History & GM Records & H3 General History

In the beginning, (well according to the 'Harrier International Handbook' anyway) Sek Kong H3 was started on December 31 1974. However, there is evidence to suggest that there was an unregistered military hash, running from RAF Sek Kong, in at least 1967.

See self proclaimed historical information at SKH3 Gazette from May 16 2008, below. It's a trustworthy source because all trustworthy sources are written in Comic Sans, obviously.

This existing (but officially unregistered hash) running from Sek Kong since the 60s? was set up as SKH3 officially in March 1978, similar to the way in which N2TH3 started. (Attempts to verify when Sek Kong hashing actually commenced have so far proved unsuccessful but it seams improbable that military personnel who had enjoyed hashing elsewhere in the Far East prior to transfer to HK would not wish to continue hashing in their new posting.)

Little Sai Wan H3, which was also officially started in 1978, was also recorded as a descendant from H4 but this was corrected on 15 May 1999 to show descent from Bullsbrook H3 and Australian military links. The Australian forces also had strong links with Sek Kong Barracks of course, as did other Commonwealth forces. Indeed it was an Australian Army Sek Kong hasher called Geordie Pepper who reorganised the midweek SKH3 runs into N2TH3 with their first official run being on 27 June 1983. The links and joint runs continued for many years but like so many things at a distance eventually SKH3 and LSWH3 went their own ways. For SKH3 and N2TH3 the close ties have continued and many SKH3 hashers have been Grand Master of one or the other or even both. A Sek Kong hash newsletter dated August 1974 was previously in the SKH3 records. GM Sir Tailend and GM2 Hughiee saw it in 1997 when preparing the 1000th run magazine. It was destroyed along with most of the SKH3 paper records in 2001 (by an H4 saboteur?) Sek Kong H3 is accordingly the Oldest Hash in Hong Kong!

We used to always meet at the Sek Kong Borneo Lines Camp NAAFI on Route Twisk on Sunday afternoons at 16:00 hours. Most of the runs were local but could be anywhere in the New Territories and occasionally further. Initially all the hashers were in the forces or their families, the first recorded regular civilian hasher being Steve 'Carthief' Argyles who joined in 1985. Things continued in a mainly military style with more and more civilians joining as the years passed by. The last official military hash was 'The Final Retreat', run 932 on 25 August 1996 but nothing changed and the next weeks run was from the NAAFI just like before.

Very soon afterwards however the NAAFI was closed so we moved just down the hill and met at Cheesie's dai-pai-dong by the Sek Kong roundabout at the bottom of Route Twisk. We discussed if we should move to Osborne Barracks in Kowloon Tong, and had a hash party at Mrs. Doubtfire's quarters there one day, but that was going to close soon as well so there wasn't much point in doing that. SKH3 attendance kept falling and in late 1996 was usually in single figures so we considered stopping the hash as it was mainly military and they were all leaving because of the handover.

One Sunday we sat around at Cheesie's (John Chee's) dai-pai-dong after the run discussing if we should end SKH3 when it was pointed out that there were actually more civilians than military at that run. That was the turning point and we decided to keep the hash going in the Sek Kong area. SKH3 had run from the actual Leafy Glade just off the lane behind the Kwan Yick Store dai-pai-dong in Lam Tsuen Valley a few times before. At least it was very near to Sek Kong and we could park there without getting tickets so that is probably the reason why we actually moved to the Leafy Glade dai-pai-dong.

Dram remembers: John Chee's DPD is now a car repair shop. His DPD closed a bit after 1997 and he and his family moved to the UK. However, a few years ago his daughter moved back to HK to run a small shop from a shed ( next to the petrol filling station ) about 15 metres in front of the old DPD. I had a chat with her about one or two years ago and she had fond memories of SKH3 ( I'm not sure if her shop is still open ).

In regard to SKH3 meeting at Leafy Glade, after 1997 we used to meet in a clearing in the wood to the right hand side of the single track road from the Kwan Yick store, (the DPD). There was no other DPD at Leafy Glade. The clearing was subsequently occupied by a paved road ( right off the single track road ) into the back of Tong Sheung Tsuen village. There was plenty of parking in the clearing but the area was infested with mosquitos and black flies so aafter a relatively short time we moved to meet at the Kwan Yick store. Incidentally, I think I'm correct that it was Big Moany who first coined the name Leafy Glade. (Big Moany denies this, says it came from N2TH3...)

The last serving military hasher was Grand Master John 'Flossie' Harper, who turned out the lights behind Hong Kong's last Governor Chris Patten, and left on 30 June 1997. Although the serving military have all gone there still are a few SKH3 hashers who have served in the British and Commonwealth forces, Commandos, Paras, RAOC, RAF, RE, REME, Signals, (and maybe more) previously who by various twists of fate are in Hong Kong and still run with us. We always seem to have at least one of those hashers on the committee to help us maintain our military traditions.

With so many ex-SKH3 hashers now back in the UK it was only a matter of time before they got together and the Sek Kong Reunion H3 was formed on 24 August 1991:

http://www.harrier.org/cgi-bin/Database_search/db_search.cgi

SEK KONG REUNION HHH , ENGLAND , UNITED KINGDOM , Annual gathering of ex-Sek Kong HHH members from Hongkong. FOUNDED: 24-26 August 1991.

Although not yet recorded on the hash genealogy list, another of our hashers, Bob 'Little Bo Peep' Lupton, moved to Seoul Korea in the summer of 1999 and helped set a new hash there in early 2000.

Apart from the runs around Sek Kong and throughout the New Territories we also have runs in our own right or as joint hashes on Lamma Island, Lantau Island, Macau and in Hong Kong's new northern extension the PRC, especially with the hash at Shekou. They are a great bunch and we always enjoy our visits there. There are also various social events such as Christmas, birthday and other parties, BBQs, junk trips and race days at Shatin.

SKH3 has all the usual hash lore plus a few traditions of it's own. These mainly centre on the GM who, being on parade for the business, must be properly dressed with GM's helmet and his baton, the ***Doggie Basher, which the GM is also required to take on the run and use to protect the hashers. Another SKH3 tradition is the 'Summer Rule' that used to be based around the summer and winter interfaces detailed in RAF station routine orders. BST and GMT time changes do the same job now. When the Summer Rule is invoked it is a sin to get changed into clean clothes until after the business has been completed. If you do so you may be invited to drink a free beer, we invite all our visitors for a free beer anyway because, well just because. If a female hasher, there are no ladies or gentlemen on our hash, gets a down-down we usually sing her a little compliment. Why, who knows, again just because. Another tradition is the Hash Raffle where all sorts of prizes are offered. Some are pure rubbish but there is also 'this week's star prize'. We usually have both long and short runs and these are indicated by an R (runners & rambos) or a W (walkers & wimps) respectively.

So that is it to date, we are certainly a drinking club with a running problem although some of our hashers are completely cured and never run anywhere! Any visitors are ALWAYS very welcome.

If you are an ex-SKH3 hasher and know any other details about the early days of SKH3, especially details of GMs and special runs, or if any of the above details need to be corrected please let me know. We really would like to receive your comments or stories about SKH3's early days.

***The Doggie Basher disappeared during Moonie's last GMship and has never been returned by whoever took it :-(

OnOn Hughiee hughiee_the_hasher@hotmail.com

And from the 1500 Run Magazine:

(1) 1974 and All That

Hashing began in Sek Kong in 1974 – or did it? Hughiee

takes a closer look

The first reported hasher in Hong Kong was the protohasher

“Horse” Thompson, who arrived in Hong Kong in 1940 on an RAF

posting. Thompson is credited with having started paper-chase

running groups in Johor Bahru and Malacca in the early 1930s

before becoming a contemporary of the legendary Gispert at the

Mother Hash in Kuala Lumpur in 1938.

Whether Thomson “hashed” in Hong Kong is, of course, a matter

of pure conjecture but, given the turmoil that was to strike Hong

Kong in late 1940, it is unlikely. However, there are various reports

of other military personnel who were hashers visiting or being

based in Hong Kong in the years through to the 1970s, but no clear

records of any hashes existing in Hong Kong during those years

have been found, despite the odd tantalizing claim.

British military reservists doing informal keep-fit runs set

up the mother hash in KL; it is lore within Sek Kong Hash House

Harriers that it had similar purely military origins and was not a

child of any organised hash.

In 2002, “Tumbling” Bill Panton of the mother hash and

compiler of Genealogy of Hash House Harriers advised us that two

British military intelligence service personnel originally founded

Sek Kong Hash House Harriers on 31 December 1974. This is three

and a quarter years before the previously accredited foundation

date of 1 March 1978. In the Genealogy register SKH3 had been

shown as being started in 1st March 1978 as an offshoot of Hong

Kong Hash House Harriers.

