Who is Harlech Road named after? | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Who is Harlech Road named after?

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Submitted by Unknown user (not verified) on Tue, 2010-03-02 13:43

Trying to track down how name Harlech Road on the Peak came into existence. Was it named after Lord Harlech who may then have been Right Hon. W. G. A. Ormsby-Gore, M.P., Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies? (aka Lord Harlech)

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Submitted by annelisec on Tue, 2010-03-02 14:49.

Simply type Harlech in the Gwulo search, read through the replies and you'll find the answer.

Submitted by rgreenhkr on Wed, 2010-03-03 12:22.

Thanks for suggestion but after typing in Harlech in search, was still unable to find answer to my question.

Submitted by David on Wed, 2010-03-03 14:57.

I think Annelise has this post in mind.

Submitted by 80sKid (not verified) on Wed, 2010-03-03 17:11.

Harlech Road pre-dates Ormsby-Gore by some decades: he was parliamentary under-secretary of state in the 1920s. The road was built at least before 1906  - when it was first mentioned in HK's legislative council records.

Incidentally the Butts area used for rifle practice appears to have been known as Harlech Gap.

Still curious to know if the name comes from the Welsh marching song; certainly the military owned the area around it and presumably built the road.

Some areas were named after the full Secretaries of the State for the Colonies: check this list here: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/offices/secretary-of-state-for-the-co.... (It doesn't look like more junior ranks were worth the honour of a road!)

Stanley definitely - others possibly are Russell (Road in Causeway Bay) and Lyttleton (Road in Mid-Levels). I suspected Harcourt Road in Central but according to Wiki that was built post war and named after Admiral Cecil Harcourt who accepted the Japanese surrender in Hong Kong and served as temporary administrator until a civilian govt was formed. 

Submitted by tngan on Wed, 2010-03-03 18:40.

Hi there,

There is an entry about the Hongs and Russell & Co (A US Company) is among them.  As Russell Street is just next to the previous Jardine lots, would it be a bit more like that Russell Street was named after Russell & Co like all those streets around named after Jardine Matheson?

Best Regards,

T