Monday, August 31, 2009 | By: rudi butt

Bank and Banknotes

Updated (partial) on 9/4/2012

The Oriental Bank Corporation 東藩滙理銀行 was the first bank to have opened in Hong Kong; it was also the first note issuing bank.

The bank was established in 1842 in Bombay under the name of Bank of Western India. In 1845, the bank moved its headquarters to London and have its name changed to Oriental Bank corporation. The Hong Kong operation also commenced in that year. The bank, by now the largest exchange bank in Asia,  succeeded in getting chartered in 1851 to allow competition with the East India Company's opium billing monopoly that was unpopular in the U.K. during that time.

In 1860s, the bank held a dominant position in India and China. However, it suffered much from the 'coffee disease' in Ceylon, which devastated the coffee plantations in that area, in which the company had invested heavily. In 1884, the bank ran into severe difficulties and was reconstituted as New Oriental Bank Corporation. With the growth of Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and Standard Chartered Bank, the new bank failed to survive and closed down in 1892.

$5 bill issued in 1866
The bank was the first of many to issue banknotes in Hong Kong in denominations of $5 and under, but were not acceptable as legal tender although they were well-circulated. Banknote issuance was regulated in 1895, with the promulgation of Ordinance #2 of 1895, titled “An Ordinance to Regulate the Issue of Bank Notes”, dated March 20 of that year. The ordinance made lawful all banknotes which were in circulation on March 20, 1895; all issuing banks were to file written applications with the Colonial Treasury; however, these 'lawful' banknotes were still not acceptable as payments to the Colonial Treasury.

$5 bill; issue date: July 1, 1936
In 1911, the Mercantile Bank of India 有利銀行 was made an issuing bank, hence on banknotes became a legal tender in Hong Kong. The banknotes were in denominations of $5 and higher ones that can be divided by 5. The Ordinance #65 of 1911, dated December 29, was titled The Mercantile Bank Note Issue Ordinance.

The average amount of bank notes in circulation in Hong Kong during the month ending January 31, 1884:

BankAverage AmountSpecie in Reserve
Oriental Bank Corporation
$915,696
$320,000
Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London, and China
1,267,696
$430,000
Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China
$1,004,327
$400,000
Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation

Unfortunately I was unable to read the numbers written for HSBC.

References:
The London and China Telegraph, March 25, 1884
 
- TO BE COMPLETED -
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 | By: rudi butt

Weather Radar

The Hong Kong Observatory's history with weather radar started in 1959 when a Decca 41 weather radar was first installed at Tate's Cairn (大老山), at an altitude of about 580 m above mean sea level

Typhoon Wanda, struck at about 8am, Saturday, September 1, 1962, was one of the most destructive typhoons in the history of Hong Kong.
This is the image of Wanda, captured by Decca 41.
Responsible for 130 fatalities and 600 injured, Wanda was the second worst typhoon in Hong Kong. The catastrophic typhoon that strike Hong Kong on September 2, 1937 killed 11,000 pepole!

Typhoon Warning Signals

Regular meteorological observations commenced in 1884 – a year after the establishment of the Hong Kong Observatory. Tropical cyclone warning system - the earliest marine meteorological service - was instituted in the same year.

A visual system of tropical cyclone warning signals in the shape of drums and cones was in place to inform masters of vessels leaving the port of Hong Kong about the position and movement of typhoons.

This system was replaced by a ten-symbol system in 1917. The numbers were from 1 to 7 with numbers 2 to 5 signifying gale force winds expected from the northwest, southwest, northeast and southeast quadrants respectively.

In 1931, the signals were changed to 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 with signals 5 to 8 signifying gales from the four quadrants.

In 1956, the No. 3 Strong Wind Signal was introduced between the No. 1 Standby Signal and the gale signals. Since 1973, the current system comprising 1, 3, 8 NW, 8 SW, 8 NE, 8 SE, 9 and 10 has been in use.