However we had seen notes of Sek Kong Hash runs that

took place in 1974 and at least one report of a military hasher

attending a run at Sek Kong in the mid 1960s several years before

SKH3 was formerly established, so we knew that this record

and possibly the link to H4 was incorrect. During his research

Bill found that Tim “Magic” Hughes had corrected his recorded

details for SKH3’s origins in the Harrier International Handbook

just before he died. Tim recorded that SKH3 was founded on 31

December 1974 not 1 March 1978 as was previously recorded.

The later date was shown in the Harrier International Handbook

until 1996. However, in the 1997 edition it was corrected and

now states, “Founded in 1974 by two British Military Intelligence

Oxymorons”. It now appears that there was an unregistered

military hash running from Borneo Lines Sek Kong from at least

1974 and that SKH3 notified the hash network of its existence,

possibly with the assistance of a H4 hasher, and then started to

number its runs from 1 March 1978. That fits well with SKH3 lore

and the facts recorded and reported in various hash registers.

Tumbling Bill has also advised that the Military Intelligence

“listeners” are a possible clue to our SKH3 parentage as

our military intelligence “listeners” could well have had an

association with the early warning and listening station on the

North Yorkshire Moors near Scarborough, UK. Those multi-

lingual eavesdroppers picked up the hashing virus quite early

and travelled about a lot on their cloak-and-dagger business.

Scarborough Hash usually has or had such types running with

them. Although Scarborough Hash was only born on 20 August

1983 and therefore couldn’t be a parent hash, its founding father,

George Whiteman, came from Hong Kong, and subsequently went

to Cyprus. The last Bill heard of George Whiteman he was with

the Larnaca Hash. If we can make contact perhaps he may be

able to help us find out more about the early days of SKH3 and

the other military hashes in Hong Kong too.

The informal start for SKH3 is not exceptional. Records

show that SKH3 ran on Bank Holidays and Sunday mornings

initially, then Sunday afternoons. In addition to the run every

Sunday SKH3 used to have a midweek run, usually on Monday

or Wednesday but this could be any day of the week. This was

settled as a Wednesday evening run, like our other military hasher

friends at Little Sai Wan Hash. Eventually it was decided to make

the SKH3 midweek run into a separate hash and N2TH3 was

founded. The SKH3 GM Debbie Williams ran on the first N2TH3

official run on 27 June 1983, as did her husband Nick and an

Australian Army Sek

Kong hasher called

Geordie Pepper who was declared the first N2TH3 GM. The links

and joint runs with Little Sai Wan continued for many years but

like so many things at a distance eventually SKH3 and LSWH3

went their own ways. Of course for SKH3 and N2TH3 the close

ties have continued and many SKH3 hashers have been Grand

Master of one or the other or both.

SKH3 used to meet at Sek Kong Borneo Lines Camp NAAFI

on route TWISK on Sunday afternoons at 1600 hours for a

1630 hours run start. Most of the runs were local but could be

anywhere in the New Territories and occasionally further away.

Initially all the hashers were in the forces or with forces families.

The first recorded regular civilian hasher was Steve “Carthief”

Argyles who joined in 1985. Although SKH3 was a military hash,

even in the early years this did not mean it was a boys’ club. The

first three known SKH3 GMs were all ladies, Ann Crane, Debbie

Williams and Pam Spencer.

The SKH3 logo was originally a running gentleman dressed in

top hat, tailed jacket and shorts. This logo is still familiar as it

is used by the Royal South Side Hash, another ex-military hash.

RS2H3 was founded by ’13 squaddies’ in 1978. Terry Kitson was

the SKH3 GM in 1987 and told us that it was in his time with

SKH3 that the dragon logo was adopted. The earlier SKH3 logo

was shown in the Harrier International Handbook until 1997 when

the SKH3 dragon was shown for the first time.

Things continued in a mainly military style with more and more

civilians joining as the years passed by. The last official military

hash was “The Final Retreat”, run 932 on 25 August 1996, but

nothing changed and the next week’s run was from Sek Kong

NAAFI and had a serving military GM, Lieutenat Colonel John

“Flossie” Harper, just as before. Soon after, however, the NAAFI

closed so we moved just down the hill and met at Cheesie’s dai-

pai-dong by the Sek Kong roundabout at the bottom of Route

TWISK. We discussed if we should move to Osborne Barracks

in Kowloon Tong, and had a hash party at Dai ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’

William’s quarters there one day, but Osborne Barracks was also

going to close so there was no point in moving there.

