Reference was made, in a previous article in this series, to the persistent belief that at some time, in the very early years of the Colony's history, Government House was situated at Spring Gardens, which was at one time a fashionable quarter of the island, but is now the area where the Wanchai Market and adjoining streets, such as Spring Garden Lane, are situated.
It has been shown that there is no definite evidence that any Governor of Hongkong had a residence in this place, but there is a reference to a garden in the old days which was situated apparently in Wanchai and was owned by the Governor of the time. This undoubtedly accounts for the tradition that the Governor resided in that locality.
The reference is contained in a book written by Robert Fortune, the botanist who is commemorated in the names of several plants found in the Far East. Fortune wrote a book entitled "A Visit to the Tea Districts in China", which was published in 1847; and there is a whole chapter devoted to Hongkong in which he notes the rapid growth of the Colony, compared with what it appeared like on a previous visit he paid here shortly after the British occupation.
Fortune lays stress, of course, on the botanical aspects of the place. The following extract from his book is the one we are most concerned with:
"Many of the inhabitants have taken up the matter (of tree planting) with great spirit, and have planted all the ground near their houses. I may instance those of His Excellency the Governor at 'Spring Gardens', of Messrs. Dent and Co. at 'Green Bank,' and of Messrs. Jardine and Matheson at 'East Point'."
The italics are mine. This certainly appears to indicate that the Governor at the time was living out at Wanchai, so we are left with the necessity for tracing this old residence if ever it existed. Yet every effort has been in vain.
It will be recalled that Bruce drew a fine picture of Spring Gardens in 1846, yet he made no specific reference to a Government House, as one would naturally have expected him to do, considering that he included a drawing of the Lieutenant Governor's residence in his series. He also made a sketch from the garden of Chief Justice Hulme's house, just above Wanchai:
can it be that this was a former Governor's home, or else that Fortune referred to it as such?
By the kindness of the Lane Officer, I have been able to search the old registers of deeds, the old rent rolls and plans of that locality, but nowhere is there any mention of a lease to a former Governor. we are still left in the dark on that particular point.
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Reference was made, in a previous article in this series, to the persistent belief that at some time, in the very early years of the Colony's history, Government House was situated at Spring Gardens, which was at one time a fashionable quarter of the island, but is now the area where the Wanchai Market and adjoining streets, such as Spring Garden Lane, are situated.
It has been shown that there is no definite evidence t.at any Governor of Hongkong had a residence in this place, but there is a reference to a garden in the old. days which was situated apparently in Wanchai and was owned by the Governor of the time. This undoubtedly accounts for the tradition that the Governor resided in that locality.
The reference is contained in a book written by Robert Fortune, the botanist who is commemorated in the names of several plants found in the Far Last. Fortune wrote a book entitled "A Visit to the Tea Dis- tricts in China", which was published in 1847; and there is a whole chapter devoted to Hongkong in which he notes the rapid growth of the Colony, compared with what it appeared like on a previous visit he paid here shortly after the British occupation.
Fortune lays strees, of course, on the botanical aspects of the place. The following extract from his book is the one we are most concerned with:
"Many of the inhabitants have taken up the matter (of tree planting) with great spirit, and have planted all the ground near their houses. I may instance those of His Excellency the Govern- or at "Spring Gardens", of Messrs. Dent and Co. at "Green Bank," and of Messrs. Jardine and Matheson at "East Point"
The italics are mine. This certainly appears to in- dicate that the Governor at the time was living out at Wanchai, so we are left with the necessity for tracing this old residence if ever it existed. Yet every effort has been in vain.
It will be recalled that Bruce drew a fine picture, of Spring Gardens in 1846, yet he made no specific reference to a Government House, as one would naturally have expected him to do, considering that he included a drawing of the Lieutenant Governor's residence in his series. He also made a sketch from the garden of Chief Justice Hulme's house, just above Wanchai:
can it be that this was a former Governor's home, or else that. Fortune referred to it as such?
By the kindness of the Lane Officer, I have been able to search the old registers of deeds, the old rent rolls and plans of that locality, but nowhere is there any mention of a lease to a former Governor.. we are still left in the dark on that particular point.
So
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