1941-01-25 — Page 12

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SOUTH CHINA MORNING" POST-HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, CENTENARY SUPPLEMENT

JANUARY 25, 1941;

HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING THE STORY OF A CENTURY

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..

L. J. Davies, Esq..

Hon. Mr. S. H. Dodwell,

Chief Manager:

Sir Vandeleur M. Grayburn,

$50,000,000 $20,000,000

£ 6,500,000 $10,000,000 $20,000,000

G. Miskin, Esq.,

K. S. Morrison, Esq., Hon. Mr. T. E. Pearce,

Hon. Mr. A. L. Shields.

LYON'S MALACCA

BRANCHES:

AMOY

HAIPHONG.

BANGKOK

HANKOW

BATAVIA

HARBIN

ILOILO

IPOH

JOHORE

BOMBAY

CALCUTTA

CANTON

· CHEFOO

COLOMBO

DAIREN

FOOCHOW

KOBE

MANILA

MUAR JOHORE) MUKDEN

NEW YORK

PEIPING

KOWLOON

PENANG

KUALA LUMPUR · LONDON

RANGOON

SAICON

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 HONGKONG The Business of the above Bank is conducted by BANKING CORPORATION. Rules may be obtained on application.

For the HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION,

1782

1941

G

SHANGHAI

V. M. GRAYBURN,

Chief Manager.

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 With the increase of of roadways and transport. 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.

Spare 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.

maintained

FROM MANSION TO SLUM

The chief residential arena of those carly days are now completely all- terated under shop and slum property. The Jeading merchants and oficials

residence on the Pent had not then! been thought of) had their homes in adjoining Wyndham Sirect, an area D'Aguilar Street, Wellington Street and a Hollywood Road; while the develop-

When the British Government took to face a over Hongkong. I had formitinble task of developinent: Fo great. Indeed, and faced with so muy setbacks, menaced by malarial fevers that killed many of the early settlers. that it was suggested in some quarters in 1844 that the place should be aban- doned, and a more northerly settlement be made at Chusan. However, the carly administrators faith in Hongkong which has proved ment of the Wanchai district, where a well Justified; and when Chusin was large pler and a number of godowns handed back to the Chinese after the were erected, led to many residences well. It is hostiilties concluded, all energies were being erected there as bent on making this Colony a strong interesting nowadays to recall that hold of Tirlish trade and enterprise. Spring Garden Lane, sounding so ple and Inlet the guardian of Britain's turesque, commemorates the existence In the forties of several houses with interests in the Far East.

gardenis, and a small stream fed by a Alled spring at the back, flowing from the tillslife where Kennedy Road is now

An entire volutne could be with a detailed account of the growth

of the Colony in the past hundred situated. This later became one of years. It suffices to give here n brief the most unsavoury guarters of the survey of the development of the city and the Praya East reclamation island, its steady increase in import of #ifteen years ago entirely changed ance, and the social and other changes the sentront. that took place.

£11

Further out towards Happy Valley,

The Chinese puntiation settled on the the Bem of Jardine. Matheson and island in 1940 was probably not inuich Company, pioneers of the old days, more than the 5,000 estimated a one erected their spacious godowns and the old chronicles, with a few pier, at East Point, and their inipan's hundred vihers forming partly a float-house on the hill at the back of the ing and partly a piratical section of storehouses, sold some years ago to the the residential poptilation. There were late Mr Lee Hysan, and since made altogether fourteen or fifteen villages unrecognisable by development, though and hamlets. The villagers cultivated some of the hilf remains, vegetables much as they dit to-day, and

The godowns standing to-day at East especially was this observed at Wong-

Happy Point date back to the very beginning nelchong, at the upper end Valley, at that time nearer the son of the Colony-part of the premises front and connected with the 'sen by were constructed in 1841, and in use means of a creek the remnant of which to this date is a structure which was la seen in-riny In Bowrington Canal, completed in 1843, so well built that it Another fairly large community existed stands as strong as when the builders In the vicinity of Shaukiwan, and old-handed it over." established vlages were situated at

The earliest shelters must have been PEARANCEARANCE Chakchu (now known as Stanley) and

fnow Aberdeen),

matsheds, but within a few Shekpalwun

with mere Heungkong | Teal Little Hongkong) months there were substantial brick probably the best-known settlement, and stone houses. With the develop though Chekchu seems to have been ment of the business side, the social and spiritual needs were not neglected, the inost Important.

and among the earliest premises were also clubs and churches.

JARDINE, MATHESON & CO., LTD.

CHINA:

JAPAN:

FORMOSA:

Incorporated-in-Hongkong)_

HONGKONG

CHINA

GENERAL MERCHANTS AND AGENTS.

BRANCHES:

JAPAN

Canton, Foochow, Kunming, Swatow, Changsha, Chinkiang. Hankow, Ichang. Kiukiang, Nanking, Shanghai, Tientsin, Tsingtao, Wuhu.

