Louis Auguste Cossart, Chief Accountant, Asiatic Petroleum (SC) Ltd, Hong Kong
Mike Adair has kindly sent this biography of his grandfather, Louis Auguste Cossart, who worked for the Asiatic Petroleum Company in Hong Kong.
HF: There is an initial contribution about Mr Cossart in our previously posted article, Asiatic Petroleum Company employees, a compilation – information needed, linked below.
Biography of Louis Auguste Cossart
b. 4 Mar 1881 Battersea, London; d 7 Jul 1929 Hong Kong (of typhoid)
He was employed as an accountant with Shell Royal Dutch Petroleum before 1915 in London and spent some time in Egypt in the early 1900’s for Shell or its precursor. (The family has lots of photos taken by Louis in Egypt 1912 and 1913 of oil operations on the Gamsah Peninsula area, railway construction at Zeitieh, etc.)
In early 1916 he and his wife Sophia travelled to Hong Kong from England with daughter Phyllis where he was employed as an accountant with Asiatic Petroleum Co. (SC) Ltd. Positions held:
– from 1916 to 1920, Assistant
– from 1921 to 1924, Accountant of the Company
– from 1925 to 1929, Chief Accountant.
The term “assistant” was widely used as a position title. There were up to about 60 assistants in APC according to the Hong Kong Jurors Lists published between 1916 and 1929.
His second daughter, my mother Betty (Elizabeth) was born in Hong Kong in 1916.
Sadly Louis died in 1929 of typhoid and his wife returned to England where the two girls were in boarding school. He is buried in Hong Kong Cemetery. grave no. 9089 at Section 7
Louis was an avid photographer and his pictures of Hong Kong at that time are fascinating.
Below are some of these photographs sent by Mike Adair. Further images can be found in our article, Asiatic Petroleum Company employees, a compilation – information needed, linked below. Mike has sent the captions.
Louis Auguste Cossart c1921 Courtesy: Mike Adair
The Cossart family in Hong Kong c1918 Courtesy: Mike Adair
Hong Kong Skyline c1920 From Mike Adair
Phyl & Betty in Hong Kong c1921 Courtesy Mike Adair
Car c1922 Courtesy: Mike Adair
Group photo c1927 Courtesy: Mike Adair
Louis Cossart grave inscription 1929 Courtesy: Mike Adair
Louis Cossart gravestone 1929 Courtesy: Mike Adair
Louis Cossart’s grave 2011 Courtesy: Mike Adair
This article was first posted on 22nd September 2021.
Related Indhhk articles:
- Asiatic Petroleum Company employees, a compilation – information needed
- Asiatic Petroleum Company, China – family connections
- Asiatic Petroleum Company – contemporary photographs of its Shanghai building
- Asiatic Petroleum Company staff photo, Shanghai 1930s
- Asiatic Petroleum Company Ltd – links to Arnhold & Company
- Walter George Babb, Employee of the Asiatic Petroleum Co, UK, 1911 – information wanted
- BAAG records of shipping in HK during 1944-45 – the Fukuan Maru, ex-Shu Kwang operated by Asiatic Petroleum Company
- Yung Hao tanker – requisitioned by HK Government 1951 leading to China’s requisitioning of Asiatic Petroleum Co
- Joe MacDonald – Asiatic Petroleum employee, China/HK late 1930s
- Asiatic Petroleum Company – Shanghai building , further information