Gresson Street, Wanchai [c.1909- ]

Submitted by David on Tue, 01/28/2020 - 18:19

Carl Smith describes the origin of Gresson Street in his chapter, Wanchai: in Search of an Identity, in the book Hong Kong: A Reader In Social History:

Gresson Street was opened on Marine Lots 29 and 30 about 1909, when the lot was redeveloped by Hong Kong Land Co. The Honourable William Jardine Gresson was a partner of Jardine, Matheson & Co. from 1901 to 1910.

Named after: William Jardine Gresson

Timeline: 

  • c.1909: Street first laid out
  • 1918: This was the site of the Gresson Street Affray, where "five policemen, at least 2 members of the public and two bandits lost their lives in a shoot out".
Current condition
In use
Date street completed
(Day, Month, & Year are approximate.)
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Photos of this street:

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Commonly known as the Siege of Gresson Street, this incident involved a notorious gang of robbers who had been traced to 6 Gresson Street on January 22nd 1918 by a police party under the command of Detective Inspector Mortimer O'Sullivan, resulting in a gunfight and the death of O'Sullivan, Detective Sergeant A87 Henry Goscombe Clarke, Detective Constable C88 Kwong Kui, Detective Constable B402 Moola Singh. Detective Constable C29 Kwong Sang succumbed to his injuries two days later and five other police officers were wounded.

The gang numbered six, two of whom were killed in the shootout and a third shot himself when he found that he could not escape. Two robbers successfully made their escape, while a third was caught and later tried, but was acquitted due to a lack of evidence, although banished from the Colony.

The siege aroused considerable public sympathy for the police and the scene was visited by the Governor, Sir Henry May, who was Captain Superintendent of Police between February 1893 and September 1901. The funeral of the dead officers was attended by the Governor and members of the Executive and Legislative Councils and the Police Reserve set up a fund for the dependants of the deceased, which raised over $12,000 within three days.