JANUARY 25, 1941.
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST-HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, CENTENARY SUPPLEMENT
Hongkong's First Schools: Many Still In Existence
(Continued from Page Four)
rebuilt and the area of the Cathedral enlarged, In Its present form it was opencil for worship in 1000,
St Joseph's Church in Garden Road was opened in November, 1872, but was partly demolished by typhoon In 1974, and had to be rebuilt, this work
. being completed in 1870,
The only other religious institutions
of some age are the Mosque at Sholley Street, the original building having been erected in 1035 and a new structuro going up on the same site in 1815: and the
Synagogue. The Jewints com- munity held worship from 1880 to 1984 In a house in Seymour Terrace fent by Mr A. D. Snoon. A house in Shelley Street presented by Mr Solomon Sassoon was later converted... luta.......... a
Synagogue. In 1882 r Jacob Sasso01, Dart, converted the old Cosmopolitani Club In Staunton Street Into a piace of worship; and a move was made to Hobinson Rood two years later, services being held in a temporary structure while the present Ohel Leah Synagogue also erected by Sir Jacob, and dedicated to the memory of his mother) was being bulli
THE SCHOOLS
Closely nxsorinted with the religious bodies have always been the schools, founded originally by missions. A brief review of there la possible within the limited scope of this article.
St Paul's College, a Church of Eng. Ind school, was originally an institu- tion for tralaing Chinese as ministers of the church. The land on which is atands was granted by Government in- 1843, and within Jew years the building was commenced, being com- pleted in the later forties, the founda- tion stone belagt ind i 1847. In 1049 the first Bishop of Hongkong (Rt. Rev. George Smith was appointed its Warden under statutes approved by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the following year took up residence in the then recently butt Bishop's House. which is still in use.
the Hongkong
The Des Voeux Bond seafront as it appeared in the late 'eighties. The old partion of Hotel, where Gloucester Ballding stands to-day, is in the right foreground, with Jardine, Mathieson's premises
on the extreme right.
da.
The Canossian Institute, or Italian Hutel. In 1047, at Queen's Road; it ap Convent, has a local history going back pears to have been the leading hostelry to 1860, when six Italian Suters arrived of the time, and its charge was $2.50 n day a day for board and lodging exclusivo Another very old school the in Hongkong. They opened
wan
school and foundling hoine In Sof wines or beer, one of the nitracilons Anglo-Chunere College, opened in the Francis Street, Wanchal, which still being a good billiards table. The only later forties by Rev. Dr Legge. This exista, and extended their work to survivor of early times, which was a had to close In 1850 wing to lack of
other branch Institutions in different hotel of the first class, the present support.
parts of the Colony from 1880 onwards, Hongkong Hotel, established in 1887- Another early institution which
In 1000 a property known as "Rosch!" became defunct after a "comparatively In Caine Road was nequired, and this brief existence was
Andrew's
was turned into the present Hallan School, intended for the education of Convent. English children. It was formed after public meeting held in 1855 to conals der the need for such a school, among those sponsoring the plan being Mr George Duddel, one of the early oplum mampolists, after whom Dividelt Street named. St Andrew's School was opened in premises situated in Sinunton Street, but bad to close in 1801. The Union Church erected in 1803 occupied the site of this old school. An old school still in 'existence, and
The principal educational institution of to-diny in Hongkong, the University. was opened in March 1812: but there was a nucleus of its Medical Faculty in the Hongkong College of Medicine, founded as far back as 1887, largely through the enthusiasm of Dr Patrick Manson, father of tropical medicine; and Dr Sun Yat-sen was one of the earliest graduates.
OLD BUSINESSES
|
It is interesting to recall the names of some of the earliest local taverns- such as the Crown and Anchor, British and American Inn, Fortune and War, Pilot Boat, Prince of Wales, Victoria Tavern, Neptune, and Bee Hive; alt In business in the 'fortles-and to senac the appropriateness verse on the sign of the Bee Hive Inn: the following
“Within this hive we're all alive, and pleasant in our honey:
"If you are dry, step in and try, we sells for ready money"!
These names are redolent
of the aniling ship days, and one cannot help regretting that reforms have abolished them. If only because such picturesque titles should have gone,
Many respectable, but not pretentious, hotels came into existence in the Colony when the population Krew more numerous and settled: some have gone out of existence, the premises they oc- cupled being demolished within living
to more up-to-date but newer establish- ments, which have not yet earned the right to historie associations.
EARLY AMENITIES
flourishing part of the British Empire, As Hongkong settled down to be s
the matter of developing the local amenities received more attention: but most of these came as a matter of course as the European population in creased and the health of the com- munity improved, with better sanitary services. Let us consider this aspect of local history briefly.
The pluncer Ice manufactory wak established in the sixties in
Spring Gardens, Wanchai, but soon went out
of business; and in the 'seventies an ice factory was in operation at East Point, followed by the formation of the Hongkong Ice
eighties.
