Leo d'Almada e Castro

Leonardo Horácio d'Almada e Castro Jr. CBE QC JP (Chinese: 廖亞孖打/廖亞利孖打; 28 May 1904 – 1996) was a barrister and prominent leader of the Portuguese community in Hong Kong.

Leo d'Almada e Castro CBE QC JP
廖亞孖打/廖亞利孖打
Member of the Executive Council
In office 1949 – 28 May 1959
Appointed by	Alexander Grantham
Succeeded by	Alberto Maria Rodrigues
Member of the Legislative Council
In office 3 February 1937 – 13 November 1941
Appointed by	Andrew Caldecott
In office 1 May 1946 – 29 April 1953
Appointed by	Mark Aitchison Young
Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association
In office January 1961 – January 1963
Preceded by	Lo Hin Shing
Succeeded by	Brook Bernacchi
In office January 1959 – January 1960
Preceded by	John McNeill
Succeeded by	Lo Hin Shing
In office January 1957 – January 1958
Preceded by	John McNeill
Succeeded by	John McNeill
In office January 1954 – January 1955
Preceded by	Charles Loseby
Succeeded by	John McNeill
In office January 1951 – January 1952
Preceded by	Charles Loseby
Succeeded by	John McNeill
Personal details
Born	28 May 1904 Hong Kong
Died	1996 (aged 91-92)[1] Portugal
Nationality	Portugal United Kingdom
Spouse(s)	Clothilde Belmira Barretto
Alma mater	St. Joseph's College; University of Hong Kong; Exeter College, Oxford
Occupation	Barrister-at-law

Biography

He was born in Hong Kong in the d'Alamda family which had existed since the British rule of Hong Kong in 1842. He was educated as St. Joseph's College and the University of Hong Kong. He later claimed he failed in completing his studies because of his laziness. He left for England and graduated in jurisprudence from the Exeter College, Oxford in 1926 and was called to the Bar as a member of the Middle Temple in 1927.[2] He briefly lecturing commercial law at the University of Hong Kong before he started practising law in Hong Kong. Until 1960, he was one of the only four Queen's Counsel practising in Hong Kong, the others were namely, John McNeil, Charles Loseby and Brook Bernacchi.[3] He was appointed as an unofficial member in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 1937 to 1941 in the succession of José Pedro Braga and 1946 to 1953 after the war.[4]

During the Second World War he lived in Macao and served as a liaison officer between the Portuguese and British governments in connection of refugees.[2] He was appointed to the Hong Kong Planning Unit in London during the last years of the war after his difficult journey through Japanese-occupied China to India, and then to England. He served as President of the General Military Court during the short-term British military rule after the surrender of Japan in 1945. He became the first Hong Kong Portuguese King's Counsel in 1947 and his wife was appointed one of Hong Kong's first female Justices of the Peace at this time. In 1949, he was appointed to the Executive Council of Hong Kong.

He was also the member of the court of the University of Hong Kong from 1937 and President of the Hong Kong Bar Association five times from 1951 to 1962.[4] In the business sector, he was the director of the China Light & Power Co., China Underwriters and Far East Investment, Vice-President of the Boy Scouts Association of Hong Kong, Member of the Lusitano Club and Club Recreio.[5]

According to the Asia Who's Who in 1958, he lived in 12 Kadoorie Avenue, Kowloon.[5]

References

1. Club Lusitano: Leonardo d’Almada e Castro CBE QC LLD 1904 to 1996
2. Cunich, Peter (2002). An impossible dream: Hong Kong University from foundation to re-establishment, 1910-1950. Oxford University Press. p. 172.
3. Yu, Patrick Shuk-siu (2002). Tales from Number Nine Ice House Street. Hong Kong University Press. p. 23.
4. Ure, Gavin (2012). Governors, Politics, and the Colonial Office: Public Policy in Hong Kong, 1918-58. Hong Kong University Press. p. 254.
5. Asia Who's Who. Pan-Asia Newspaper Alliance. 1958. p. 144.