Hop Yat Church is one of my favourite Hong Kong buildings. And there is a family connection - my wife's grandfather (James Choy Hing) was a leader in the congregation and a major financial donor towards building the Church in 1920s. Of course, while on a recent holiday from Australia in August, we paid a visit to the Church at No. 2 Bonham Road.
Construction was completed in October 1926, and worship commenced. In 1929, the Church published an 87 page "Story of the Hop Yat Church" booklet: { Zhonghua Jidu jiao hui he yi tang jian zhu zheng xin 中華基督教會合一堂建築徵信 }. You may find some of the illustrations interesting, and helpful for solving modern-day questions. See attached selection of pics ...
- Image (d) seems to show the Church still under construction (bamboo scaffolding)
- My guess is that the "wall" (& stone stairs) was constructed as part of the Church building project. There wasn't much else in the neighbourhood in 1926 !!!!
- Image (h) with portraits of Church leaders, shows "grandpa": James Choy Hing - at extreme left in middle row.
Howard Wilson, if you have a copy of this booklet, would you be able to email it to me please? I have been told that my great-great grandfather had links to the church, but have not been able to find any information as yet.
Really amazing that you have kept such good photographs of Hop Yat Church.
However, just one thing that I cannot understand, why Hop Yat Church is under your tag of Union Church. Hop Yat Church is one of the churches of the Church of Christ in China ("CCC"), and the history of CCC (in English) can be found in http://www.hkcccc.org/Eng/1main.php.
In any event, I believe that I have to spend more time to read the contents of your website that contains so many photographs of old Hong Kong. Probably, your books may have even more for me to learn as well.
I have found a Chinese book named History of To Tsai Church at home. The cover of the book used a sketch of Union Church drawn in 1852. The book has explained the relation of Union Church and Hop Yat Church in the past.
See Facebook Group: JanConSang_aka_ChasJanWann_Prescott_Arizona
for more findings on Mr. Jan ConSang, once a documented Chinese laborer named: Chas Jan Wan. Converted in 1896 by a Mr. Otis from Oberline, Ohio, memeber of Prescott's First Congregational Church. Chas Jan Wann(Jan Con Sang-work to stay alive) became rich and famous after 27 back from the U.S.A., revisited Prescott in 1927 to thanks those whites who converted him to Christianity from being a gambler and possibly miner if not a washer. ( to be continued...)
Zhonghua Jidu jiao hui he yi tang jian zhu zheng xin 中華基督教會合一堂建築徵信 Should read in Cantonese as "Chung Wa Gay Dook Couch Wou Hop Yat Tong Kien Chook Jing Shun. " A letter "pleeing" for support in building the Hop Yat Tong(Church). Hop Yat means Unit as ONE. Tong=Hall, a huge room for congregation/gathering. Chung Wa Gay Dook Couch Wou= Church of Christ in China.
In very tiny print on the very top of the photo(Carved in stone images of the founders or the board to fund raise....it said 1921, NOT 1929. I think it was in 1929 that the dedications happened at the site to build the Church after Mr. Jan returned from the fund raising trip. Traveling all over the United States and Canada. According to some newspaper clippings through newspapers.com....which I had already lost track of.......
So much for now. See Facebook Group which Juliana Cheng created in 2007 titled: JanCon Sang_aka_ChasJanWann_Prescott_Arizona.
email or post here to let me know that you don't have access to my Facebook Group on Mr. Jan, my paternal great grandfather. Was in the United States as a Chinese Laborer since 14 years of age in 1874 or so till he returned to China in 1902 with a 1894 U.S. Certificate of Residence.
The Trustees of the Hop Yat Tong Church of Christ in Hong Kong are applying for the enactment of an Ordinance for the incorporation of the Church.
The Hop Yat Tong Church of Christ in Hong Kong was formed by Chinese members of certain Christian Congregations under the management of the trustees of the said church. For this purpose the trustees purchased the leasehold property known and registered in the Land Office as Section D of Inland Lot No. 500 and erected a church thereon.
The Church is independent of other churches bearing the same name in South China.
In order to secure perpetual succession it is proposed that the church shall be incorporated as a corporation solely by under the management of Trustees and the Bill now proposed follows in its main lines other incorporating ordinances which have been passed from time to time."
Many who have noticed the growth of the imposing edifice at the junction of Seymour Road, Bonham Road and Hospital Road will hear with interest that it is now complete except for stained glass windows the arrival of which hat been delayed. The opening ceremony of this church —the Church of Christ—in the erection of which many missions (now combined as the Church of Christ in China) have combined, will take place on October 19.
To assist in defraying certain of the costs, a bazaar and fete has been arranged for to-morrow, to be opened by Lady Clementi at 3 p.m. It will be continued on Friday and Saturday. Most of the cost incurred in the building have been defrayed by the members of the Missions combining but there is still a debt of $4,000. Most of this may be borrowed from funds for evangelic purposes but it is hoped that a large sum may be obtained through the sale of work and gifts which is to be held to-morrow.
The new Church has been built in accordance with a plan prepared by Messrs. Palmer and Turner. The design is Gothic, the exterior being finished with red brick bands and rough cast. The construction is in reinforced concrete. The ground floor is designed as a meeting hall and the first floor is the Church proper, with a gallery at the Eastern end. The main entrance is also at the east and from this point the clock tower rises.
The building, including fittings and furniture, has cost about $220,000.
The congregation that will meet in this church is one that has been connected with seven or eight different missions which have now united in the Canton Province as the Church of Christ in China, and it is hoped that the rest of China will eventually form a similar church.
