joined the staff at Auckland Hospital on November 27th 1917. She graduated in 1920. Upon completing her course, she was immediately promoted to a senior position as Surgical Nurse at the hospital. She continued to work at the hospital until January 31st 1923.

THE NEW ZEALAND REGISTERED NURSE'S MEDAL BELONGING TO EUNICE PREECE

Eunice was highly regarded by her colleagues. This can be seen in the following letter of introduction from the Medical Superintendent of the Auckland Hospital.

Auckland Hospital. October 23rd 1922.

I have much pleasure in stating that Sister Eunice Preece has been trained in this Hospital (540 beds). During her training she proved herself extremely capable and an excellent practical nurse. At the end of her training, she was, on account of her ability, chosen as a Sister, and has been in charge of one of our most important Surgical wards. In this capacity, she has given the greatest satisfaction.

She is very popular with patients and staff. I am very sorry to lose her services and can recommend her as a thoroughly reliable and efficient nurse. [Dr] Maguire .

Eunice had grown up in the shadow of her missionary forebears. She held strong Christian beliefs. Her faith led her to a nursing ministry. She believed her body to be a shell and that her real existence lay with God, in the Spirit. This she expressed as a nursing missionary in the service of God.

While working at Auckland Hospital, Eunice attended St Sepulchre's Church a short distance away in Khyber Pass Road, where Kathleen Hall also worshiped. Photographs of the two women were for many years on display in the foyer of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, under the neatly written caption "Our Own Missionaries", Miss Kathleen Hall of Auckland and Miss Eunice Preece of Coromandel".

THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE NOW HELD AT THE ANGLICAN DIOCESAN ARCHIVES IN AUCKLAND

During 1922 Eunice attended mission meetings which were being conducted throughout New Zealand by an Anglican priest, the Reverend Crighton W McDouall. The Rev McDouall was a member of the North China mission of the SPG (Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts) which was based in Peking. Eunice applied to join the Medical Service of the North China Mission. Her future role was to establish a school of nursing at Hokien mission hospital. Kathleen Hall, newly graduated from the Auckland School of Nursing, also volunteered and was appointed to assist Eunice.

Later that year both women went through a selection process and were accepted for medical work with the SPG mission. The women spent some time at St Helen's Hospital in Christchurch, where they received some training in midwifery.

Through a somewhat complicated arrangement, the women were under the direction of the Bishop of North China, but were financially supported by donations from New Zealand. The Parent Body of the SPG, to whom they reported, was based in England.

Mention the words "women missionaries" and a mental image of a plain skinny dour old maids comes to mind. Nothing could be further from the truth. Eunice was a warm, serene, capable young woman, with a sense of humour and a ready wit. In private correspondence she showed keen observation and an impudent turn of phrase. Kathleen Hall was small and vivacious. Intense and full of life, she was observant and sympathetic and keen to learn.

KATHLEEN HALL (THE YOUNGER WOMAN TO THE LEFT) AND EUNICE PREECE SIGHT-SEEING IN SYDNEY WHILE AWAITING THEIR SHIP. THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY MRS ROBERTSON WITH WHOM THEY HAD BEEN STAYING.

After a ceremony of dedication and farewell at St Mary's Cathedral in Auckland, in February 1923 Eunice and Kathleen (together with a new missionary teacher Miss Mary Mackenzie Gibson) left for China by way of Sydney and Hong Kong. They spent some time with Bishop Hall and his family in Hong Kong before continuing their journey by steamer and then train, northwards towards Peking.

Peking, North China. What an amazing experience for the young women, who until then had scarcely seen beyond the shores of New Zealand. A vast ancient land, subject to war and natural disaster, with unimaginable extremes of wealth and poverty - the natural order of Chinese society - where a seemingly indestructible rural population endured countless years of adversity. China, a land where language and culture were so vastly unlike their own.

Shortly after Eunice and Kathleen arrived in Peking, they were invited by the Rev McDouall and his wife to visit Hokien (also written as Ho Kien) a regional town about ninety miles to the south of Peking. Hokien was the site of the McDouall's mission. Unfortunately Mrs McDouall almost immediately became seriously ill. The three New Zealand women nursed her until her death four weeks later.

THE WOMEN JOURNEYED OVERLAND ACROSS THE NORTH CHINA PLAINS TO HOKIEN BY MEANS OF A SMALL BOAT AND THEN UNSPRUNG WOODEN CARTS. HERE THE CONVOY IS CROSSING A SMALL STREAM.

Eventually the women returned to Peking to begin their courses at the College of Chinese Studies. In 1924 Eunice and Kathleen joined the staff of the Peking Union Medical College. The next months were spent becoming familiar with Asian diseases as well as Chinese language and customs. Their most difficult task was to gain a working knowledge of Mandarin, the language of North China. They learned to read and write Chinese characters. They were given an introductory course on the classical teachings of Chinese philosophers and visited many places of cultural significance.

EUNICE (IN SEDAN CHAIR) AND BERYL STEVEN ON A DONKEY WERE PHOTOGRAPHED ON THEIR WAY TO VISIT THE GREAT WALL.

Upon becoming sufficiently proficient in the language and culture, Eunice and Kathleen were sent to work in regional hospitals in North China.

The women found that the vast mass of rural Chinese had no knowledge of scientific health care and were prey to superstition and ignorance. Diseases which were virtually unknown in contemporary European societies, were endemic in China. However, efforts were being made by the Chinese to help themselves towards the better delivery of health care. From 1914 the Nursing Association of China had begun to accredit larger hospitals as Nursing Training Schools. On-going political strife and lack of funds made progress extremely difficult.

Nursing training had evolved to suit the special needs of China. Chinese women nurses for the most part could nurse only women patients, and Chinese men were nursed by male nurses. The demands of the curriculum sometimes meant that nurses with less education were in need of intensive coaching towards their examinations. Special emphasis was put upon public health issues so that graduates were able to deliver health teaching to rural communities. Trained nurses were highly regarded by the community.

Waves of political unrest and hatred of "foreigners" continued to sweep across China. At times all mission women were sent to the coast for safety.

EUNICE DID NOT NAME THIS PHOTOGRAPH. IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN AT PEITAIHO, A COASTAL RESORT IN NORTH CHINA. FROM THE LEFT, ?MISS MUNN (A NURSE FROM SHANTUNG PROVINCE), BERYL STEVEN, MARY MACKENZIE GIBSON, EUNICE PREECE AND KATHLEEN HALL. THE WOMEN HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THEIR STATIONS BY CONSULAR ORDER AT A TIME OF EXTREME DANGER FOR ALL EUROPEANS.

Eunice established a nurses' training school at "St Andrew's Hospital" at Hokien, with "highly satisfactory results". By 1936 the hospital was enlarged and more facilities installed. As a mark of respect, the official opening was delayed until Eunice had returned from furlough.

Kathleen Hall, who had begun her public health "country work" at Tanghsien a short distance away, was for a time in charge of the smaller St Barnabas Hospital at Anguo. Some of Kathleen's time was spent as relief nurse at other mission hospitals. The SPG, working with the Chinese government, had set up a series of village out-patient clinics where medical and Public Health problems were addressed. Regular visits were made by trained nurses.

EUNICE WITH PATIENTS AND A NURSE IN THE SUN OUTSIDE THE WOMEN'S WARD. IT MUST HAVE BEEN A VERY COLD DAY.

Eunice worked closely with Dr C L Chang, who had graduated M D in North China. It was a happy and rewarding association. The doctor's wife (whose name so far is unknown) produced a series of healthy children. Images in Eunice's photograph album follow the family's progress.

DR AND MRS CHANG WITH THE FIRST TWO OF THEIR CHILDREN.

Political unrest continued throughout China. Missionaries reported poverty, droughts and then floods, starvation, murder, kidnapping for ransom, wanton destruction - while war-lords and and bandits swept back and forth across the country-side. However struggles between local war-lords were soon over-shadowed by Japanese expansion throughout Asia. By 1933 Japanese had over-run Manchuria and North China as far as the Great Wall.

In July 1937 they launched an attack on North China without declaring war and quickly over-ran Peking, before moving further south. There was indescriminate destruction and brutality everywhere. St Andrew's Hokien was bombed on several occasions. The mission grounds were soon "riddled" with air-raid shelters. However the great floods from the Yellow River which extended as far as the Hokien city walls for a time saved the city from Japanese occupation. All the while there was a vast migration of destitute Chinese people towards the south away from the Japanese. The Rev McDouall estimated that 100 million people were on the move and homeless.

THE GREAT FLOOD EXTENDED AS FAR AS THE WALLS OF HOKIEN CITY.

In the midst of the Japanese invasion, civil war continued. Somehow Eunice kept the hospital going. St Andrew's treated wounded from all sides. During 1938 Hokien was over-run by Japanese. At nearby Anguo, Japanese shot the mission's Chinese priest and deacon. The mission doctor was kidnapped "by guerillas".

At about this time, Kathleen Hall began her famous bi-monthly journeys through Japanese lines to Peking for supplies for Anguo Hospital. She also arranged for supplies to reach the communist Chinese who were operating in the hills to the west of her out-station. Kathleen was found out by the Japanese, was arested and forced to leave China. She resigned from the SPG. The following year she joined the National Red Cross of China (based in Hong Kong) and began her celebrated journey with medical supplies through Western China, just beyond Japanese lines.

