HONG KONGS
CORONATION
DECORATIONS
On
The decorating of the Colony for this year's great festive occasion-the Coronation-was on a scale commen- surate with the extent of its affection and respect for its young Queen. this, the greatest day of her life, it was but fitting that this important Colonial outpost of the Common- wealth should don gala dress during one of the happiest periods for its citizens since the end of the war.
The Government, through its De- partment of Public Works, set the pace for the planning and designing required, and it was encouraging to note that this work was carried out by the Architectural Office of that department, thus ensuring expert supervision in every phase of this huge undertaking, whether for sup- plementary decoration to existing buildings or independent displays in themselves.
Central Fountain in Statue Square.
(King's Studio Photo)
In the past, in England, there have been many previous architect de- signers of Royal settings for impor- tant occasions, one of the most famous of whom was Inigo Jones; all too frequently, however, such matters have been left to amateurs with dis- appointing results. Many London boroughs and provincial cities in unity: the space between the lions was suspended at right angles to a England this year employed archi- was planted as gardens. Buildings pole rising from the middle of this tects to design their Coronation de- around Statue Square were floodlit, fountain, the pole being surmounted corations, such as Westminster which and most owners of private buildings by a large brazier. Around the peri- engaged the eminent architect Sir in the vicinity co-operated with Gov- meter of the garden were a number Hugh Casson for this purpose. It is ernment by flying Commonwealth of purple and gold pennants decorat- gratifying then, to see that Hong flags and shields as distinct from ed with the Royal cipher. The build- Kong did not lag behind the times in heraldic symbols. Red and yellow ings surrounding the Star Ferry con- this respect.
pennants hung in rows leading from course carried the conventional flags, the fountain and along Connaught shields, bunting and fairylights. Road, these were suspended from blue painted poles.
The theme of the local decoration scheme was the Royal tradition of the Commonwealth, and prominent buildings carried shields bearing the coats of arms of
Commonwealth countries. linked by Royal purple drapes and backed by clusters of flags.
In Kowloon, two focal points were planned: a Coronation Garden at the Star Ferry concourse, and a Chinese style tableau on the open ground at the junction of Nathan and Gascoigne In Hong Kong, a main tableau was Roads. These two set pieces were centred in Statue Square, consisting linked by flagpoles down the centres of an illuminated fountain with a of Salisbury and Nathan Roads. Royal blue central column supporting These poles, painted Royal blue, were the various elements of the design. topped with gold crowns, and flew This column was some 50 feet high flags of all nations. and was surmounted by a crown: halfway up a globe carrying the Com- monwealth flags was circled with the words "Long Live our Queen" in neon lights. Around the base of the foun- tain were four heraldic lions of Eng- land. and four braziers symbolizing the undying flame of Commonwealth
At the Star Ferry, the triangular shaped garden consisted chiefly of blue hydrangeas set in turf, with three small fountains, one at each corner. In the centre was a larger illuminated fountain: a battery of red, white and blue fluorescent lights
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The Government erected one mas- sive pailau, or decorated arch, in Kowloon on Nathan Road, at the junction of Gascoigne Road: this arch was 110 feet high and 80 feet across, and was decorated with oriental car- vings and lights. Two nine-foot drawings of the Queen were erected. one on each side of the pallau, and beneath these was a large cipher in gold.
Other buildings were decorated in a similar way to those in Statue Square, and were either floodlit or picked out in fairy lights; amongst them were Government House, the General Post Office. Fire Brigade Building, Kowloon Magistracy and Kowloon Police Head- quarters, whilst various public utility companies, docks, shipping firms, etc.,