Mei Li Chen 陳美麗

Born in 1941 Mei Li Chen was one of 5 children, 2 girls and 3 brothers. Not long after her birth the Japanese invaded Hong Kong and the family fled to Taishan in China, her father’s ancestral home town. In 1948 her father, who had been working as an accountant for his father, returned to Hong Kong. He never returned to China as landlords (and those working for them) were denounced under Communism. Mei Li remained in China and attended school from the age of 8 and then helped her sister care for her children. At the age of 16 Mei Li was married, her husband was a civil servant and worked away from home. Mei Li lived with her mother-in-law until drafted into a water storage system being developed as part of the Great Leap Forward. She worked on the water storage projects 1958-1962 until she was sent home due to pregnancy. She worked on the family farm, supporting her children and helping them to develop their careers. She came to the UK in 1995 with her husband. Initially living with her daughter before moving out after her husband had a stroke. Her sons came to join the family in the UK and established businesses in the UK.