Henry Pollock
Pollock was instrumental to the establishment of the University of Hong Kong as he was one of the founders of the University. Pollock was originally a member of the council of the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese. In March 1908, along with Sir Paul Chater, Sir Kai Ho-Kai and a few other people, Pollock was appointed to the newly founded organising committee of the University of Hong Kong which was chaired by Sir Paul Chater by then governor Sir Frederick Lugard (later Lord Lugard). When the University of Hong Kong was officially founded in 1911, Pollock was appointed a life member of the University Court. Pollock was said to be an active member who frequently attend the Court's meetings, and was noted for his enthusiasm towards the development of the University. In acknowledging his contribution, he received Honorary Doctorates of Law from the University on 5 January 1925.
Pollock had close ties with St. Stephen's College as he was one of the guests invited to the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the College's new school site in Stanley in 1928. Furthermore, in 1933, under the assistance from him and Sir Robert Kotewall, the student-actors and student-actresses of the College were allowed to play on the same stage in a fundraising drama event regardless the opposition from the conservative Chinese community.
St. John's College, University of Hong Kong
In January 1908, Governor Lugard alluded to the scheme of establishing HKU at the prize-giving of St. Stephen’s College, a boarding school run by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) for the sons of Chinese gentry. Shortly afterwards, Sir Mody offered to contribute to the university’s building costs, and work had been swiftly undertaken to consider and prepare for the scheme. Already then a committee convened by the Governor had decided that the objects of HKU must include the development and formation of “the character of students no less than their intellectual faculties”. In a memorandum dated 20th March 1910, Governor Lugard elaborated on this point: