BEACONSFIELD ARCADE.
Beaconsfield Arcade, opposite the City Hall, is already practically no more. Its history is a specially interesting one. In October, 1878, the Hon. Mr. E. R. Belilios, a member of the Legislative Council, placed a sum of £1,000 in the hands of the local Government for the erection of a statue to Lord Beaconsfield (that was the period of statue-erecting) of whom Mr. Belilios was an ardent admirer. The Government communicated with Lord Beaconsfield, who, modestly enough, deprecated the idea; so the money was eventually used to establish the Medical Society Fund, which was subsequently changed into the Belilios Scholarship Fund. The donor of the money, however, was determined that Lord Beaconsfield's name should be commemorated in Hongkong, and he therefore named the row of houses opposite the City Hall (which were his property) Beaconsfield Arcade. They were used as shops, offices, and residential flats for a number of years. The Government purchased the property about eleven years ago, and when demolition has been completed will either sell the land to private interests or else build thereon. Does anyone know anything else of interest attached to this old Arcade?
A.M.:
In the references to the City Hall and Beaconsfield Arcade, I have seen no mention of the old building now which used to stand behind the Arcade. I believe it was a godown of some sort. It stood about where the French Mission building is now. Nor has there been any mention of the building that used to stand where the Hongkong Bank annexe now is. When I came here, it was occupied by Mustard & Company, and some other import and export firms. I have an idea that Alex Ross & Co., were there at one time. And I'll bet very few remember the old Bank of Canton building or the old Victoria Building (now the French Bank Building). There, of course, were mere passing phases of local commercial life, and I don't suppose they were of any historical consequence. Somewhere, however, pictures of them must exist, and I suggest you adorn your column with as many old pictures as you can get hold of. Possessors would doubtless be glad to lend them.
Beaconsfield now housing the French Mission was occupied from about 1880 by the Hongkong and Shanghai bank's Junior Mess, then by Butterfield and Swire and then the Government.
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