C. C. Roberts
Charles Collingwood Roberts (C. C. Roberts) (6 July 1900 – 17 May 1980) was a British businessman who played a major role in Hong Kong’s postwar development. He was chairman of Butterfield & Swire and served as an unofficial member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 1946 to 1948.
Roberts was born in Huddersfield, England. He joined Butterfield & Swire in 1922 and held various shipping and management roles in Shanghai and Hankow during the 1920s and 1930s. He married Constance May Mitchell on 1 October 1932 at St. John’s Cathedral.
During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, Roberts was detained at Block 8 of St. Stephen College and took part in camp councils. After World War II, he became the first chairman of Cathay Pacific Airways, the airline later acquired by Butterfield & Swire in 1948. In 1950, he co-founded the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company with David F. Landale, who was a key figure at Jardine Matheson and founder of Hong Kong Airways.
Roberts also held notable positions in banking and commerce. He was deputy chairman and a director of HSBC in 1940–41, and in 1948 and 1950 he served as chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Politically, he was elected by the Chamber to represent the business community on the Legislative Council on 6 May 1946 and served until August 1948, when he was succeeded by P. S. Cassidy.
Charles Roberts died in Midhurst, Sussex, England, on 17 May 1980, aged 79. He was survived by his wife, Constance May Mitchell.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:01 (CET).