SKH3 attendance kept falling and in late 1996 was usually

in single figures so we considered stopping the hash – it was a

mainly military hash and they were all leaving because of the

handover. One Sunday we sat around at Cheesie’s daipaidong after

the run discussing if we should end SKH3, when it was pointed

out that there were actually more civvies than military at that

run. That was the turning point and we decided to keep the hash

going in the Sek Kong area.

Parking by Cheesie’s daipaidong incurred the risk of getting

parking tickets. I clearly remember a very annoyed 51 holding a

parking ticket after the business finished one Sunday. As he lived

only 150 yards away but had chosen to drive there the rest of

the hash were highly amused. SKH3 had run from a place called

Leafy Glade at Lam Tsuen between Sek Kong and Hong Lok Yuen

before. At least it was very near to Sek Kong and we could park

there without getting tickets so that is probably the reason why

we actually moved to the Leafy Glade daipaidong. Recently Kelly

“Hatty” Hargreaves, GM in the summer of 1991, contacted us and

advised that it was she who actually named Leafy Glade.

The last serving military hasher was Flossie, who turned out

the lights behind Hong Kong’s last Governor, Chris Patten, and left

on 30 June 1997. Although the serving military have all gone, there

still are a few SKH3 hashers who have served in the British and

Commonwealth forces, Commandos, Paras, RAOC, RAF, RE, REME,

Signals (and maybe more) previously who by various twists of fate

are in Hong Kong and still run with us. We always seem to have at

least one of those hashers on the committee to help us maintain

our military traditions. With so many ex-SKH3 hashers back in the

UK it was only a matter of time before they got together and the

Sek Kong Reunion H3 was formed on 24 August 1991.

(2) Sek Kong H3 GM Records:

We are fortunate to have had our own “hashtorian” in the indefatigable Hughiee (R.I.P.), who relentlessly tracked down the history of the Sek Kong Hash House Harriers. For his account of how SKH3’s origins are shrouded in uncertainty, turn back one page to 1974 and all that. For a summary of his researches, just check out the table below.

Note: It was agreed that, effective 28 June 2015, The Mismanagement would be permitted to screw things up for a whole year (instead of six months) before getting the chop!

Erection GM AKA Run Notes

2017 18 June Geriatric Gerry Hibbert 2020 Shatin

2016 22 Jun Catch of the Day Kei Bun Kin 1964 Tai Po Kau

2015 28 Jun Dram Doug Miller 1917 Kau Lung Hang

2014 14 Dec Moonie Michael Jones 1889 Butterfly Farm

**Because GM Moonie finally did such a good job, he voted himself back in again!

2014 29 Jun Moonie** Michael Jones 1865 Butterfly Farm

*Because GM Moonie was largely in absentia, GM2 Velcro Lips stood-in for him

and he was voted back-in to do the job properly!