The visual display of typhoon warning signals was completely dispensed with in June 1961.

New World Ranking in Tennis

Venise Chan Wing-Yau (陳詠悠) took the titles, in August 2005, in the Girls’ Singles and Doubles events at the International Tennis Federation Grade 4 Chinese Taipei International Junior Championships. This moved her junior world rank from 164th to 83rd - the best achievement ever for Hong Kong tennis in the world junior ranking.

The 20-years-old Chan started playing tennis when she was 7. Now studying at the University of Washington, she is playing professionally. He current rankings are - WTA (Singles), 904; NCAA (Singles): 25; Career-High WTA (singles): 476.

Career Highlights:

► Together with Zhang Ling, Lam Po Kuen, and Jessica Yang constituted the first-ever HK contingent to compete in the women's team event at the 11th All China Games where they placed 8th overall out of 23 participating teams (Jul 2009).

► Defeated No. 1 seed Seiko Okamoto (WTA 402) to reach quarterfinals of US$10,000 ITF Women's Circuit event in Shenzhen, China (Jul 2009).

► 2008-09 Preseason NCAA Ranking No. 28 (4 Sep 2008). Won both women's top flight singles and doubles titles at San Diego State University Fall Classic II (Nov 2008). First player from University of Washington to win second career Pac-10 Player of the Week Honours (19-25 Jan 2009). Defeated Mari Andersson (Berkeley) at No. 1 singles during ITA National Team Indoors Qualifying (Jan 2009). Beat Jana Juricova (Berkeley) and Hilary Barte (Stanford) back-to-back to complete a rare weekend "Bay Area Sweep" at No. 1 singles (1 Mar 2009). Beat Yasmin Schnack (UCLA) and Sarah Fansler (USC) to sweep the powerhouses from S. Cal at No. 1 singles (Apr 4-5). Career-high NCAA singles ranking No. 18 (20 Apr 2009). Career-high NCAA doubles ranking No. 28 (19 Feb 2009). All-Pac-10 First Team Selection (30 Apr 2009). Trailing 5-2 in the third set, beat 23rd-ranked Maria Sanchez, 6-4 3-6, 7-6(2), at No. 1 singles to clinch 4-3 win over 7th-ranked Pac-10 champions USC that put UW in NCAA's Sweet 16. At-large selection to compete at NCAA D1 Singles Championship for the second straight year. Ends sophomore year ranked No. 25 on Campbell/ITA Division I Singles Final Rankings (29 May 2009). One of eight players selected to Pac-10 All-Academic First Team (Jun 1).

► Reached fifth career pro circuit final at US$10,000 ITF Women's Circuit event at Khonkaen, Thailand (Sep 2008).

► 2007-08 Accepted to the University of Washington, Seattle, on full tennis scholarship (Sep 2007). Started exclusively at No. 1 singles in freshman year. Won Husky Invitational in both top flight singles and doubles (Nov 2007). ITA Division I Women Northwest Regional Ranking No. 20 (7 Dec 2007). Boasted wins at No. 1 singles over Suzie Babos (Berkeley), Nadia Abdala (ASU), and Lindsey Nelson (USC). Pac-10 Player of the Week (Feb 11-17). Debuts at No. 41 in NCAA Rankings (4 Mar 2008); Season-High No. 30 (16 Mar 2008). Named ITA Northwest Player to Watch; At-large selection to compete at NCAA Division 1 Singles Championship (May 2008). Ends rookie season ranked No. 37; Named 2008 ITA Scholar-Athlete.

► Qualified for the maindraw of a US$50,000 ITF Women's Circuit event for the first time, reaching R16 of C50 Guangzhou (Jun 2007).