Company in the
One of the developments that no- turally enough followed the growth of the city was street lighting. The chronicles show that if Imps were used to light the town, in 1857 no fewer than 350 much lamps coming into use. The first gas lights were installed in 1804, when the origina! Kas works were, completed.
Electricity came to the Colony in the 'eightles: in 1887 the local branch of the China and Japan Telephone Company (how replaced by the long- kong Telephone Company. Ltd.) intro- duced electric lighting; and In 1880 the Hongkong Electric Company was organised, and sold the first ciccirle lampa to the authorities. But tele- phones had arrived much earlier, for they were established: here in 1882,
The history of the electric telegraph system in the Colony goes back to 1803 when Jardine, Matheson's had installed a private line from their East Point Premises to the city, a distance of about two miles; and in 1860 a Police lete graph system was installed locally. tion with the outside world was es
tablished.
THE CITY HALL Let us turn also to à brief survey of the more aestheile amentles. Chlef among acquisitions was the City Hali, housing ulso the Theatre Royal and publle library and museum. The City Hall was completed in 1880, being opened in November that year by
it. the Duke of Edinburgh, then on a visit. The foundation storie had been laid on February 23, 1887, with due ceremony. When the structure a small portion still standing to-day? KO was demolished in 1933-34 leaving only
as to make room for the new llongkong Bank bullding. this foundation stone could not be found.
In a flourishing condition is Queen's While the business community were College. Tils was "founded" in 1869 | erecting godowns and office premiacs, by the amalgamation of three small and Queen's Rand and Wanchai were Government schools, and was original assuming the aspects of busy mercantile iv designated the Central School. centres, several lurge trading concerns Premises in Gough Street were pur-established themselves here. Some, like chinsed and enlarged in 1881 to house Dent and Company, have not weather- the school, and continued in use untied the storms and stress of China trade, 1607, when the now premises were built and only their names exlat to-day to at Hollywood Toad and the school remind us, when looking through old .moved to a present location. It was plans or other documents, that import-
FOOR afterwards termed Victorin ant hongs had property here, College, probably in commemoration of
and the Queen's golden Jubilee. but the transacted valuable business. Consider memory, while others have given place By 1871 cable telegraphle communica- name was changed in 1800 to Queen's brief mention of every firm of some able space would be required for even College, and has remained, soalner then. It is primary for Chinese boys importance that has come and gone, St John's Cathedral Diocesan School another article In this supplement, also has an old history. It was founded ore detail is given concerning a num- In 1860 as a school for Chinese girls still flourish 10-dny, with their ropts ber of old-established concerns which and stood on the corner of Bonham Road amil Eastern Street. Later, deep in Itongkong's historie past. Eurasian and nisa European children Among the early necessities for this were taken charge of, and in 1868 growing trade were banks. The found- was made a mixed school; boys as well Ing of the Hongkong Bank is dealt _na_girls_bring admitted In 1869 an with in the separate section on old orhanage was opened in conjunction Arms: It suffices to summarise old with the scholastic work. In 1890 the banking history in the present article. institution was soparated into boys' and About four years after the British *irls' schools. The Direcaon Boya occupation, only one banking institu School moved to la present site
ition had been established. This was 1020.
the Oriental Dank, which was formed St Joseph's College, one of the here in April 1845, na a branch of Brothers' schools to be found wherever an unchartered joint stock bank which Roman Catholic missiona have estab-had been started Bombay. By 1860 lshed themselves in the bigger cities this local concern and developeit into of the Empire, was commenced here the Oriental Bank Corporation, altuated as St Saviour's School In 1865, in Wellington Street, moving in 1875 to of other such institutions were operat- in Queen's Road, but by then a number Caine Road, and being renamed Ing in Hongkong established mainly Joseph's College. A new site nearby, on the Glenraly Estate (hence Glenealy during the 'nfties, namely the Ravine) was selected in 1861, and a fine and Unlied Service Bank, the Charter- building went up on the site, being ed Dank, Chartered Mercantile opened In 1883. Rapid growth of the Bank, and the Commercial Bank of school necessitated further expansion, India, all at Queen's Road, practically and in 1818 the existing premises in the only important commercial centre Kennedy Hoad (formerly the Club of that period. Germanila) were taken over.