2013 22 Dec Moonie* Michael Jones 1838 Sek Kong

2013 30 Jun Dingaling Tymon Mellor 1813 Tap Mun

2012 16 Dec Salesman Carl Pearse 1785 Tai Tong

2012 3 June Zimmerframe Roger Zimmerman 1757 Mui Wo

2011 18 Dec Big Moany Richard Corser 1733 Dragon Fruit Farm, Tit Hang

2011 12 June Gunpowder Plod Guy Shirra 1706 Lung's Farm, Sheung Shui

2010 13 Nov Farty Pants Jon Ford 1676 Hok Tau, Sha Tau Kok

2010 22 May Sam Miguel Samantha Tam 1651 Lantau

2009 15 Nov Luk Sap Gow Dave Gow 1624 Route TWSK, Tai Mo Shan

2009 30 May Go West Peter Northam 1600 Wan Tsai, Sai Kung

2008 16 Nov Desperate Dan Bruce Fox 1572 Tap Mun, Sai Kung

2008 18 May Fuzzy Tubs Mike Kay 1546 Ping Chau

2007 Nov 07 G-Spot Adrian Brock-Hollinshead

2007 May 20 Victim Jason Gleckman 1495 First American GM, Sai Kung

2006 Nov 12 Eunuch Paul Hitchcock 1467 Elections at Leafy Glade

2006 May 14 Rocky Riggs Craig Ryan 1440 Elections in Macau

2005 Nov Velcro Lips Barbara Hunter 1414 Car Treasure Hunt and Shaffi’s

2005 May 15 Golden Balls Steve Reels 1388 Shek Kong Catchment

2004 Nov 14 Stunt Double Jackie Chan 1362 First Chinese GM, Shaffi’s

2004 May 16 Destroyer Mark Donnelly 1336 Junk Trip

2003 Nov 16 Pieman Steve Howarth 1310 First GM known to serve twice

2003 May 18 Homo Hobo Neil Bawdon 1284 Heliservices, Shek Kong

2002 Nov 03 Twirly Twat Peter Cawthorne 1256

2002 Apr 21 Best Bus John Simm 1228 (RIP, Died 07 March 2004)

2001 Oct 28 Britarse Adrian Petyt 1203

2001 Jun 03 Bimbo Annie Page 1182

2000 Nov 26 Pieman Steve Howarth 1155

2000 June 11 Soleless Don Holland 1131

1999 Nov 28 DRAM Dougie Miller 1103

1999 May 09 Wingnut Robbie Sinnott 1074 (RIP, Died 07 December 1999)

1998 Nov 08 Mr. Floppy Peter Page 1048

1998 Apr 26 Loco Peter Stratford 1020

1997 Nov 02 Sir Tailend Stephen Jones 995

1997 Apr 27 Siegfried Ian Anderson 968

1996 Oct 24 Master Bates Keith Oates 941 First civilian period GM

1996 Apr 28 Flossie John Harper 915 Last serving military GM

1995 Oct 22 Mrs Doubtfire Dai Williams 888

1995 Apr 23 Davina David S. Young 862

1994 Oct 02 Grandad Arthur Osborne 833

1994 Apr 03 Ariston Alan Dale 807 (not confirmed)

1993 Winter The Yid Keith Bowes 78?

1993 Summer Billy the Fish Bill Bell 75? GM at Big Moby Dick’s first run. (GM or GM2?) (Sam Griffin Bob Roberts (J Edgar) advised that Sam was the GM after Highlander)

1992 Oct / Nov Highlander Frank Rush 73? (probable but not confirmed)

1992 Apr/May Willie Cameron 7??

(Howie Warburton Bob Roberts advised by email that Howie Warburton was a GM between Willie Cameron and Al Tucker)

1991 Oct 22 Hatty Kelly Hargreaves 680

1991 May 05 Beastmaster Mick Maffin 655 (see RAF GAU LUNG magazine Christmas & New Year Edition 1991, Beastmaster was GM)

1990 Oct 28 Hashfag Simon Amos 627

(Bob Roberts advised by email that he was GM after ‘Weird Al” but this in conflict with other information received.

1990 May 13 Weird Al Al Tucker 603 (Hashsplash)

1989 Oct 29 Mad Jack Bastard Clive Credland 574 (Run 574 dated 29 Oct 1989.) GM’s Helmet first worn on 18 Feb 1990 aka The Great Credlando (RIP, Died 12 September 2001)

1989 Apr/May Figgy Pudding Steve Figgins 5?? (GM in Jul - Sep 1989)

(23 Apr 1989 run 600)

1988 Oct/Nov Pete Tregartha 5?? (this term as GM is not confirmed)

1988 Apr/May

1987 Ray Finn

1987 Big Tel Terry Kitson Adopted the dragon as the SKH3 hash logo

1986 Steve “Car-thief” Argles joins SKH3. He confirms that he was the only civilian in SKH3 until a local called Richard joined and that the runs were still on Sunday mornings (Juniors) and Sunday afternoons (Adults only)

1985

1984

1983 Summer Ann Crane

1982 – 83 Wet Patch Debbie Williams (confirmed 6-monthly SKH3 elections)

1982 Summer Hash Hat Pam Spencer

1982 Jan 10 Bruce Spencer 144 (Hash Sheet Run 144 dd 10 Jan 1982)

1981 Oct 31 Jack Hawkins Hash Junk Trip

1979

1978 1 March 1978, first recorded run. Interhash in Hong Kong ends at RAF

Sek Kong. SKH3 had two runs each Sunday: mornings juniors, afternoons

adults. Jacqui Baldwin awarded SKHHH run plaque.

1977

1976

1975

1974 Dec 31

SKH3 Founded 31 December 1974 by two British Military Intelligence personnel and others unknown. This Sek Kong Hash establishment date is recorded in Harrier International, see 1996 issue (Sunset).

1974 Aug

A Sek Kong hash newsletter dated August 1974 was previously in the SKH3 records. GM Sir Tailend and GM2 Hughiee saw it in 1997 when preparing the 1000th run magazine. It was destroyed along with most of theSKH3 paper records in 2001.