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/ Amahs’ golden days /

In the 1930s and 1940s, most of Hong Kong's
rich families or foreign executives in the political
and business community hired servants, known
as "amahs". They usually came from Shunde,
Zhongshan and other places in Guangdong. Many
of them used to spin silk to make a living, but as the
industry shrank in the 1930s, many of them went to
Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macao to work
as domestic helpers. They earned their own living
064 and stayed single for their whole life, they are called
"comb sisters". Their typical image was a long braid
hairstyle with a white top and black trousers.

Unlike ancient China, the British Hong Kong
Government banned human trafficking. Therefore,
the amahs became free labour, they could switch
jobs whenever they wished. Although the amahs
had to live in an employer’s house and standby
for 24 hours, their monthly salary was said to be
quite attractive, ranging from HK$30 to HK$50,
comparable to the salary of a white-collar worker.
They earned more than enough to support
themselves, so they were also able to send money
home.