The streets of Wonsan in the late 19th century / Robert Neff Collection By Robert Neff In the early years of the twentieth century, Wonsan was, for the most part, merely a brief stopover for steamships traveling between Shanghai, Vladivostok and Japanese ports. It was one of those places that travelers occasionally mentioned in their travelogues but rarely devoted much ink to describing. Fortunately for us, Francis Arthur Coleridge was an exception.
In the summer of 1900, Francis Arthur Coleridge, a 30-year-old Englishman with the Indian Civil Service, made a brief visit to the port aboard the Japanese steamship Tarien Maru. Among his fellow passengers were a diverse mix of nationalities, including Russians, Japanese, Chinese, French, and an Italian. Upon arriving in Wonsan, Coleridge was somewhat surprised to find himself the center of attention among his peers – simply reason because he was English.
Everyone was curious to hear about the enigmatic Englishman and his wife who lived a secluded life just outside the port. Of course, Coleridge knew exactly who they were. He explained that the man was simply an amateur carpenter and metal worker who came to Wonsan with his mother to live a quiet life of farming.
Yet, despite Coleridge’s assurances, no one believed him, dismissing it as “much too prosaic.” It was reported that “lights could be seen in [the mysterious Englishman’s] workshop after 9 p.m.
when decent folk were in bed.” Even more damning was the notion .