► As the team's No. 1 singles player, led Hong Kong to sixth overall at Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Asia/Oceania Zone Group I Qualifying in Christchurch, New Zealand. Against Uzbekistan in the round robins, defeated former world No. 16 Iroda Tulyaganova (WTA 130 on 16 Apr 2007), 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, to seal victory for HK. Also defeated New Zealand's most decorated Fed Cup player, Leanne Baker (WTA 270), in Hong Kong's 2-1 loss to NZL in 5th - 6th Place Playoff (Apr 2007).

► Finished 2006 as the No. 1 ranked woman in addition to being the No. 1 ranked junior in Hong Kong.

► Won second career ITF Women's Circuit singles title at C10 Bangkok 1 (23 Jul 2006).

► Selected to the ITF 18U International Junior A Team for an eight-week European Tour that included participation at the Grade A Italian Open, Roland Garros, and The Junior Championships, Wimbledon (May-Jul 2006).

► Fed Cup debut at the 2006 Asia/Oceania Zone Group II Qualifying Event in Seoul; Won both rubbers aganist Singapore and Kazakshtan at No. 1 singles to help pave the way for Hong Kong's promotion to Group I in 2007 (Apr 2006).

► Girls' Singles Runner-up, GB1 Asian Closed Junior Tennis Championships, Korea (Apr 2006).

► Won ITF Women's US$10,000 Manila 1 and finished runner-up in US$10,000 Manila 2 in pro circuit debut (Nov 2005).

► In her maiden tournament against ranked professionals, reached women's singles quarterfinals at the Asian Championships 2005 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (Oct 2005).

► Went 7-0 at number two singles to pace the Hong Kong Junior Fed Cup Team (Girls' 16U) to a third place finish at the Asia/Oceania Qualifying in Bangkok that secured the territory's first-ever qualification to the World Finals since the inception of the event in 1985 (May 2005).

► Number one singles player for the Hong Kong team at the 2003 World Junior Tennis Asia/Oceania Qualifying (Girls' 14U) in Melbourne, Australia, and at the 2004 Junior Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Qualifying (Girls' 16U) in Nonthaburi, Thailand.

► Ranked No. 1 in Girls' Singles in Hong Kong – 12U (1998), 14U (2000), 16U (2003), 18U (2003-2006).

► At age 12 yrs 318 days, became the youngest female since Paulette Moreno in 1977 to contest a local major in Hong Kong when she reached the Ladies' Open Singles final at the 2002 Hong Kong National Tennis Championships.

Horse Shoer

George Duddell made the following announcement on the Friends of China on May 27, 1848

Ferriery corner of Wellington and Wyndham Street, Victoria. Mr. Duddell begs to inform the community of Hongkong, that he has engaged an English Horse Shoer, and will open a Ferriery in all its branches on the above premises on ... ; and is confident that the moderate charge of $1.5 per Horse together with attention and despatch, will produce him a share of Public Patronage.

Duddell made his fortune in land speculations in Hong Kong and retired back to the U.K. only in his 30s. He, at one time, held the opium monopoly, known as an 'Opium Farmer', for the exclusive right to prepare and sell opium in Hong Kong. The Duddell Street in Central, with the 2 surviving gas street lamps, is named after him.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 | By: rudi butt

Census

Updated (partial) on 9/5/2012

These are some of the records of census I manage to find.

1841
Population (Chinese inhabitants) of 5,650. A different report said 7,450.
This had included 3,650 who lived on land and 2,000 who lived on boats.

References:
- Fan Shuh-ching, The Population of Hong Kong, a report prepared for The Committee for International Coordination of National Research in Demography, Hong Kong: 1974
- The Friend of China, May 15, 1841

