Rednaxela Terrace [????- ] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Rednaxela Terrace [????- ]

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Submitted by David on Tue, 2012-03-20 16:54
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Submitted by David on Tue, 2012-03-20 17:00.

The name is obviously "Alexander" spelled backwards, but why?

We've had a couple of suggestions over on the Alexandra Terrace thread:

  • Annelise wonders if the name was deliberately spelled backwards to avoid confusion with the similarly named Alexandra Terrace.
  • Adam writes "I was always under the impression that the sign was misprinted/miswritten by Chinese signwriter who didn't speak English, and no one got around to correcting it. That's the old urban legend anyway."

Any other suggestions, or additional evidence to back up either of the above ideas?

Regards, David

Submitted by tonylam on Wed, 2012-04-04 15:07.

the possible reason of making the mistake is because of it is the chinese tradition to read from right to left.

Submitted by moddsey on Mon, 2015-07-20 20:26.

Two possibilities. 

Perhaps the naming of Prince's Terrace and Rednaxela (Alexander) Terrace located nearby may be connected. Prince Alexander perhaps?

Queen Victoria had a grandson, Prince Alexander who died at childbirth in 1871, the son of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII).

or after William Hastings Alexander, the Registrar and acting Colonial Secretary in the 1860s.

HKGRO has an 1884 entry for Alexander Terrace whilst Rednaxela Terrace appears in 1898.