(Old Institution on Still Older Grounds: Memories of "Farmer"
Shaw and Modern Transformations One rarely ever picks up a magazine devoted to the home beautiful nowadays, but that some mention is made of remarkable architectural transformations. A barn is turned into a bungalow with apparent ease, and a chimney-piece into a kitchenette.
'A charming example of how these transformations are done is to be found locally in the Rew German Country Club (Deutscher Garten-Klub) situate at 454 Avenue Haig, delightful edifice reminiscent of the good old days of Shanghai when Shaw's Farm" was a landmark in the then Siccawei Road.
"Farmer* Shaw Those amongst the local foreign community who count their residence in Shanghai in tens and twenties of years will remember the property of Mr. R. W. Farmer" Shaw, a sportsman of high quality, for many years the Master of the drag hounds, and a well known figure in the. sparsely foreign populated Shanghai of those days. "Farmer" Shaw purchased this estate and built his how there about 1898 and conducted thereon a flourishing dairy, farm for many years. This farm was a link with several others for which he was deservedly famous, there having been previous farms in Poo tung, in what is now the Buhl Well' district behind Bickerto Hotel, and still others in the sent Jessfield Road near the Ewo cotton-mill and a point on the Soochow creek near one of the present big Japanese cotton mills.
Besides being a noteworthy dairy farmer, the Shaw managed the drag hounds, as has been said, and was the owner of several famous ponies, one a big grey which elicited much admiration in the amateur circuses held in Shanghai in the "gay nineties," another named Ariel which won the. Maidens Sweep and still another called Hampton which won the Leger. At one time also, Mr. "Farmer" Shaw had been chief engineer of the Customs cruiser Kwahsing.
Those who recollect the famous dairyman walking about his estate in Siccawei Road in the heat of summer with dark spectacles and a flat-topped bowler hat, protesting good-naturedly that the head-covering was of far less importance than guarding the eyes from a Shanghai glare, will beyond doubt feel his presence. on the smooth lawns of the new German Garden Club.
'A Transformation Scene the hopes of the club will be realized and a swimming bath grace the old pasturage land adjoining.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.