994
STATUE OF SIR ARTHUR KENNEDY-1
As mentioned in an earlier reference to the Colony's statues, the one of Sir Arthur Kennedy, a former Governor, which stands alone in the Botanic Gardens, was the first memorial of this nature ever erected in Hongkong. It was paid for by public subscription; a meeting attended by a large number of local residents, called in July, 1883, when news of Sir Arthur's death reached Hongkong, deciding to erect a memorial statue. The unveiling took place on November 10, 1887, the second day of the Colony's celebration of Queen Victoria's Jubilee.
The Hongkong Telegraph in its issue of November 11, 1887, reports:
The ceremony of unveiling the statue of Sir Arthur Kennedy was performed by the Governor (Sir William Des Voeux) yesterday in the Public Gardens in the presence of a large number of residents of various nationalities. The statue, which stands on a pedestal of Hongkong granite, is a handsome life-size bronze cast of our former governor, and is placed in the upper portion of the Gardens, just above the broadwalk. Mr. R. Bowdler, Assistant Surveyor General, carried out the necessary arrangements in the absence of Mr. Price, who was unable to attend through illness. A party of police, under Chief Inspector Horspool, was on the ground. Amongst those present were the Acting Chief Justice (Mr. J. Russell), the Acting Attorney General (Mr. E. J. Ackroyd), the Colonial Treasurer (Mr. A. Lister), the Harbour Master (Mr. H. G. Thomsett), the Registrar General (Mr. J. H. Stewart-Lockhart), Mr. A. F. MacEwen, Mr. J. Bell-Irving, Bishop Burden, Colonel Anderson, Lieut. Colonel Cook, Major Dempster, Messrs. T. Jackson, W. H. Forbes, D. E. Sassoon, J. J. Francis, Q.C., J. A. Mosley, H. E. Woodhouse, C. D. Bottomley, C. Alabaster (H.M. Consul at Canton), E. R. Belilios, Arthur Kennedy Travers, N. G. Mitchell-Innes, &c., together with a number of ladies.
The Governor, accompanied by his Private Secretary, A.D.C., and General Cameron, arrived shortly after three o'clock. Mr. (afterwards Sir) T. Jackson then stepped to the front and read the following address:- "Your Excellency.-The executive committee of the Kennedy Memorial Statue, thinking that it would be an advantage to seize these Jubilee holidays, have invited Your Excellency to be so good as to perform the ceremony of unveiling the statue of the late Sir Arthur Kennedy. Sir Arthur arrived in this Colony early in 1872 as Governor, and remained as such until 1877, when he left to take up the Government of Queensland. After administering the Government of that colony from 1877 till May 1883, he left for England with a view to retirement from the public service, in which he had served continuously from 1827, and the details of which are recorded in the Colonial Office list. Whilst on the voyage home, his health, which had been indifferent when he started from Australia, became worse, and he died at sea on the 3rd of June 1883, about 100 miles from Aden.
"The news of his death, received here in July, cast a gloom over the Colony, for no Governor was more respected and beloved by any community, and he well merited the name which was given to him here by public acclaim, 'the good Sir Arthur.' On the 14th July a very largely attended public meeting was held in the City Hall, when resolutions of sympathy and condolence were passed and forwarded to his family in England, and at the same meeting it was resolved that a public statue should be erected to Governor Kennedy's memory. A committee was appointed and numerous and handsome subscriptions came in from all classes and creeds in the Colony. Messrs. Russell, Sassoon, Forbes, Price, and Jackson were nominated an executive committee to arrange all details. Signor Raggi was entrusted by the Committee with modelling the statue, which was cast by the eminent founders Messrs. Young & Co. of London.
994
STATUE OF SIR ARTHUR KENNEDY-1
As mentioned in en earlier reference to the Colony's statues, the one of Sir Arthur Kennedy, a former ́Governor, which stands alone in the Botanic Gardens, was the first memorial of this nature ever erected in Hongkong. It was paid for by public subscription; a meeting attended by a large number of local residents, called in July, 1883, when news of Sir Arthur's death reached Hongkong, deciding to erect a memorial statue. The unveiling took place on November 10, 1887, the second day of the Colony's celebration of Queen Victoria's Jubilee.
The Hongkong Telegraph in its issue of November 11, 1887, reports:
The ceremony of unveiling the statue of Sir Arthur Kennedy was performed by the Governor (Sir William Des Voeux) yesterday in the Public Gardens in the presence of a large number of residents of various astionalities. The statue, which stands on a pedestal of Hongkong granite, is a handsome life-size bronze cast of our former governor, and is placed in the upper portion of the Gardens, just above the broadwalk. Mr. R. Bowdler, Assistant Surveyor General, carried out the necessary arrange- ments in the absence of Mr. Price, who was unable to attend through illness. A party of police, under Chief Inspector Horspool, was on the ground. Amongst those present were the Acting Chief Justice (Mr. J. Russell), the Acting Attorney General (Mr. E. J. Ackroyd), the Colonial Treasurer (Mr.A. Lister), the Harbour Master (Mr.H.G. Thomsett), the Registrar General (Mr.J.H. Stewart-Lockhart Mr.A.F. MacEwen, Mr.J. Bell-Irving, Bishop Burden, Colonel Anderson Lieut. Colonel Cook, Major Dempster, Messrs. T. Jackson, W.H. Forbes, D.E. Sassoon, J.J. Francis, Q.0., J.A. Mosley, H.E. Woodhouse, C.D. Bottomley, C. Albaster, (H.M.Consul at Canton), E.R. Belillos, Arthur Kennedy Travers, N.G. Mitchell-Innes, &c. together with a number of ladies.
The Governor, accompanied by his Private Secretary, A.D.C. and General Cameron, arrived shortly after three o'clock. Mr. (afterwards Sir) T. Jackson then stepped to the front and read the following address:- "Your Excellency.-The executive committee of the Kennedy Memorial Statue, thinking that it would be advantage of the se Jubilee holidays, have invited Your Excellency to be so good as to perform the ceremony of unveiling the statue of the late Sir Arthur Kennedy. Sir Arthur arrived in this Colony early in 1872 as Governor, and remained as such until 1877, when he left to take up the Government of que ensland. After administering the Government of that colony from 1877 till May 1883, he left for England with a view to retirement from the public service, in which he had served continuously from 1827, and the details of which ere recorded in the Colonial Office list. Whilst on the voyage hom his health, which had been indifferent when he started from Australia, became worse, and he died at sea on the3rd of June 1883, about 100 viles from Aden.
"The news of his death, received here in July, cest a gloom over the Colony, for no Governor was more respected and beloved by any community, and he well merited the name which was given to him here by public acclaim, "the good Sir Arthur.” On the 14th July a very largely attended public meeting was held in the City Hall, when resolutions of sympathy and condolence were passed and forwarded to his family in England, and at the same meeting it was resolved that a public statue should be erected to Governor Kennedy's memory. A committee was appointed and numerous and handsome subscriptions came in from all clesses and creeds in the Colony. Messrs. Russell, Sassoon, Forbes, Price and Jackson were nominated an executive committee to arrange all details, Signor Raggi was entrusted by the Committee with modelling the statue, which was cast by the eminent founders Messrs. Young & Co. of Londan
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