The Tam sisters in Hong Kong c.1954. Mary Tam Choi, on the right, was the principal shopkeeper aboard Blue Funnel ships for many years. Her younger sister, Tam Chen, used to help her out.

The lower picture shows Mary modelling a bright blue, red and gold brocade dressing gown for a couple of potential customers. It worked. One of them bought it.

I met them again many years after I had left the sea. They had both graduated to owning tourist shops in the Nathan Road area of Kowloon.