Lau Chu-pak


Lau Chü-pak, JP was a Hong Kong merchant and politician.
Lau Chu-pak was admitted to the Queen's College in the same year as Sun Yat-sen. He became a clerk at the Hong Kong Observatory and later went into business and became a comprador of the West Point Godown Company in 1888 and of A. S. Watson from 1893. Together with Ho Fook, they founded the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in which he became the chairman of the chamber later on.
He held to various public posts such as the chairman of the Po Leung Kuk and Tung Wah Hospital, member of the District Watch Committee and the Sanitary Board. He was appointed as Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council from 1913 until his death in 1922.
He helped to found the University of Hong Kong by donating to the endowment fund in 1911. He later became the member of the University's Court between 1911 and 1914 and was honoured life member of the Court in 1914. He was member of the University Council from 1911 to 1922.
His son Lau Tak-po founded the Hong Kong and Yaumatei Ferry Company and the family is still in control of the company.