Name LEE, Ah Seng
Born Kantung, China
Died 9 Jan 1930
Age 45
Cemetery Stromness
Grave Ref Unknown
Register 111

In his book about Stromness, Odd Galteland tells us that.. " the clergyman Sverre Eika officiated when Ah Seng Lee from Kwantung in China was buried. Ah Seng Lee was a sailor on board a British tanker loading whale oil. One of the Chinese sailors, "Number one", had been told that there was a clergyman on the island, and, since he knew a little English, he begged manager Sørlle if he could arrange things so that the clergyman would officiate. Svrre Eika wrote in his book "Under mange stjernehimler":

"I was sent for. I did not know their religion, and did not know their beliefs. Neither did I know what they thought about me or my religion. I do not think I ever saw anything as pitiable as these Chinese men, standing there, cold and trembling. Anybody would feel low and helpless here in the strong wind, the tall mountains towering, the little cluster of houses, the great ocean out there. Gusts of wind came down from the mountains, taking everything not bolted or bound. Desolate, biting cold. Bad enough for whalers. Chinese men with no clothes for weather like this, just stading there, cold, shaking. They had lost a comerade whom they had to leave here. If they wanted a clergyman, I was pleased. We went up to the grave, the snow lashing our ears. The wind teared at my vestment. We could hardly get on."