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SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST-HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, CENTENARY SUPPLEMENT
HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING THE STORY OF A
CORPORATION
AUTHORISED CAPITAL
ISSUED AND FULLY PAID-UP
RESERVE FUNDS:
STERLING
HONGKONG CURRENCY RESERVE
RESERVE LIABILITY OF PROPRIETORS
HEAD OFFICE: HONGKONG.
Board of Directors:-
Hon. Mr. J. J. Paterson, Chairman,
C. C. Roberts, Esq., Deputy Chairman.
J. K. Bousfield, Esq.,
A. H. Compton, Esq.,
Hon. Mr. S. H. Dodwell,
L. J. Davies, Esq..
Chief Manager:
Sir Vandeleur M. Grayburn,
$50,000,000
$20,000,000
£6,500,000
$10,000,000 $20,000,000
C. Miskin, Esq.,
K. S. Morrison, Esq.,
Hon. Mr. T. E. Pearce,
Hon. Mr. A. L. Shields.
LYONS
MALACCA
MANILA
MUAR (JOHORE} MUKDEN
BRANCHES:
AMOY
HAIPHONG
BANGKOK
HANKOW
BATAVIA
HARBIN
BOMBAY
ILOILO
CALCUTTA
IPOH
CANTON
JOHORE
CHEFOO
COLOMBO
DAIREN
FOOCHOW
KOBE
KOWLOON
KUALA LUMPUR LONDON
NEW YORK
PEIPING
PENANG
RANGOON
SAIGON
SAN FRANCISCO
SHANGHAI
SINGAPORE SOURABAYA
SUNGEI PATANI
SWATOW TIENTSIN
TOKYO TSINGTAO YOKOHAMA
CURRENT ACCOUNTS opened in Local Currency and FIXED DEPOSITS received for One Year or shorter periods in Local and Other Currencies which will be quoted on application.
SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES of various sizes To Let. TRUSTEE and EXECUTOR business undertaken.
HONGKONG SAVINGS
BANK
The Business of the above Bank is, conducted by the HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION. Rules may be obtained on application.
For the HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION,
V. M. GRAYBURN,
Chief Manager.
JANUARY 25, 1941.
CENTURY
OF GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS From A Barren Rock OLD CLOCK TOWER IN PEDDER ST.
To A Splendid City
We deal here with the factual history of Hongkong: the early administration, old buildings, business and social developments, growth of amenities, and extension of roadways and transport. With the increase of population, corresponding with the growth of the Colony, have come many changes, and the progress of invention has brought more amenities and better health, improved transport, and many new structures. It is when we read here of the conditions which the early communities faced, that we realise best how much the change has been in the past hundred years.
Space has not permitted the use of much material which could perhaps have embellished this article; and most of the fact and commentary is necessarily confined to the earlier period of Hongkong history. It should serve however to give the reader, who sees the more recent developments before him to-day, a clearer picture of the past, and perhaps a vision of the future.
FROM MANSION TO SLUM
When the British Government took face a it had to over Hongkong, formidable task of development: so The chief residential areas of those great, indeed, and faced with so many early days are now completely obli- setbacks, menaced by malarial fevers terated under shop and slum property. that killed many of the early settlers, The leading merchants and officials that it was suggested in some quarters in residence on the Peak had not then 1844 that the place should be aban-been thought of) had their homes in doned, and a more northerly settlement an area adjoining Wyndham Street, be made at Chusan.. However, the D'Aguilar Street, Wellington Street and early administrators maintained a Hollywood Road; while the develop- faith in Hongkong which has proved ment of the Wanchai district, where a well justified; and when Chusan was large pier and a number of godowns handed back to the Chinese after the were erected, led to many residences
there hostilities concluded, all energies were being erected
33 well. It is bent on making this Colony a strong interesting nowadays to recall that hold of British trade and enterprise, Spring Garden Lane, sounding so pic- and later the guardian of Britain's turesque, commemorates the existence interests in the Far East.
in the forties of several houses with gardens, and a small stream fed by a An entire volume could be Alled spring at the back, flowing from the with a detailed account of the growth hillside where Kennedy Road is now of the Colony in the past hundred situated. This later became one years. It suffices to give here a brief the most unsavoury quarters of the survey of the development of the city; and the Praya East reclamation island, Its steady increase in import- of fifteen years ago entirely changed ance, and the social and other changes the seafront. that took place.
of
Further out towards Happy Valley, The Chinese population settled on the the firm of Jardine, Matheson and island in 1840 was probably not much Company, pioneers of the old days. more than the 5,000 estimated in one; erected their spacious godowns and of the old chronicles, with a
few p
er. at East Point, and their taipan's the hill at the back of the hundred others forming partly a float-house on ing and partly a piratical section of storehouses, 5 old some years ago to the the residential population. There were late Mr Lee Hyevelopment, though san, and since made altogether fourteen or fifteen villages unrecognisable by mains. and hamlets. The villagers cultivated some of the hill rei. vegetables much as they do to-day, and
especially was this observed at Wong- The godowns ste neichong, at the upper end of Happy Point date back Valley, at that time nearer the sea- of the Cole front and connected with the sea by were const means of a creek the remnant of which to this d is seen to-day in Bowrington Canal. complete
T rge community existed stands
Shaukiwen, and old- | ha-
-itunted at
Anoth
in the
+o-day at
- begir
Former Clock Tower at the top of Pedder Street
The First Permanent
Buildings Are Erected
With the advent of the Civil Service above sealevel and within a few yards departments, it became necessary to of the waterfront, and commanding a erect permanent buildings for their accommodation, and these were soon
view of the harbour, while being centrally situated. commenced. It is obvious that the such departments or earliest forms of accommodation, for
In 1866 a new Harbour Office was institutions AS completed. on the seafront, at the needed housing at the very commence- junction of Wing Lok Street and Bon- ment of the British occupation, were ham Strand, and was reconstructed in heds-easily and quickly 1873-74. The present structure was
harracks; the earliest completed in 1906.
There also packets With the development of shipping. ing ships that, lighthouses were constructed. Cape nk several Collinson light was completed in 1876;
gland in and Gap Rock lighthouse in 1892.
י
the
mat-
EARLY HOSPITAFS
g for
naval
A
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