1842
Population (Chinese inhabitants) of 12,361.
Among more than 30 occupations listed, the following are of interest.


Occupations
Shops
Souls
Chandlers
67
402
Bakers
6
39
Apothecaries
6
22
Masons
1
380
Tailors
14
89
Barbers
11
66
School-masters
2
10
Opium sellers
24
131
Prostitutes
23
439
Laborers            
   1,366
Hawkers 
600
Having no ostensible employment  
500
Boat population 
2,166
Editor of the Friend of China had this comment concerning this census - the recent census is much too small. The boat population is much more than 2,100. A figure of 5,000 boat people is more realistic. Most of this floating population are outcasts from their own country, perhaps liable to punishment under their own laws. Piracy and robbery are big problems here but, apart from that, the risk of injury in Hong Kong is less than in England.
References:
- The Friend of China, March 24, 1842; March 29, 1842

1901
165 Jews: 99 males and 66 frmales

References:
- Ehrlich, Mark Avrum (Ed.),  Encyclopedia of the Jewish Diaspora: Origins, Experiences, and Cutlure, Vol 3, Santa Barbara: 1911

1911
Population of 366,145. Of this number, 354,187 were Chinese inhabitants.
The census had excluded the Military and Naval establishments, and that portion of the new territory outside New Kowloon

References:
- La Motte, Ellen N., The Opium Monopoly, VII -- Hong Kong, Schaffer Library of Drug Policy

- TO BE COMPLETED -
Monday, August 24, 2009 | By: rudi butt

Entrepreneurial Undertaker

The following advertisement appeared in the 'Friends of China' on October 19, 1843.

Mr. Christopher begs to inform the inhabitants of Victoria, Hongkong:that he has opened a Billard Room, in the Queen's Road opposite the Hongkong Market, and trusts by attention to his customers that he will obtain a liberal share of public patronage.

Mr. Christopher begs to inform the inhabitants of Victoria, that he undertakes funeral in all their arrangement.
N.B. he has got a respecable hearse.
Friends of China is the first English newspaper published in Hon Kong --- 'Hongkong Gazette' (supposedly Hong Kong's first English newspaper) was published in Macao.
Saturday, August 22, 2009 | By: rudi butt

First Asian Games Medalist for Tennis

Ling Tsui Yuen-Yuen (徐婉圓); 1962 Asian Games in Indonesia; silver medal in the Ladies' Double – partnered with Ranjani Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka.


Mrs. Ling, mother of current Hong Kong Davis Cup Captain, Derek Ling, has won seventeen local major Singles titles, nine Ladies' Doubles titles, and ten Mixed Doubles titles. She also has the distinction of being the oldest female local major winner when she captured both the Ladies' Doubles and the Mixed Doubles titles at the 1982 CRC (Chinese Recreation Club) Open at age 41. In addition to holding a number of records locally for a female tennis player, she also won in a number of important tournaments in England, Australia, Singapore and China. She coached the Hong Kong women's team at the World University Games in 1985 and was Captain of the Hong Kong Fed Cup team in the early 1980s.

First Car in Hong Kong

The first automobiles in Hong Kong had petrol-driven internal combustion engines and arrived between 1903-05. Initially they were not well received by the public. Only around 1910 did the cars begin to gain appeal. Most of the owners were British.



1910 photo of one of the first cars driven in Hong Kong







Some of these cars probably found their ways to Hong Kong in the turn of the 20th Century, ...



From top to bottom
1904 Vauxhall, 1903 Vauxhall
1905 Vauxhall, 1909 Vauxhall
1911 Vauxhall, 1909 Austro Daimler
1909 Napier Laudaulette
1903 CGV Coupe Trois Quarts, 1904 De Dion Bouton Tonneau
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 | By: rudi butt

B and C Grade Policemen

1910s photo. Look at the footware of the Chinese policeman, ...

Police Officers were graded in 6 levels during the early years after the establishment of the Police Force.

There w6 Grades in the early Hong Kong Police Force

Grade A – European, initially converted or retired infantry soldiers; when Charles May was appointed Captain Superintendent of Police, he started recruiting policemen from London to the force; organized recruitment efforts were made in London and throughout Scotland since 1872 when Walter Deane became police chief, targeting retired police officers.