Meanwhile the occupying Japanese became increasingly distrustful of all missionary activity. Japanese fermented anti-British feeling amongst the Chinese. British missionaries were evacuated from their out-stations, and several hospitals including Hokien were forced to close.

Eunice returned to New Zealand on furlough in June 1939. Privations and inadequate food had taken its toll. However, apart from vitamin deficiencies, she was well.

One of the missing pieces in Eunice's story, is the fate of Dr Chang and his family. Eunice was very fond of them. Mrs Chang had made many children's garments for Eunice to take to New Zealand. I can remember being given (in the early 1940's) two small Chinese outfits, one pink and one apple green. Many other hand-made pieces are now held in the Hawkes Bay Museum in Napier.

What happened at Hokien? What happened to the Chang family? Can anyone help me to round out Eunice's story?

To contact me please click here.

FRUITSELLERS IN THE STREET HOKIEN.

The church in North China continued as best it could under Japanese occupation. The Bishop "recalled" Eunice from furlough mid 1940. By then of course, Nazi aggression in Europe had brought about the Second World War. Japan meanwhile (although soon to be aligned with Germany) was not officially at war with Britain and her allies, nor with the United States. Eunice arrived back in Peking in August 1940.

Peking and much of the countryside was under Japanese control. Consent had been obtained for Eunice to return to Hokien and reopen the hospital. However while she was en route, permission was revoked. Japanese occupied the hospital themselves. Eunice was sent instead first to ChiChou (near Hokien) where she helped run the out-patient dressing-station. The city was under Japanese occupation. There was no doctor - he had been "kidnapped".

"Pearl Harbour". The next cataclysmic events to impinge upon China, were Japan's simultaneous attacks in December 1941 upon Hong Kong, Singapore, the Phillipines plus the American base at Pearl Harbour. At a stroke, Japan had revealed her masterplan for world domination.

At the time of Pearl Harbour there were about 1,500 missionaries of all denominations in North China, approximately half British and half American. All were labelled "enemy aliens". Most were rounded up and interned in large camps, but some were later repatriated. A few hospitals and orphanages were for a time allowed to remain open.

Chinese who assisted Europeans were in grave danger.

Eunice was one of a group of missionaries from North China, sent by the Japanese to Shanghai for repatriation. However there were no berths available in the few ships which were allowed to leave. Along with other missionary women and thousands of people from all walks of life, Eunice spent the next two and a half years as a "Civil Internee" in Japanese prison camps (euphemistically called "Civil Assembley Centres") in the Shanghai area.

There were many camps throughout Japanese occupied China. Conditions for most internees were appalling. Overcrowding, brutality, dirt, lack of heating, malnutrition, disease and starvation. Many accounts have been written about Japanese treatment of prisoners. Eunice told her nephew of a beating she had received, because the Japanese believed that she was harbouring a man in her room.

At the Columbia Country Club [CCC] where Eunice was initially held, conditions were marginally better than most, with better access to food, running water, gas and electricity. Perhaps the the biggest foes after malnutrition and overcrowding were boredom and depression.

AN EARLY PHOTOGRAPH OF A MEAL LINE AT THE COLUMBIA COUNTRY CLUB. SERVANTS DISAPPEARED WHEN THE CCC WAS TURNED INTO AN INTERNMENT CAMP IN MARCH 1943.

As the war drew towards its conclusion, captives were in great danger. If Japanese treatment had not killed them perhaps the US bombing sorties would do the trick. Many feared a massacre by the departing Japanese.

American bombing over Japanese positions in the Shanghai docks area began in July 1945. Several thousand Chinese and "foreign" internees in the area were killed. In July, internees in Eunice's camp in Shanghai were taken by truck and then forced to walk and carry their possessions to a new destination - which proved to be Yangtzepoo Camp - an ex-military barracks in the Shanghai Docks area. Japanese troops then occupied the recently vacated internee premises, with its identifying white cross painted on the roof. Internees were deliberately being used by the Japanese as "hostage" in the event of further Allied bombing or an American landing at Shanghai.

In spite of terrible conditions, somehow people kept up their spirits. A few editions of the hand-written "Camp Chit Chat" (covering the last few weeks of the war in Yangtzepoo Camp) have survived. "I Take A Bath" takes a humorous look at the shower queue. "I Light a Chatty" explains the techniques employed in lighting small wood-burning stove. The Editorial of July 29th 1945 points up the need for care during air-raids. All great fun to read even now, 2004.

On May 8th following the defeat of Germany war in Europe ended. By the end of the month, US naval air attacks had begun on Japan. News somehow reached the Internees. When would Allied help reach Shanghai? Then, news came of the atom bomb which had been dropped on August 6th on the city of Hiroshima on the Japanese mainland. A second bomb fell on Nagasaki on the 8th August. In the face of overwhelming destruction, the Emperor ordered his troops to cease fighting. Japan surrendered on August 10 1945.

