Propaganda Society (Propogaton of the Faith - Roman Catholic) [????-????]

ln the list of town lots granted by A.R.Johnson, the Lot Nos 50,51 & 52 were registered in the name of The Reverend Joset who was Prefect of the Society to whom the lots were granted. A Roman Catholic chapel and dwelling house have been built on them. One of these lots were granted a Little larger than usual. It is recorded Feliciani as claimant.  

Land Officer's Report to Colonial Office, 6 July 1843, CO i 29/2, p 157

The location of the first building was  on the corner of Wellington and Pottinger street, completed in 1842 (It was complete before the death of Joset in August 1842). It housed a temporary chapel mission house and college.   A newer building was constructed further up Pottinger street a few years later(by 1847) 

It was a grandiose three-storey building costing $7,000 to build  There were eleven bedrooms, a refectory on the first and second floors, six store-rooms on the third floor which could also be used as rooms for servants. On the ground floor a big hall would serve as a temporary chapel until the church was built.

The first building was Rented to Duddell in May 1845 for $1,860 per year with $155 paid monthly in advance (half the building. Other half was rented by Feliciani & Co for $145 per month.

The first building was rented out as the first Central Police Station 1847-1854, Charles May signed a two year contract on the 11th March 1847 to rent the Mission House as the Central Police Station at the rate of $1000 per year. The contract was renewed in 1849 for a further five years with a rent of $131 per month. The police station did not occupy the entire building as other rooms were rented for $40 per month in the same period.  Leonardo D'Almada e Castro lived her for nine months in 1848

Source: The foundation of the Catholic mission in Hong Kong, 1841-1894 (Xia Qilong 1998 HKU)