Grade B – Indian, existing since Charles May's chiefdom; direct recruitment from India began in 1862, targeting mostly Sikhs from Punjab.

Grade C – Cantonese from Hong Kong or China.

Grade D – Chinese from Weihaiwei (威海衛), Shandong Province were recruited to the force from 1922.

Grade E – 25 Belorussians were recruited to form a special anti-pirate task force in 1930.

Grade J – Hong Kong Chinese who joined the police force during the Japanese occupation.

The grading system was abolished in around 1946.
Friday, August 14, 2009 | By: rudi butt

Official Opium Divans

1885; located on Sai On Lane (西安里), Sai Ying Pun

Opium Regulated

March 26, 1884, Ordinance No. 1 of 1884, "The Opium Ordinance". Under the 9th governor George Ferguson Bowen, the government of Hong Kong legalized opium; granting license for the preparations and sale of opium. The monopoly for the exclusive right - generally known as the 'opium farmer' went to the highest bidder, that can go as much as 205,000 silver dollars per year.

Several names surfaced during my research:
- Man Fook Company, was the opium farmer in 1897; the name came up in the minutes of the Legislative Council meeting om May 3rd of the same year.
- Fook Hing Company, exported opium to U.S. and Canada, in about the same time.
- Loo Aqui (盧亞貴), for a time he held the opium monopoly, operated gambling establishment and brothels; built a theatre in 1845; fund the building of Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road in 1847 and became a founder of the temple; the management of temple was placed under the Tung Wah Hospital in 1908.


Opium Outlawed

March 1, 1910, all opium divans in Hong Kong and the New Territory closed. Opium Farm let for 3 years at $1,183,200 per annum. British government makes the Colony a grant of £9,000 for the year 1910 on account of loss of opium revenue.

Exchanges in the UK Parliament: Suppression of Opium Smoking (Hong Kong and Straits Settlements). HC Deb 10 March 1910 vol 14 cc1631-2 1631

Mr. THEODORE TAYLOR asked whether the opium dens in Hong Kong were all now closed; and what steps were now being taken there to bring to a speedy close the habit of opium smoking; and also what progress was being made at the Straits Settlements in bringing to a speedy close the habit of opium smoking?

Colonel SEELY (Under Secretary of State for the Colonies): I will reply to my hon. Friend's two questions to me on the subject of opium smoking together. In the case of the Straits the Colonial Government are putting themselves in a position 1632 in which they will be able to exercise very considerable control over the traffic in opium. As regards Hong Kong, I understand that the last remaining divans were closed on February 28th. The House may rest assured that both His Majesty's Government and the Colonial Governments will continue to exercise energy and vigilance in pursuance of their policy, and the Governors of Hong Kong and the Straits shall be asked to include in the annual reports of their respective Colonies an account of the measures taken to regulate and restrict the consumption of opium and of their effect.

Mr. THEODORE TAYLOR: Perhaps the Under-Secretary might say if any other steps have been taken in Hong Kong which are known to him? I should be grateful to him if he would.

Colonel SEELY: I thought my hon. Friend would have been so glad to hear that the last opium divan was closed on 28th February, that he would not wish me to give any further information to-day. I have given him all I can, and if he will put down another question I will endeavour to reply to him.

Mr. REES: Have the Colonial and Home authorities made any observations as to the Use of alternative stimulants and drugs, which are quite as harmful as opium, and which the cessation of the use of opium may bring into use?

Colonel SEELY: Yes; that matter has received, and is receiving, full consideration. We know that there are other drugs which are quite, if not more, injurious than opium. The matter is being watched by the Government.

Mr. REES: Will the investigation in any way affect the policy of the Government, or is merely a scientific interest taken in these alternative stimulants?

Colonel SEELY: No; the Government, both in Hong Kong and here, have considered the matter as a whole, and have taken measures which they hope may result in checking the abuse of opium, and at the same time will not result in the increase of alternatives.