For prisoners of the Japanese, a rapid conclusion of the war meant that many thousands of lives in disputed territories had been saved. American forces were planning to launch an offensive in the Shanghai area on about August 15th.

Peace at last. In some accounts the beginning of peace was a low-key affair. For a long time nothing seemed to change. Help arrived in Shanghai first from the local Chinese population.

ALMOST NO INFORMATION ABOUT INTERNEES REACHED THE OUTSIDE WORLD. THIS CARD WAS RECENTLY LOCATED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES WELLINGTON, BUT THE REFERENCED DOCUMENTS COULD NOT BE FOUND.

Eighty New Zealand Civilian Internees and 792 Military Prisoners of War had been held held by the Japanese in China. Most were quickly repatriated.

The following list of missionaries from New Zealand who had been interned by the Japanese may not be complete. They were Eunice Preece, Dr Haddow, Miss Bargrove, Margaret Woods, Stella Purchas, Beryl Steven, Marjorie Monaghan (who married Rev W S Southward), Kathleen Porter, Mr and Mrs J A D Britland, Mr McDouall (?Rev McDouall), Bishop Scott*, Miss Scott*, Miss D E Mitchell* (*may not have been New Zealanders).

It must have seemed as if Japan's defeat would be the end of China's woes.

But immediately came a continuation of the the power struggle between Nationalist Chinese and Communist Chinese, which previously had been loosely allied against the Japanese. Soon it was full scale civil war.

Eunice was "released" from internment in August. Was she in hospital? Had she to wait her turn for repatriation? Did she returned to Peking - her "home" - to see if she could assist at the Mission? She was now sixty-one years of age.

THIS FRAMED PANEL, DELICATELY EMBROIDERED WITH SILK, IS ONE OF SEVERAL WHICH BELONGED TO EUNICE.

Eunice arrived back in New Zealand on 16th December 1945. For a while she lived with her sister Agnes in Mount Eden. One of her nieces can remember visiting the aunts at about this time. She had been coached by her mother to say nothing inappropriate. Eunice had appeared to be unwell.

"The Reaper" of June 1946 reported that Bishop Scott of North China was "calling workers back" to Peking. They were to leave as soon as arrangements could be made. Eunice arrived in Peking mid-1947. China was once more a battleground. As far as I know, Eunice did not return to Hokien.

TaTung hospital to the west of Peking was being re-opened by the SPG, and Eunice was sent to help. Everything had been smashed or looted and was in a state of "indescribable filth". There were few supplies, no running water, no electricity. Great efforts were made to re-establish the hospital and begin once again to train nurses. However by November 1948, Eunice was working at the Presbyterian Hospital Peking, as she was unable to return to TaTung following a visit to Peking. TaTung was once again a war zone.

In September 1949 Peking was taken by the Communists, and the People's Republic proclaimed. The North China Christian church was placed in the hands of Chinese clergy. All foreigners were to leave China. By the end of November 1950 Eunice was back in New Zealand.

EUNICE PREECE AND KATHLEEN HALL FEATURE IN THIS SMALL SECTION FROM THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS (CREATED BY CLAUDIA POND EYLEY) IN ST MARY'S AT HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL IN PARNELL AUCKLAND. THE "LUKE WINDOWS" CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTION BY WOMEN TO CHURCH AND SOCIETY.

Eunice spent her last years as a missionary in the Bay of Plenty and East Coast areas of New Zealand. From 1956 to 1960 was superintendent at Manutuke Mission House near Gisborne. She is still remembered by some of the young people she befriended. In 1960, she retired to Auckland, and spent her remaining years at the Anglican retirement complex, at Selwyn Village, Point Chevalier. She died in 1969 aged 84. She was buried at Mangere.

Eunice Preece, the woman who loved China.

A HUGE ARCHIVE OF THE SPG RECORDS (NOW THE USPG) IS HELD IN THE RHODES HOUSE LIBRARY, OXFORD. JOSIE SEARCHES THROUGH BOUND COPIES OF THE NORTH CHINA RECORDS.

NOTE:By telling Eunice's story I hope to make contact with people with more information. My long term plan is to write a full account of Eunice's life. My thanks to family members who have allowed me to use Eunice's photographs and thanks also to those who have shared their memories with me. Special thanks to Roger and Josie for research in Oxford. I thank also those ex-Internees who have been so helpful and generous with photographs and information.

Please let me know if the information on these pages is not correct, or if you are able to contribute to the story. Click here to email me.

[Look at other parts of the PREECE STORY by clicking on this link to the Index page.]

Updated August 5 2004.