There is no evidence to support Albert Fish’s 1894 claim that children under 12 were sold to butchers in Hong Kong due to famine. Contemporary records and credible studies contradict this claim.
Albert Fish’s letter describes a horrific scenario—a famine so severe that children were sold as food. This claim, however, is widely assessed as an unpleasant fantasy with no basis in fact.
WW Rockhill, an American diplomat stationed in Beijing in 1894, conducted a thorough study of famine conditions in China. Published in 1904 by the Smithsonian, his work details droughts and famines particularly affecting northwest provinces like Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Zhili, as well as southern Mongolia. These areas suffered great hardship from 1892 to 1894.
Importantly, Rockhill’s report does not mention any famine in Canton or Hong Kong, which are located much farther south. The regions experiencing famine are geographically distant from Hong Kong, making such severe conditions unlikely in the latter.
Further, research from the British Newspaper Archive for 1894 shows no famine reports in Hong Kong. Instead, records reveal a significant plague outbreak in June that year, which resulted in approximately 1,700 deaths. Tens of thousands of archived newspaper pages from 1894 lack any story about famine or child selling in Hong Kong. This absence strongly indicates the claim has no journalistic or historical support.
The context suggests Albert Fish’s letter either fabricated or grossly exaggerated the situation. While famine struck parts of China in the early 1890s, Hong Kong during 1894 faced a different crisis—a deadly plague rather than starvation-induced cannibalism or child selling.
- Albert Fish’s claim is unsupported by historical evidence.
- Famine affected northwestern China, not Hong Kong or Canton.
- British newspapers report a plague outbreak, no famine stories.
- WW Rockhill’s 1904 study confirms regional famine but excludes Hong Kong.
- Claim likely originated as fantasy or misinformation.
Is there any historical evidence supporting Albert Fish’s claim of children being sold for food in Hong Kong in 1894?
There is no evidence supporting that claim. It is considered an unpleasant fantasy with no records or reports verifying such events in Hong Kong at that time.
Did any famine occur in or near Hong Kong in 1894 that could explain Fish’s claim?
Famine was reported in parts of northwestern China like Shanxi and Shaanxi but nowhere near Hong Kong. The city itself had no famine during 1894.
What do historical newspapers say about conditions in Hong Kong in 1894?
British newspapers from 1894 report a plague outbreak in Hong Kong that caused many deaths. No famine or similar crises involving food shortages were reported.
Who was WW Rockhill and how does his research relate to this claim?
WW Rockhill was an American diplomat who studied China’s population and famines. His 1904 study details famine in northern regions but does not mention Hong Kong experiencing famine.
Could the claim be linked to confusion about other crises in Hong Kong in 1894?
It is possible the claim confuses the 1894 plague outbreak with famine. However, no reliable sources mention children being sold for food or famine in Hong Kong during that year.
