Background

In July 2004, the Antiquities and Monuments Office had arranged a visit at the Sheung Wan Route of the Central and Western Heritage Trail for Young Friends of Heritage. Other YFOH followed another guided tour led by our teacher, Mr. Lam, to the Central Route. After the summer holiday, we collected some information on the Central Route, and visited the site with our teacher. Since then, we were so interested in the monuments at Central and decided to choose Central as the theme of our project - "Tracing the Story of the Victoria City".

The Birth of the Victoria City

The British Army landed at Shui Hang Hau of Sheung Wan on 26 January 1841. Developments were then started at Central and Sheung Wan, which were gradually extended to the Western District, Mid-Levels and the Peak. At that time, areas on the eastern side of Albany Road were used by the British for military purpose; while the hills on the western side were reserved as Government land; local residence mainly gathered at Central, Sheung Wan and the harbour side of Sai Ying Pun; warehouses, barracks and customs were established on the harbour side of Central. Therefore, the administration power of the British was extended outward from the Central and Western District to the other places.

On 7 June 1841, Hong Kong was declared as a free port where merchants could bring along with their capital and move in and out freely. 51 pieces of land were then sold out by the British who deliberately turned Central into the "City of the Queen" and developed it as Hong Kong's political and commercial centre. To commemorate Queen Victoria who ascended the throne in 1837, the British renamed the "City of the Queen" as the "City of Victoria" in 1843. In 1844, there were around 100 buildings in the City; and the number of structures increased to more than 1800 in 1874.

In 1903, the boundary of the "City of Victoria" was gazetted by the Government and was labeled by boundary stones. The stones were 1m in height, with words "City of Victoria 1903" marked on them. The stones include the one at the Kennedy Town Temporary Recreation Ground at Sai Ning Street; Hatton Road near Po Shan Road; the south of Pokfulam Road near the pedestrian subway of Mount Davis Road; Bowen Road near Stubbs Road; Old Peak Road near Tregunter Path, and the pedestrian road of the car park opposite to St. Paul's Convent School at Wong Nai Chung Road.

Central has been the hub of the "City of Victoria" from the past till now. Missionaries who came to Hong Kong with the Colonial Government in the late 19th century gradually established churches, schools and different kinds of charitable organizations in the Central and Western District. Moreover, traders from the Mainland China also set up various Chinese organizations in the territory. During the Japanese Occupation (1941 - 1945), the Japanese also used Central as the ruling centre, the headquarters of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and the Government House in the Mid-Levels, for example, were turned into the headquarters and the residence for the Japanese chief commander.

After the War, there was an economic recovery in Hong Kong; Central developed rapidly where large-scale reclamation and numerous development projects were launched. Today, skyscrapers exist everywhere in Central which has already become the economic and commercial centre of Hong Kong.

Monuments at Central

Central Police Station

The Central Police Station is comprised of several structures. The oldest building in the compound is the Barrack Block dating from 1864; it was originally constructed as a combined Central Police Station and Hong Kong's first Police Headquarters whose heavy granite staircases and floors are particularly impressive. The elegant Headquarters Block facing Hollywood Road was built in 1919 in late-Victorian style and is notable for its red brick walls, granite features and imposing columns in the entrance hall. Large-scale extension work was carried out in the Central Police Station Compound at different times. The Police Station together with the former Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison has formed a group of historical architecture representing law and order in Hong Kong.

Victoria Prison

Victoria Prison situated behind the Central Police Station Compound, was built in 1841, which is understood to be the first western building constructed of durable material in Hong Kong. Most part of the building was seriously damaged during the World War II, which was re-used as a prison after restoration in 1946. This medium security institution mainly detains people and illegal immigrants who are going to be sent back or escorted to their homeland. The Prison, Central Police Station and the former Central Magistracy have been declared as monuments in 1995.