Kobe.

Taipeh.

EAST AFRICA: Nairobi, Dar Es Salaam,

PROPRIETORS:

Ewo Press Packing. Co. Ewo Silk Filature.

Ewo Cold Storage Co.

GENERAL MANAGERS:

Indo-China Steam Navigation Co., Ltd.

Ewo Cotton Mills, Ltd.

Ewo Breweries, Ltd.

Hong Kong Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.

GENERAL AGENTS: .

Shanghai and Hongkew Wharf Co., Ltd.

Canton Insurance Office, Ltd.

JOINT AGENTS FOR:

British and Chinese Corporation, Ltd.

LONDON CORRESPONDENTS:

Messrs. Matheson & Co., Ltd.

3, Lombard Street, London, EC. 3.

NEW YORK CORRESPONDENTS:

Messrs. Balfour, Guthrie & Co., Ltd.

67, Wall Street.

BANKERS:

Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation, Ltd.

ASSOCIATED COMPANIES:

The Jarding Engineering Corporation, Ltd. Jardine, Matheson & Co. (East Africa) Ltd. Jardino, Matheson & Co. (Talwen); Ltd,

by

1931, typ "get

Farmer Clock Tower at the top of Fedder Street.

The First

Buildings

Permanent. Are Erected

15

In 1868 a new Harbour, Office was completed, on the seafront, at the junction of Wing Lok Street and Bon- ham Strand, and was reconstructed imm 1873-74. The present structure completed in 1908.

With the advent of the Civil Service | above scalevol and within a few yards departments, it became necessary to of the waterfront, and commanding a

for their erect permanent buildings

view at the harbour, while being accommodation, and these were soon

centrally altunted. commenced. It is obvious that the earliest forms of accommodation, for such departments or institutions needed housing at the very commence- ment of the British occupation, were mere

quickly matahcda casily, and built The first barracks; the earliest

With the development of shipping.. mall-sorting office, where also paeltets were received for the sailing ships that, | fighthouses were constructed, Cope going round the Cape, took several Collinson light was completed in 1876: moniha to get a letter to England in and Gap Rock Ughthouse in' 1802. unfavourable weather; and even

The

was

was

EARLY HOSPITALS first place of worship, were in mat

The earliest requirements sheds. It was not long, however,

also before brick and stone buildings proze,

Included hospitals, and there were The abundant granite of the island several soon in operation, catering for offered quarries in many places-one civilans as well as military and naval and mercantile marine patients. A of the best-known, having given s nume to the bay that lay nenr it, general hospital was one of the first beyond Wongnelchong village; and built in the island, and it stood where brick-works were soon in full produc- the R.N. Hospital is now. Erected in The earliest arrivals In the British

tion, near the seafront, at West Point. 1942-43, it was later used as a seamen's hospital. It started under the Medical Along with the first Government Mission Society. This site had been community were, apart from Govern-

It was necessary in the earliest years House and earliest Government Offices, 'ment oficials and the defence [urces.

known 03 Hospla! Hi, but was Recommodate the administrative at Cantonment 1, was the first Post changed to Mount Shadwell, In honour largely merchants, some coming over to

The rat Government from

Many departments. Macao and Canton.

Office

a temporary structure approxi- | of Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Sundwell, Chinese traders also arrived within the House, according to a persistent tradi-

who was Commander-in-Chief out here first few months, and settled in the tion which, unfortunately, is not aceam-mately on the site of the present Volun

at the time the Admiralty took it over documentary

teer Headquarters, so far as the old evidence,

for nceurney. new city, which was formally named panted

in 1873, and the present Naval Institu- existed ni Spring Gardens, Wanchat. plona can be relied on Victoria on June 29, 1843.

tion wits developed. Jardine, Mathe- An old plan shows a gubernatorini The first permanent Post Office

1845 at Queen's Road, on and Company had a few years Almost as noon na liongkong was residence at Cantonment Hill, which erected

the waterfront, where previously developed it into a seamen's occupied, barracks were set up for the covered approximately the area where abulling on

was A Volunteer

for landing hospital in place of on older Institution Headquarters

pler and there early-garrison, and work on business the -premises and godowns, and the erec- Government offices are today: and the mail the site was-on-ilie-corner-in-ilio-western-city-district

where Ching Bullding now stands. It tion of dwelling houses, went on os present Government House was erected

was later reconstructed internally, but situated on the site of the Government rapidly as possible. Artisans. fucked as far back as 1052. It has been added

accommodation was greatly taxed, and Civil Hospital which replaced it some here from Canton and Macao, shops in and partly reconstructed since then, con- but is one of the oldest bulidings in

the present building went up in 1910-

years later: and was erected by were opened, and roads were

11 on completion of the Central Praya, Jardine, Matheson and Company, pre- structed. Most of this development, the Colony.

the department moving in during 1911. unably originally for their own naturally, took place along the strip of

1922. For some years after the ratably the oldest hospital building here. The bla structure was demolished in mercantile marine. It seafront which now forms the heart;

was prob- of the city.

permanent building had gone up in the being

fo opened forties, the Postmaster had his resi-Young for the already existing long- 1843 under Dr dence in the upper floor.

kong Dispensary) wlio Kave lils The

In services free. In 1846 was taken:

over partly as a Colonial Hospital, and was replaced by the okiest part of the Civil Hospital building.