From the China Mail, March 12, 1909

Ordinance

February 26, 1844, Ordinance No. 1 of 1844, titled An Ordinance to define the law relating to slavery in Hong Kong.

The Ordinance was subsequently disallowed by Queen Victoria, as it was considered that the British Imperial Statutes for the abolition of slavery extended by their own proper force and authority to Hong Kong."

Director of the Hong Kong Observatory

William Doberck (杜伯克); born in 1952 at Copenhagen, died in 1914 at Sutton, Surrey; Director of the Hong Kong Observatory between 1883 and 1907; well known as one of the most enthusiastic and assiduous of workers in the field of double-star astronomy.

Extracts from 'William Doberck - double star astronomer' by Kevin P. MacKeown - The Smithsonian/NASA Astrophysics Data System,

"After taking a PhD in astronomy at the University of Jena in 1873, William Doberck accepted a position as superintendent of Markree Observatory in the west of Ireland. There he refurbished the great 13-inch refractor and spent nine years observing mostly double star systems, paying only such attention to meteorological monitoring as was required of his position. In 1883 he became the founding Director of a new observatory in Hong Kong, a post which he held for 24 years. His frustrations in attempting to continue his purely astronomical work, not assuaged by his combative and prickly personality, and in the face of the strictly practical demands of that mercantile society for comprehensive storm forecasting, are described. Finally, his observations in retirement in England, and his overall contribution to astronomy, are
summarised."


A double star, in observational astronomy, is a pair of stars that appear close to each other in the sky as seen from Earth when viewed through an optical telescope. This can happen either because the pair forms a binary system of stars in mutual orbit, gravitationally bound to each other, or because it is an optical double, a chance alignment of two stars in the sky that lie at different distances. Binary stars are important to stellar
astronomers as knowledge of their motions allows direct calculation of stellar mass and other stellar parameters.




Aerial photo of HKO in 1950's

Prostitution Regulated

November 24, 1857, Ordinance No. 12 of 1857, titled An Ordinance for Checking the spread of Venereal Diseases. John Bowring was the governor in office.

Reference Paper: STATE REGULATION OF PROSTITUTION IN HONG KONG, 1857 TO 1941 by R.J. MINERS Source: Hong Kong Journal Online, Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society

Hong Kong's First Postage Stamp

December 8, 1862 – The issue of Hong Kong's first postage stamp.

Although the Post Office in Hong Kong was founded in August 1841, it was not until the 8 December 1862 that the first postage stamps were issued. The design of the first set of stamps featured a portrait of Queen Victoria which was engraved by Jean Ferdinand Joubert. The early stamps were printed by line-engraved method by De La Rue of Great Britain.


Post Office

Updated on October 20, 2009

Known as the "Owen Letter", this letter bears the
'Hong Kong Post Office 1841' mark.

Hong Kong's First Post Office was established in August 1841.

General Post Office Building: the first generation (1841-1846) was located where the Central Government Offices are now. The 2nd generation GPO building (1846-1911) was located on Queen's Road Central near the corner of Pedder Street. The 3rd generation (1911-1976) was located at the corner of Pedder Street and Des Veoux Road Central - where the World Wide House is.


The second generation GPO Building (1846-1911) C.1880 photo




The 3rd generation GPO Building (1911-1976) C.1973 photo




The Old Wan Chai Post Office (1912/1913- )

The Old Wan Chai Post Office, situated at the junction of Wan Chai Gap Road and Queen's Road East, is the oldest surviving post office building in Hong Kong. The L-shaped building was erected between 1912 and 1913, and opened on March 1, 1915 as the Wan Chai Post Office. Featuring a simple pitched-roof structure with gable ends and mouldings, the building became a declared monument on May 18, 1990, and is now operated by the Environmental Protection Department as a resource center.

First Woman Police Sub-Inspector

1949, Kimmy Koh (高建美) was recruited in 1949 as the first Women Sub-Inspector in the Police Force.

