& O SS. COY. LTD.
783
In the reference to the Colony's shipbuilding history (29-8-33) mention was made of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company sending an employee, Mr. Couper, to "hampoa to supervise the docking of their ships. The P. and O. Company's connexion with Hong Kong goes back to the very early days, and the firm did a great deal towards maintaining and developing our trade with other ports.
The picture reproduced below is a Chinnery painting from the Chater collection, subsequently hung in the Colonial Secretary's Office. It shows Victoria West and the P. & O. Hong, about the year 1851.
The view is of the west part of the city of Victoria, Hong Kong showing the premises of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company with their flag over the godown. The flags behind the P. & O. are French and American. The hong left of the picture is probably the Oriental Bank (opened in 1845), and has long disappeared as well as the first office of the P. & O. The Hong Kong Almanack for 1846 records the Company as having its office in Queen's Road. The original lease to the Company is dated July 9, 1844.
The locality of the P. & O. offices shown in the picture was on Marine Lot 16, afterwards M. L. 18, and the premises extended along the present Jubilee Road, west of the Central Market, to the sea-front, now Des Voeux Road. The lease of the Marine Lot to the Company is dated November 2, 1852, and this date is probably after the completion of the buildings shown in the picture.
New offices for the Company were built and completed in 1882, in front of the old office, which in turn were rented from 1882 to 1888 by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank during the construction of the present Head Office alongside the recently-existing Wardley Street.
In 1887, the Hong Kong Government acquired the whole of the P. and O Company's land, M. L. 18, and the firm's offices were again re-built, eastwards, on the site near Jardine, Matheson & Company's premises.
In 1854 the Company had leased M. L. 71, west of Bonham Strand, and there built wharves and workshops.
The Chinese name of the Company "Tit-hong (Iron House) was derived from the heavy cast-iron verandah which was in front of the offices. Some seven years ago, the new P. and O. premises on Connaught Road were completed, on the Company's piece of the reclamation, and have been occupied by the firm ever since.
The office next to Whiteaway, Laidlaw's premises has become shops, restaurants, etc.
The Chinnery picture shown here is a water-colour drawing 17 in. x 28 in. The sea-front and buildings are probably by George Chinnery, with the hills and background filled in by his pupil, M. A. Baptista.
In 1845 the P. and O. Co., had a regular monthly line of mail steamers established between England and Hong Kong, and in 1849 they commenced a regular steamer service between Hong Kong and Shanghai when the first boat employed was the s.s. Lady Mary Wood.
The Company in 1853 established a regular monthly mail service between Hong Kong and Calcutta.
& O SS. COY. LTD.
783
In the reference to the Colony's shipbuilding history (29-8-33) mention was made of the Peninsual and Oriental Steam Navigation Company sending an employee, Mr. Couper, to "hampoa to supervise the docking of their ships. The P. and 0. Company's eonnexion with Hong Kong goes back to the very early days, and the firm did a great deal towards maintaining and developing our trade with other ports.
The picture reproduced below is a Chinnery painting from the Chater collection, subsequently hung in the Colonial Secretary's Office. It shows Victoria West and the P. & 0. Hong, about the year 1851.
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The view is of the west part of the city of Victoria, Hong Kong showing the premises of the Peninsualr and Oriental Steam Navagation Company with their flag over the godown. The flags behind the P. & Ø are French and American. The hong left of the picture is probably the Oriental Bank (opened in 1845), and has long disappeared as well as the first office of the P. & 0. The Hong Kong Almanack for 1846 records the Company as having its office in Queen's Road. The original lease to the Company is dated July 9, 1844.
The locality of the P. & O. offices shewn in the picture was on Marine Lot 16, afterwards M. L. 18, and the premises extended along the present Jubilee Road, west of the Central Market, to the sea-front, now Des Voeux Road. The lease of the Marine Lot to / the Company is dated November 2, 1852, and this date is probably after the completion of the buildings shown in the picture.
New offices for the Company were built and completed in 1882, in front of the old office, which in turn were rented from 1882 to 1888 by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank during the construction of the present Head Office alongside the recently-existing Wardley Street.
In 1887, the Hong Kong Government acquired the whole of the P. and 0 Company's land, M. L 18, and the firm's offices were again re-built, eastwards, on the site near Jardine, Matheson & Company's premises.
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In 1854 the Company had leased M. L. 71, west of Bonham Strand, and there built wharves and workshops.
The Chinese name of the Company "Tit-hong (Iron House) was derived from the heavy cast-iron verandah which was in front of the offices. Some seven years ago, the new P. and 0. premises on Connaught Road were completed, on the Company's piece of the reclamation, and have been occupied by the firm ever since.
The office next to Whiteaway, Laidlaw's premises has become shops, restaurants, etc.
The Chinnery picture shown here is a water-colour drawing 17 in. x 28 in. The sea-front and buildings are probably by George Chinnery, with the hills and background filled in by his pupil, M. A. Baptista.
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In 1845 the P. and 0. Co., had a regualr monthly line of mail steamers established between England and Hong Kong, and in 1849 they commenced a regualr steamer service between Hong Kong and Shanghai when the first boat employed was the s.s. Lady Mary Wood.
The Company in 1853 established a regualr monthly mail service between Hong Kong and Calcutta.
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