The site where the old portion of the Botanic Gardens is to-day was originally cleared for building a per- Old records, plans and sketches chow manent residence for the Governor (in

and residential 1842) hut

altered, that the business

the plan was premises were side by side: In a new apparently, so as to place the building settlement, merchants desired to be a little lower down. near their offlees. The head of one of

the

the oldest firms, Dent, and Company, The Governor's residence on had a fue house, with a large garden, Peak, now known as Mountain Lodge, In the area between Zeiland Street and

Duddell Street as we know them to was completed in 1867, and was one day. His offices were on the ather side of the very first houses built on the of Queen's Road, approximately where Peak. It may be added that it was Marina House now stands. His - reconstructed in 1002.

downs were on the seafront adjoining, where to-day we have Des Voeux Road.

In visualising Old Hongkong we have

first

House

was

The carliest seamen's hospital was

Court Wellington Street (at the junction with Wyndham Street) opened on October 1. 1844, and the next one, to which a more was made in 1848,

was in a The Government Civil Hospital. pillared building which stood next to

In use until the erection of the Queen the site of the present Queen's Theatre Mary Hasplint Ove years лка, WOB This was originally known as Exchange erected in 1950, further blocks being Balding, and Government bought added, in 1801, 1874, 1878, and 1800. 1847, from Dent and Company. The

+

Arat Chief Justice had his home on What came to be known as "C" Black The Civil Service came into being Hospital ill, where the Royal Naval was the oldest, and "A", "B" and "D"

blocks that followed: The present were the to bear in mind that the water's edge early and had to be accommodated. Hospital now stands.

There followed several other happi- was along the south side of Des Voeux When the Lieutenant Governor, the Supreme Court was occupied on com-maternity section being added in 1895. Road, which was not thon. in existence. General Officer Commanding (Major pletion in 1012,

The Arst Harbour Once stood on a tals as the Colony grew in size and The planeers found a track running General George C. D'Agullar) arrived

of importance, some Rovernmental and end of 1843, along the harbour front a few yards at the

others founded by private benefactors, his place of bluff which rose on the east side

Street, Wyndham

and

later Was from the shore: this they developed residence was a local inn. The present

but to dent with these in detall would business Into the city's main street, and named Flagstaff House

was

built during levelled to make room for 11 after the Queen (Queen's Road). It 1844-45 for his accommodation. Very premiace. Shell House now occupies require an article in itself. was reclamation werk carried out much recently, the residence of the late Sir

the alte which in those early days Fedder's , later in the Colony's history which gave Paul Chater, Marble Hall, which he

came to be known as

after the Arst Harbour Master, who (Connaught present Praya

apparently had his residence on the but as well as his office. The selec tion of that point was obviously appre- priate, being then about seventy feet

LES

the

Road) on the seafront, Statue Square, had bequeathed to the Colony, was and Des Voeux Road, running roughly given to the Admiralty on the residence along the line of the old wharves and of the Commander-in-Chief of the plers.

China Station.

Spring Gardens In 1848, then a fashionable suburb. The area is now covered with Wanchat slum properly.

In the early years there, were naval and military hospital hulks in ure,

noored in the harbour,

The first Sollors' Home, at West Point, incidentally, was not opened until 1803, but seamen were very early catered for which needing medical

attention.

MARKETS AND FOLICE STATIONS The community also had need of proper amenities, including markets, and efcient police control, so thai Kome of the earliest structures were erected to meet these requirements,

Chinese shop-keepers hind coon Bocked here with faney goods ond other Chinese products, and establisherl themselves in what. were termed bazaars, one of the very earliest being situated at Queen's Hond a little to the castward of Murray Barracks, on a level area now occupled by a contrac- tor's yard, and another at Wanchal. Small markets were also opened for the sale of foodstuffs, and it soon became necessary to bring these under official control,

For the dates of the erection of varlaus markets one turns to the official records, and the first mention of substantiel building going up occurs in 1842, when Hongkong Wan hardly a year under British control. The

originn Central Market was opened in June, 1842, on a site at Queen's Road nearly opposite the present one. At Taipingahan, a market was. erected in 1044, and fato demolish- ed; and the original Western Market went up in. 1858, to replaced in 1000 by the present structure. In 1850 two other markets were built; one at Wanchal (replaced three years ago by the present elaborate strucluro) and nnather at Sockunpoo. In 1800 a now. Central Market was commenced, on tho present site, and completed in 1895, to

; (Continued on Page Four)

k