Chinese Police Chief

1989, Li Kwan Ha (李君夏), In office 1989-1994

Police Chief Sentenced to Death and Hanged

Police chief sentenced to death and hanged: February 26, 1947, Japanese Captain of Kempeitai - Kennosuke Noma (野間憲之助), in office 1941-1945

From Police Chief to Governor

July 4, 1912, Francis Henry May (梅含理), In Office as Captain Superintendent of Police1893-1901



F. H. May (right) with wife and guests on the opening day of the Hong Kong section of the KCR - 1910. May was the Acting Governor at that time

Hong Kong's First Police Chief

May 1, 1844, Charles May (查理士·梅理), in Office: 1844-1862

Ordinance No. 12 of 1844: An Ordinance for the establishment and regulation of a Police Force in the Colony of Hong Kong

From 1841 to 2009, there are 28 police chiefs in Hong Kong. The first three were actually chief magistrates whose mandate included police work. During the colonial administration 23 were British and 2 Chinese. The current chief, Tang King Shing, is the fourth one after the return of Hong Kong to China. Hui Kei On was the last and the first – the last of the colonial era and the first of Hong Kong SAR.

Click here to see the full list of Police Chiefs of Hong Kong



Stanley was an area where pirates' activities flourished. A police station was built in Stanley just a few years after the British occupation. Captain Charles Haly who was appointed as Assistant Police Magistrate in 1844 was transferred to work in Stanley.

Police Chief Without A Police Force

William Caine (威廉·堅恩) was appointed the first chief magistrate in Hong Kong in 1841, an office he held until 1844. Included in the purview of the chief magistrate is the responsibility of law enforcement of the colony. Here is the text of the announcement of Caine's appointment.

Pending His Majesty's further pleasure, I do hereby constitute and appoint you, William Caine Esquire, brevet major, and Captain in Her Majesty's 26th Regiment of Infantry, to be Chief Magistrate of the Island of Hongkong and its dependencies: and I do hereby empower and require you to exercise authority according to the laws, customs and usages of China as near as may be (every description of torture expected).

[Signed] His Excellency Sir Henry Pottinger

Caine converted 35 infantry soldiers to form his initial police team. The formal Hong Kong Police Force would not come into existance until 3 years later, on May 1, 1844.

Marine Police

1846, established; Charles May was the Captain Superintendent of Police at that time



Police launch No.1, built at Taikoo Dockyard in 1936



Marine Police, the uniform is probably from the post WWII years

Police Airport Security Unit (機場特警)

1977, established; responsible for safety and security at the airport. ASU was formed as the answer to increased terror attacks and airplane hijacks took place throughout the world at that time. ASU is the only police unit whose officers bear automatic weapons at all times.


Pawn shop

1800s, the Po Yuen Pawn Shop (普源押) in Yuen Long, located near the old temple(西邊圍大王古廟). The pawn shop was founded by Tang Min Ming more than 200 years ago and continued to operate until the end of World War II.

Hong Kong's First Public Garden

1864, the Botanic Garden (兵頭花園)

The First Hong Konger Queen's Counsel

Year unknown, Chau Cham Son (周湛燊)

YWCA

1920, founded by Fok Hing Tong (霍慶棠, wife of Ma Ying Bil who is the founder of Sincere Department Stores) and her sister, Fok Shui Yue (霍絮如) and friends Wu So Ching (胡素貞, principal of St. Paul's Girls' College) and Ng Bik Yuen (吳碧絃). The association, when established, had 81 founding members and 12 founding Board Members.



Founding members of YWCA, 1920



Fok, wife of the owner of the Sincere Department Stores, became a legend having worked as the first sales lady at the cosmetic department of the store --- to encourage women in Hong Kong to apply for the position of sales person in a department store, a position only held by men until she broke the unwritten rule.

YMCA

November 11, 1925, opened at Kowloon