SWMRshanghai – By Adam Dutton
A chilling collection of photos showing the brutality of life in Shanghai in the 1900s has sold for more than £7,000.
Boxes crammed with 600 black-and-white images were discovered in a dusty loft which were brought back from China by a British police officer.
The pictures tell the incredible story of how a Birmingham postman swapped delivering letters to tackling opium gangs in Shanghai at the turn of the last century.
Albert Henry Aiers joined Shanghai Municipal Police aged 18 in 1902 and worked his way up to the rank of Assistant Commissioner.
During his tenure, he battled opium gangs, robbers and violent civil unrest and, latterly, witnessed the Sino-Japanese Hostilities of 1937.
Albert’s grandson recently discovered the haul of 125-year-old photos capturing the pivotal moments in Shanghai’s history while clearing out his loft.
The collection smashed its £4,000 estimate when it sold for a total of £7,100 at Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Lichfield, Staffs.
Experts say the photos, mostly from 1900-1912, give a rare glimpse into the brutal realities of life and death in dangerous 1900s Shanghai.
The images depict riots, floods, prisoners, police officers, military personnel, ‘singsong girls’, warships, funerals and topographical scenes.
Auctioneer Richard Winterton said: “What a life Albert Aiers lived.
“Incredible to enrol in the Shanghai Police thousands of miles from home at just 18 years old.
“To then end up in dangerous investigations and murderous situations with robbers and opium gangs.
“Bert was clearly respected and admired by his colleagues and he was showered with gifts when he retired.
“The photographs really bring to life the dangerous streets of Shanghai in the early 1900s and we anticipate a lot of interest at auction.”
The collection has been consigned to auction by AlBert’s grandson Keith Franklin, 71, from Walsall, West Mids.
He said: “My grandfather was never a photographer so he must have been presented with these albums as souvenirs.
“Given the nature of many of the photographs, I would imagine they would have been taken by police officials.
“They really paint a vivid picture of what a dangerous place it was.
“He once told me it was totally lawless and you would have to walk around with a revolver.
“My brother was going through his loft recently and came across these four photo albums.”