In 1863 these banks were still Roman Catholle girls were from the Gourishing, and two more had come early days taken care of by the con- | into being-the Centrai Bank of vents, founded by the French and Western India and a French concern. Italian missions. In these, the girls the Comptoir d'Escompte do Paris. have for many years received a sound The Agra Bank and Commerelal Bank education, while orphanages have been suspended payment in 1866, but the as- operated in conjunction with the purely sociated business crisis was surmounted scholastic work.
by the stability of the other banks, and As far back as 1648 n party of the general soundness of the commer- French Sisters of the Roman Catholic cial situation. One of the banking in Mission laid the foundations of St stilutions which weathered the crisis Paul's Institution, or the French Con- was, the present Hongkong and Shanghal vent, us it is also known. They opened Banking Corporation, which had been sulated in sailing ships across the u small convent and foundling home founded here in 1804, and commenced Pacific. The first leg houses, វាត the on what was then the Wonehal sea- business at the beginning of 1865.
store places were called, were near the front, on the corner of the present Reference has also been made to xite of the present National City Bank Gresson Street. ilere the good work
of New York, and the street alongside went on, with an enlargement of the the need for accommodation in the
In response to popular sentiment, premises and subsequent addition of a carly development of Hongkong; and derives its name from this-Ice House hospital, until 1008, when the faundiingins and so-called hotelsmere indging Street. It seems that the old building the Botanic Gardens were also added to the amenities. The iden was born home was moved to the newly built houses, some of them having bars and still standing at the bottom of Battery
nothing more than
In 1848, at the time a local branch of Le Calvaire in Happy Valley, the othern being
Path was also used for storing ice, but
definite record. the Royal Asiatic Society Ino longer convent and hospital moving to Cause- taverna-came into existence, mostly of that there is no
In 1847 the commodity WDS way Bay during 1015 and 1910, into catering for transients such as the sca•
retailed In existence) was formed. It was not premises adapted from a former spin- faring community. The carllest on here at five cents a pound, by the Ice until 1861, however, that the gardens
locally House Company, formed ning factory operated by Jardine, record is Lano's Hotel, which operated Matheson muid Company.
from 1941 to 1943, There was a British April 1845.
the
Agra
One of the main problema was the water supply, and this was easily dealt with in the early days by the provision of tanks, which were filed from the streams flowing down the hillsides, and by the sinking of many wells. But us the population grew, contamination became more likely, and the reservoir system was fanugurated, the years 1666-71 seeing the construction of the reservoir at Pokfulum valley, while the Taltam scheme was developed during 1803-89, and considerably added to nt later dates. Other areas came into the water-supply plan os the years went by: and this appears to be an ever- present problem, hardly a decade hav- Ing passed without FOTIC additional source being tapped.
The absence of electricity In early Umes mode the use of electric fans In summer impossible, but punkas, the Importation from Indin, consisting of a large cloth fan mounted on a cross- bar near the celting, and worked by a rope, were in use; and fortunately there was a good ice supply, the ice being imported from North America, where it had been cut in blocks during the winter, and brought properly in
The former Cily Stat), viewed from the cricket around)" demeltabed to make way for the: new: Bank
Opposite the old civic centre stood an ornamental fountain, donated in 1804 by Mr John Dent, of Dent and Company.
The Theatre Royal saw the first per- formance on its stage in November 1809, when the Amateur Dramatic Corps (forerunner of the Amateur Dramatic Club aided by members of the German Club Concordia, put on an entertainment. Amateur theatricals, however, commenced within the first two or three years of the Colony's existence, mainly through the efforts of officers of the garrison.
The nucleus of the Ibrary and museum had already been formed in 1870.
Another public amenity of historic Interest was a clock tower, which was bullt in 1882, with funds provided by pubile subscription., It stood at the top of Pedder Street, at the Junction with Queen's Road, and for 30 years was n elty landmark, being demolished during 1012-13, when the clock itself was Te moved to the Canton Customs House for further useful service.
In came into existence, on a sile (the old portion) below the former building known as the Albany, one of the first erected in the Island, and used original- ly an officers' quarters. The gardens were thrown open to the public in 1004; and In 1000 a very ornamental fountain was erected there, which un". fortunately was removed in 1032 to make room for n covered service re- servoir. This fountain was constructed of stone, In England, and shipped out here in sections,
The beginnings of the present Hong- kong Horticultural Soclefy, which was reorganised earlier this century after going out of existence, are lo be seen In the first flower show over hold here, organised by the Public Gardens Com- milies in the old section of the gardens, The first Horticultural Society Was formed in February 1873.
Various literary societies also came into being and flourished for a time. The arts in due course also attracted their followers; but space restrictiona prevent more detailed reference here,
·Freemasonry had an early fooling In the Colony, and the warrant of Zetland Lodge goes back to March 1840. he foundation stone of the first Lodge premikes was laid in February. 1933, and the first meeting in the `new building was held in October the same year. The premises; were rebuilt in 1084-85.
1850-
NOW, AS THEN, THE
COLONY'S
LEADING
BRITISH STORE
Lane, Crawford, Ltd.
Exchange Building,
Hongkong.
- 1941
HONG KONG
1941.
行洋祥天
TEEN CHEANG.-
DODWELL &Co., Ltd.
General Merchants
Shipping and Insurance Agents.
HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANK BUILDING
BRANCHES:
CANTON, FOOCHOW, SHANGHAI, HANKOW, CHUNGKING (Barry & Dodwell, Ltd.), TOKYO, YOKOHAMA, KOBE, NAGOYA, RANGOON, COLOMBO, VANCOUVER, SEATTLE (Wash.). SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK and LONDON (Head Office).
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