William Graham Eckersley, who has died at 82, would likely have won a popularity contest if one had been held among Sai Kung expatriates. Graham behaved like a born politician. Tall with white hair flowing from under his hat, Graham would chat affably with everyone he met in the town’s streets day after day. HONG KONG BUZZ dubbed him the Unofficial Mayor of Sai Kung.
Graham lived at Pak Tam Au in a large house, alone after wife Wendy died, except for his dogs. “I don’t adopt dogs, they adopt me,” he said. Friends would say to Graham after he passed 80 and signs of deteriorating health began to show that he should not be living alone. He should hire a helper. Graham wouldn’t do it. Neighbours looked after him by sending their helper to see him daily.
Graham at lunch with Sai Kung friends
Friend Guy Shirra said Graham took a turn for the worse about a week ago and was admitted to Tseung Kwan O hospital where he died peacefully.
BUZZ team member Roger Medcalf described Graham as “a lovely guy, always a pleasure to be with. A good conversationalist, he had a lot of warmth and genuine friendliness about him. Sai Kung has lost one of its most lovable characters.”
Kelly Mills, now living in Perth, is a long-time friend and colleague of Graham. He told BUZZ Graham was imported from Scotland in 1961 by Dairy Farm after he got a degree in dairy technology at West of Scotland Agricultural College. In those days Dairy Farm had a real farm with real cows. Kelly said, “At the peak, Dairy Farm had 2800 cows there, 2300 of them milking.” Kelly worked with Graham at the Pokfulam farm. Graham rose to the rank of farm general manager. After 20 years the Jardine-Dairy Farm-HK Land group started to get dollar signs in their eyes imagining the profits from real estate on the farm site. The monster Pokfulam residential blocks went up. The size of the farm diminished and the number of cows dwindled. Graham helped transport the remaining cows to Kwong Ming Farms near Shenzhen.
Kelly credited Graham with this quote: “Where Dairy Farm milked cows for 100 years, HK Land milked once.”
Graham acted as a liaison officer for the Chinese-run farms. He retired at about 1990, bought the house at Pak Tam Au and moved there with Wendy. The house, called “Braemar”, is the first in a small row where the country park road goes over the summit then down to Wong Shek Pier. Kelly said Graham did consulting for Kwong Ming Farms and later worked for the French contractors who built Daya Bay nuclear plant. During construction of the plant, Graham managed the shops and the canteen for the village of technical staff at Daya Bay.
“He was always a bit of an environmentalist,” Kelly said. “An outdoors man who liked hiking, golf and gardening.” Graham became interested in beekeeping — “he was the beekeeping hero of Pak Tam Au “– studied the science and erected hives on the roof of his house collecting honey. Wendy died about 10 years ago of recurring breast cancer, Kelly said. Graham had worked with her on anti-cancer charitable activities. Wendy ran a hotline for cancer sufferers. The couple had no children, but several godchildren now in HK or overseas. Graham is survived also by his sister, Elizabeth, who he always said would inherit Braemar.
“Graham was friendly, talkative, knowledgeable, a learned man,” Kelly said. “He was also well travelled, studying senior management in the U.S. We have lost a much valued friend. It’s a sad time.”
BUZZ will publish memories of Graham from his friends and neighbours. Please email to mail@hongkongbuzz.hk
MEMORIES
Guy Shirra:
I did not know Graham until he joined the Friends of Sai Kung NGO in 2007 , becoming a strong supporter of our environmental causes and a font of knowledge concerning all things arboreal and flora but also a hopefully tongue-in-cheek advocate of dual carriageway on stilts around the coast of Sai Kung to solve our claimed transport problems.
Then Toby Emmett introduced him to our Sai Kung old China hands “Thursday Lunch Club” in the Autumn of 2012 where we were subjected to his uproarious Scots humour and tendency to either produce $500 notes or none at all when the time came to pay the bill. But…he was also the only luncher who often stepped up in response to my post lunch cry of “OK; who’s going on the toot?”
Graham Eckersley was a fine gentleman, a lovely guy and tremendous company and many Sai Kungers, hugely supportive country park neighbours and former colleagues at the Dairy Farm will miss him greatly.
Graham generously provided me with saplings of fruit and other trees which are now growing strongly in Tan Cheung Upper Village, mirroring all the many trees he planted near his home in Pak Tam Au.
Tim Metcalfe:
“He was my favourite golf partner in the entire world. Actually, he was my only golf partner, so I loved Eckers. No-one believes me, but he bought me lunch once.”
Kaz O’Carroll:
Had many long chats with Graham on my wanderings of the park over the years, about the cows of course. He had a particular herd around his area, that he knew well, some he had given names to, such as ‘pillowslip’ – I will miss our cow chats. Rest well Graham 
Myron Givets:
Sad to hear the news. RIP Dear Friend!I worked with Graham in China at Canton American Flower Lounge Livestock Co. LTD.
Simon Rostron:
RIP Graham, one of the nicest men you could ever wish to meet
Zoë Byron Bovenlander:
How sad, I remember Graham fondly, he’d always stop and chat to me when we passed each other on dog walks. A lovely man
Paul Riley:
Such a lovely, well mannered, genuine and most importantly, a very nice man. RIP Graham. 
Judy Love-Eastham, Former Publisher, Explore Sai Kung:
Graham Eckersley: the epitome of a gentle man.
As I consider the highlights of my thirteen years in Sai Kung., Graham pops into almost every memory. His wonderful humour, his selflessness, his championing of the underdog and his intense love of the countryside and its flora and fauna.
He had a beautiful soul and I pray that he is now resting in peace with Wendy at his side.
Devon Bovenlander:
So sorry to hear of Graham’s passing. We lived in Ko Tong just down the road from Pak Tam Au and always loved bumping into him whilst walking the dogs. Always a joy, and a true SK/HK legend. Rest in Peace Graham.
Harry Siu:
R.I.P Graham. Still remember our chat in the local McDonalds, your days working at Dairy farm.
Mike Kennedy:
My good friend Graham, a fine Scotsman with a twinkle in his eye and always maintaining his wonderful sense of humour. Dear W G will be sorely missed and forever remembered by the people in and around Sai Kung. Rest in Peace Graham.
Vince Walsh:
Together with my family, wife Maureen and children Thomas, Eleanor and Patrick, we had many an enjoyable lunch with Graham and others at Toby Emmet’s house in Pak Sha O Ha Yeung. Graham was great company and a fount of knowledge on Sai Kung matters. He was always in the process of writing a letter to a government department on some subject or other. He will be sadly missed.
David F Kidd Ayr Scotland:
I was best pals with Eck (as he was known at Agricultural College 1957- 1960 ).
What a guy, always affable , stylish and ready with a typical Glaswegian response and utterly dependable. I still miss his cheery quick wit and comments on whatever. I was honoured to be ” best man ” to Wendy and him all those years ago.
I had kept in contact with him up until two years ago when he was in hospital so it was a real shock to learn of his passing.
Still, the memories endure.
Kim Poh Urquhart
So sad to hear. Graham was a true gentleman who had time for everyone and treated everyone equally. Strays recognised his kindness and sought shelter with him, having resisted all other attempts at rescue. We missed our meetings and chats with him after we left and now another HK icon has gone. RIP Graham.
Be the first to comment