Clock Tower

Updated (partial) on 9/21/2012

The Pedder Street Clock Tower (1862-1913)

Hong Kong's first clock tower was located at the junction of Queen's Road Central and Pedder Street. Designed by Rawlings & Company [1], the 80 feet high tower was the brainchild of John Dent [2] who, at a public meeting on July 28, 1860, proposed to erect by public subscription a clock tower, town clock and fire bell, the tower to be connected with a drinking fountain. A committee, composed of J. Brodersen, J.H. Beckwith, Douglas Lapraik, G. Lyall who was the co-founder of the mercantile firm Lyall Still & Co. 孻也洋行, Charles St. George Cleverly who was the second Surveyor General, was immediately formed to collect subscription, which at first flowed generously. Delay in the execution of the scheme soon caused the enthusiasm to cool down, subscription stopped, the scheme had to be curtailed, all the decorative features of the original pretty design had to be abandoned, and the result was an ugly tower obstructing the principal thoroughfare. Lapraik came generously to the rescue of the committee and provided, at his own cost, the town clock, which sounded for the first time on new year's eve of 1862, ushering in the year 1863. John Dent also stepped in and erected a drinking fountain next to the tower. A landmark for more than half a century, the Pedder Street Clock Tower became a serious obstruction to traffic as the number of motor cars continued to grow, since their first arrivals in Hong Kong in 1903-05. Work on the tower's demolition began in May 1913 and completed three months later in August. The Clock, being of no further service was sold at public auction, realizing $662.50. 

___________________________________________________

What's next, ...

Douglas Castle Clock Tower (1860- )

Built two years earlier than the Pedder Street Clock Tower, the Douglas Castle was George Lapraik's country house in Pok Fu Lam. The Mission Etranferes de Paris acquired the property in 1894 to operate the Nazareth Press for the monastery. In 1953, it was sold to the University of Hong Kong for use as students' residence, and named University Hall. I have not listed it as the first clock tower in Hong Kong for the reason that it wasn't a public building.

___________________________________________

[1] Rawlings & Company, architects, later renamed as Rawling, Medlen and Company. The chief partner of the firm is believed to be Samuel Bartlett Rawling, an officer of the British Royal Engineers who, in 1860 in response to governor Hercules Robinson's public appeal for a water-supply scheme for Hong Kong, submitted a plan that would later developed into Hong Kong's first reservoir – the Pok Fu Lam Reservoir. Rawling was an assistant engineer in Surveyor General's Office from 1862 to 1863.

[2] John Dent of Dent and Co., relative of founder Thomas Dent, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce 1863, Senior Unofficial Member of Legislative Council 1866-1867

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.

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 -

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

Chinese Police Chief

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

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.

Regional Council (區域市政局)

1985, established to provide for the New Territories what the Urban Council did for Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.


Cheung Yan Lung, the first Chairman of the Regional Council