Lawrence Liang
These short pieces are speculative /fictional reconstructions of newspaper and archival stories about the Indian-Chinese community
Members of two competing gambling clubs, one on No. 10 Blackburn lane in Calcutta and the other, just opposite it at No. 20 - clashed on 7th December 1908. Both the clubs claimed to be representative of the Sea Voy church, a group consisting of seamen and carpenters belong to the Sea Yip community from South China.
The Acting Superintendent of Police Mr. Firzoni offered to mediate between the two parties, but both parties remained adamant and arrived with their lawyers arguing the supremacy of their claims. Mr. Firzoni ordered the closure of both clubs.
A day later leading members of the community assured the ASP that all differences had been settled and the clinking sound of mahjong tiles can now be heard echoing across the two clubs.