Obit-'Side Party' Jenny, Hong Kong (Mar 2009)

Subject: Obit-'Side Party' Jenny,Hong Kong
From: bubblyrat
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 10:58 AM

The death,at the age of 92,is reported in today's "Daily Telegraph",of Mrs Jenny Ng Muk Kah,BEM,founder,owner and operator of the famous "Jenny's Side Party",known to generations of Royal Navy sailors as the doyenne of side-party ship- painters in Hong Kong.I remember her (and her girls,some of whom were delightful !) when she more or less took over the carrier HMS Eagle there in 1968.Anyone else out there remember her ??

Subject: RE: Obit-'Side Party' Jenny,Hong Kong
From: Geordie-Peorgie
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 06:18 PM

Whey hell, yes!

Aah think aah my first real 'love' was a 'Jenny's' lass

Aah nivvor spoke to her or knaah'd her name but, by the cringe, she wez lovely!

Subject: RE: Obit-'Side Party' Jenny,Hong Kong
From: bubblyrat
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 07:10 PM

I just knew YOU'D remember,George !! You didn't fancy the same one as me,did you ?? See you in Bude, I hope .

Subject: RE: Obit-'Side Party' Jenny,Hong Kong
From: Teribus
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 04:29 PM

Oh yes, I remember Jenny's Side Party, read her Obituary just the other day. Hong Kong one of the greatest runs ashore going.

Subject: RE: Obit-'Side Party' Jenny,Hong Kong
From: Geordie-Peorgie
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 08:05 PM

Bubblyrat! Aah divvent naah if it wez the same one you fancied

She wez chinese if that helps!

Aye! See ye at Bude

Subject: RE: Obit-'Side Party' Jenny,Hong Kong
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Mar 09 - 01:48 AM

What an interesting story! There's an Australian description here (click):

Whilst in Hong Kong, Swan (III) utilised the services of Jenny's Side Party, a group of 30 Chinese women ship painters who, without pay, devotedly paint and clean all visiting warships. The Side Party workers supplement their normal operational earnings on non-navy vessels by selling soft drinks to visiting ship's crews.

And photographs here (click) and a British (?) report here (click). I have a brother-in-law who spent his time in the Navy painting his ship while at sea, hanging over the side of the ship in a bosun's chair. I'm sure he would have been grateful for Jenny's Side Party, but I don't see any report of U.S. ships taking advantage of Jenny's services.

I suppose you could consider this folklore, but I'm going to move it to the non-music section.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Obit-'Side Party' Jenny, Hong Kong (Mar 2009)
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 28 Mar 09 - 05:41 AM

Crazy - hong kong was my home town yet I never knew about them till today.

I guess it was a navy thing.

Lovely story.