Photographs

A view from the garden of Government House looking north east. Butterfield and Swire building at no. 1 The Praya is under construction beyond the cricket pitch and looks nearly completed under the bamboo scaffolding. The new Hong Kong Club Building is also almost completed with a little bamboo scaffolding on the entrance and on the back. The receiving ship HMS Victor Emmanuel appears along with many other naval ships in the Man-of-War anchorage as well as commercial shipping in the harbour beyond. Kellet Island, now home of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club appears to the right of the picture.

The Chater Reclamation began in 1890 and was completed in 1904. This would become the Central Business District. In 1895 Butterfield and Swire leased part of the newly reclaimed land at the corner of what would become Connaught and Murray Roads. Swire's moved into the building on 27th September 1897.

Lower right are the Government Offices and just above and to the left is Beaconsfield House which at this time was leased by Swires from E.R. Belilios. The cricket pitch has been laid out with tennis courts.

A fine image with good tonal range.

Reference

Bard, Solomon  Traders of Hong Kong:Some Foreign Merchant Houses, 1841-1899.Urban Council, 1993. Page 55.

Moss, Peter   Hong Kong Another City Another Age, 2002. Page 99.