Gregory Paul Jordan (died 4 December 1921) was a British-Indian doctor and educator of Armenian descent. He served in various medical positions throughout colonial

British Hong Kong Hong Kong was a colony and later a dependent territory of the British Empire from 1841 to 1997, apart from a period of occupation under the Japanese Empire from 1941 to 1945 during the Pacific War. The colonial period began with the Briti ...

, and was involved with various medical and educational institutions in the territory.

Early life and education

Gregory Paul Jordan was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), a nephew of British-Indian property magnate Paul Chater. Jordan graduated from Edinburgh University in 1880 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Master of Surgery degree. He then studied in Vienna and Paris, before receiving a Diploma of Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) in 1884.

Colonial career

After receiving his diploma, Jordan travelled to

and entered into a partnership with W. S. Adams which would eventually become Anderson & Partners. Around this time, he became

colonial surgeon A Colonial Surgeon was a medical official in the British Empire. Colonial Surgeons were sometimes part of the government of British colonies, for instance in British Honduras where the Colonial Surgeon was a member of the Executive Council. Daniel ...

of Hong Kong. Once the colonial surgeon post was abolished, Jordan took over from Adams as Port Health Officer, in addition to running his own medical practice. He remained in the post of Port Health Officer until his death. In 1887, he helped found and served as a consulting surgeon for the Alice Memorial Hospital. As he was earning income from his own private practice, Chinese patients treated at the Alice Memorial Hospital received free treatment from Jordan and his fellow doctors. He became surgeon-superintendent to the police during World War I. Alongside Patrick Manson and James Cantlie, Jordan helped to found the Hong Kong Medical College. He served in various faculty positions for the college, and in 1915 was appointed Professor of Tropical Medicines at its successor, the University of Hong Kong. From 1913, he served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the University of Hong Kong, and from 1918 also served as Acting Vice-Chancellor. In January 1921, William Brunyate arrived to relieve Jordan of the office of Vice-Chancellor. In his later years, he was granted the degree of Legum Doctor.

Personal life

Jordan died on 4 December 1921 in London. He was married, and a member of the

Freemasons Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

Legacy

Jordan was the namesake of Jordan Valley in New Kowloon.The South China Morning Post, 31 May 1909, p.6. After Jordan's death, his uncle Paul Chater founded a library in his name within the Students' Union of the University of Hong Kong, which was opened the following September by his widow.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jordan, Gregory Paul 1921 deaths Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Heads of universities in Hong Kong Vice-Chancellors of the University of Hong Kong British people of Armenian descent Indian people of Armenian descent Hong Kong people of Armenian descent