Sheung Wan Post Office [1914-1936] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Sheung Wan Post Office [1914-1936]

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Submitted by whitto on Fri, 2011-06-24 03:04
Current condition: 
Demolished / No longer exists
Date Place completed: 
1914-04-01
Date Place demolished: 
1936-12-31

I am interested in the history of the Sheung Wan Branch Post Office

I understand that this establishment was located in the first floor of the Old Harbour Office building in Morrison Street between 1914 and up to at least 1936 - is there any documentary evidence to support this or otherwise ?

Tags: 
post office
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Submitted by David on Fri, 2011-06-24 03:08.

Please can you let us know where you've looked already?

Regards, David

PS I changed your forum post to a "Place", so we can link it to any photos of the post office that turn up.

Submitted by whitto on Sat, 2011-06-25 13:26.

I have already looked at all of the HK Government Gazettes and Annual Reports

Are there some Hong Kong street maps that might show the location in the 1910 to 1940 period

Any enlightenment appreciated

Submitted by David on Tue, 2011-06-28 03:58.

I haven't seen a map from that period showing a post office there, but it would be a good line of inquiry. Have you tried these resources?

I'd try the old newspapers too - I'm on a slow internet link at the moment, so I can't get to them.

I did take a look through HKGRO, and found this from 24th April 1914, which says:

The present "Western Branch" will in future be known as the "Sheung Wan Branch Post Office".

So if you can find the location of the Western Branch, that would help.

If you think there was work required to remodel the old building into a Post Office, it's also worth checking the Annual Report for the Public Works Department around the time you think it happened, as the work will often be described there.

Let us know what you find,

Regards, David

Submitted by moddsey on Sat, 2011-07-30 12:09.

The Western Branch Post Office was opened in July 1898 and was located at No. 111 Praya West.

Submitted by David on Tue, 2011-08-02 01:14.

Moddsey, thanks for this. Please can I ask where you found it?

Any idea where the 1898 "111 Praya West" address would be today?

Regards, David

Submitted by moddsey on Sat, 2016-06-04 09:01.

Source: Government Gazette 2 July 1898

I did do a quick search of the location. Without a proper map from that period, initial impressions are that it was a house no. and may not have been a government buidling. As the Western Branch Post Office handled Chinese mail bound for the river ports in the Pearl River Delta (including Macao), my guess is that it was located close to the Hong Kong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Company's pier, near the Harbour Master's Office.

In 1897, Government had entered into a deal with the HK, Canton & Macao Steamboat Co whereby mail destined for the river ports could be taken on board.

Submitted by Jaberu on Tue, 2011-08-02 08:56.

I am somewhat confused by all this, but I thought I should draw attention to "Hongkong - a Brief History and Guide of Hongkong and the New Territories" published by Kelly and Walsh in 1924, which states:

"There are district Post Offices at Wantsai (Queen's Road East), Sheung Wan (Morrison Street), Sai Ying Pun (Pokfulam Road), Kowloon (Tsim Sha Tsui) and Yaumati (Waterloo Road)."

A map in "Mapping Hong Kong" , dated as recently as 1964, appears to show a Post Office in Morrison Street between the two sections of the Western Market on what I think used to be the site of the Harbour Master's Office.

Submitted by moddsey on Tue, 2011-08-02 16:09.

In July 1898, the Western Branch Post Office at No. 111 Praya West and Kowloon Post Office located within the Kowloon Wharf Dockyard were opened. As to the former, I am not sure of its location when it first opened.

Submitted by whitto on Tue, 2011-08-02 23:46.

After some research I can relate that:

The Western Branch Post Office opened on 1 July 1898 at 111 Praya West - this office closed on 17 July 1903.

The Western Branch re-opened on one floor of a house at the Canton Wharf on 1 July 1906.

It moved to the Old Harbour Office in the rear of Western Market north Block on 1 April 1914. I am as yet unsure of when these premises were vacated.

Submitted by moddsey on Wed, 2011-08-03 00:25.

Whitto - Good Work!

Submitted by whitto on Sun, 2011-11-13 10:39.

The Western branch Post Office was originally (1898) located at 111, Praya West.

Does anyone know where this would be in Des Voeux Road West today ?

Submitted by David on Sun, 2011-11-13 18:35.

I've added a Place for the original Western Branch Post Office at 111 Des Voeux Rd West.

Regards, David

Submitted by C on Sun, 2011-11-13 19:22.

Hi David, it seems that you have added the place at Des Voeux Road Central...

Submitted by David on Sun, 2011-11-13 21:12.

Sorry, mixing up my Prayas and my Des Voeux Roads!

I think the marker is in the right place. On those maps the road is just called Des Voeux Road, without any division into West and Central sections.

Regards, David

Submitted by annelisec on Fri, 2016-06-03 22:31.
Can we combine this with Harbourmaster's office?