Cupolas – both large and small – were very much favoured in the architectural style of Hong Kong at the close of the 19th century, as is evident in this view from the grounds of Government House, dating from 1902.
Prominent in the foreground (bottom left) is the large dome of the Bank, and to its right is City Hall. In the bottom right corner are the Central Government Offices. Above and slightly to the left of these is the building which would become the French Mission Building, shown here before its remodelling, still with a pitched roof. To the right of that is Murray House.
Beyond these (again from left to right) are the Hong Kong Club, beside which is its new annexe, still cocooned in bamboo scaffolding but unveiled the following year and, sandwiched on the waterfront between the club and the taller New Oriental Building, the United Telegraph Companies’ Offices. To the right of the New Oriental Building are the newly constructed offices of Butterfield and Swire.
Lying at anchor off the Naval Dockyards, dominating this strategic shoreline of Hong Kong Island, is a miscellany of vessels including HMS Tamar, the sleek and white behemoth under her canvas covers at left, from which the dockyards would themselves gain their name.
Founded in 1851, the Hong Kong Cricket Club was one of the first to promulgate that uniquely British sport outside of England. It must have commanded many admirers among the military for its turf occupied what had earlier been the Wellington Barracks parade ground. The original pavilion was a matshed fronting the seashore and replaced several times before giving way to this elegantly pillared structure.
Notes:
- The text and photo are copyright FormAsia, and appear on pages 87-9 of their new book, Once Upon A Time.
- The text is written by author Peter Moss.
- The photo shown above is a low-resolution copy. The book uses the high-resolution original, printed at 71.5 x 27 cm (28" x 10.5"). Here's an example of the detail:
- Click here for more information about the book.
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