Powell Building, 12 Des Voeux Road Central [????-????]

Submitted by David on Wed, 03/28/2012 - 12:48
Current condition
Demolished / No longer exists

It was between the Bank of East Asia and the Exchange Building / Lane Crawford House.

Photos that show this Place

Comments

Thanks for that - I've updated the name.

Page 10 of The Hong Kong Telegraph, 1933-03-13 reported "Powell's Building Partly Gutted". Extracts:

[...] As it was the greater portion of the rear of Powell's Building, occupied by offices and the store and workshop of the Hongkong Electric Company, was completely gutted, and damage, not yet assessed, but expected to reach a considerable figure, was caused.

[...] Water was obtained from every available source and jets played on the burning building from every vantage point - from Messrs. Lane Crawford's, the upper flooors and fire escape of the Exchange Building, from the roof of St. Francis Hotel and from the alleys running beside the building.

[...] The building is one of the oldest in the vicinity.

It's not clear whether the building was used again, but I guess not as the report above talks of the roof collapsing.

Regards, David

From page 1, The Hong Kong Telegraph, 1922-03-20:

HONGKONG HOTEL CO.
Purchases Powell's Building.

We learn that the Hongkong Hotel Co. Ltd., has purchased the building at present occupied by Messrs. Wm. Powell, Ltd. The price is not disclosed.

It will be recalled that the Hotel Company recently secured a controlling interest in Messrs. Powell’s.