The basis of union has been prepared so as to allow churches of all types to join in it, at the same time it is not so fixed it might not be changed sufficiently to admit those who can show good cause for necessary change.
In addition to the sale of goods from the stalls to-morrow, there will be sideshows and games which will be some of the chief items of attraction.
The brass and string bands of the Chinese Amateur Musical Association are giving their services for the three days. The Chinese have been extremely generous in presenting many artistic and valuable articles to help in the good cause. There is a stall of Chinese curious and old paintings which will repay a visit to it. Many non-Chinese friends have given articles of value for the sale. There is some article given for every ticket, and these articles are generally of the value of the ticket. The majority are estimated to lie above that value.
Comments
Hop Yat Church
Howard Wilson writes:
Hop Yat Church is one of my favourite Hong Kong buildings. And there is a family connection - my wife's grandfather (James Choy Hing) was a leader in the congregation and a major financial donor towards building the Church in 1920s. Of course, while on a recent holiday from Australia in August, we paid a visit to the Church at No. 2 Bonham Road.
Construction was completed in October 1926, and worship commenced. In 1929, the Church published an 87 page "Story of the Hop Yat Church" booklet: { Zhonghua Jidu jiao hui he yi tang jian zhu zheng xin 中華基督教會合一堂建築徵信 }. You may find some of the illustrations interesting, and helpful for solving modern-day questions. See attached selection of pics ...
- Image (d) seems to show the Church still under construction (bamboo scaffolding)
- My guess is that the "wall" (& stone stairs) was constructed as part of the Church building project. There wasn't much else in the neighbourhood in 1926 !!!!
- Image (h) with portraits of Church leaders, shows "grandpa": James Choy Hing - at extreme left in middle row.
Howard Wilson, if you have a
Howard Wilson, if you have a copy of this booklet, would you be able to email it to me please? I have been told that my great-great grandfather had links to the church, but have not been able to find any information as yet.
I’m in Hong Kong now and will
I’m in Hong Kong now and will be visiting the Church of Christ in China headquarters during the next week let me know I can I can ask them for you
Http://www.Hkcccc.org
Really Amazing
Really amazing that you have kept such good photographs of Hop Yat Church.
However, just one thing that I cannot understand, why Hop Yat Church is under your tag of Union Church. Hop Yat Church is one of the churches of the Church of Christ in China ("CCC"), and the history of CCC (in English) can be found in http://www.hkcccc.org/Eng/1main.php.
In any event, I believe that I have to spend more time to read the contents of your website that contains so many photographs of old Hong Kong. Probably, your books may have even more for me to learn as well.
Chinese speaking sister church
See the Union Church page.
History of To Tsai Church
I have found a Chinese book named History of To Tsai Church at home. The cover of the book used a sketch of Union Church drawn in 1852. The book has explained the relation of Union Church and Hop Yat Church in the past.
Could you post the book cover
Could you post the book cover here ?
Cover
I have tried the upload, and I am not sure whether my upload was successful.
Click on “what’s new” at the
Click on “what’s new” at the top of the page and you can see it. You can edit it to give it a descriptive name.
My Great Grand Father- Top Left.
Mr. Jan Con-Sang
(1) JanConSang_aka_ChasJanWann_Prescott,Arizona | Facebook
Juliana Cheng
California, U.S.A.
Top Left: Jan Con-Sang also Sincere Dept. Store founder
See Facebook Group: JanConSang_aka_ChasJanWann_Prescott_Arizona
for more findings on Mr. Jan ConSang, once a documented Chinese laborer named: Chas Jan Wan. Converted in 1896 by a Mr. Otis from Oberline, Ohio, memeber of Prescott's First Congregational Church. Chas Jan Wann(Jan Con Sang-work to stay alive) became rich and famous after 27 back from the U.S.A., revisited Prescott in 1927 to thanks those whites who converted him to Christianity from being a gambler and possibly miner if not a washer. ( to be continued...)
Zhonghua Jidu jiao hui he yi
Zhonghua Jidu jiao hui he yi tang jian zhu zheng xin 中華基督教會合一堂建築徵信 Should read in Cantonese as "Chung Wa Gay Dook Couch Wou Hop Yat Tong Kien Chook Jing Shun. " A letter "pleeing" for support in building the Hop Yat Tong(Church). Hop Yat means Unit as ONE. Tong=Hall, a huge room for congregation/gathering. Chung Wa Gay Dook Couch Wou= Church of Christ in China.
In very tiny print on the very top of the photo(Carved in stone images of the founders or the board to fund raise....it said 1921, NOT 1929. I think it was in 1929 that the dedications happened at the site to build the Church after Mr. Jan returned from the fund raising trip. Traveling all over the United States and Canada. According to some newspaper clippings through newspapers.com....which I had already lost track of.......
So much for now. See Facebook Group which Juliana Cheng created in 2007 titled: JanCon Sang_aka_ChasJanWann_Prescott_Arizona.
email or post here to let me know that you don't have access to my Facebook Group on Mr. Jan, my paternal great grandfather. Was in the United States as a Chinese Laborer since 14 years of age in 1874 or so till he returned to China in 1902 with a 1894 U.S. Certificate of Residence.
"HOP YAT TONG CHURCH.LOCAL…
"HOP YAT TONG CHURCH.
LOCAL ORDINANCE TO BE SOUGHT.
The Trustees of the Hop Yat Tong Church of Christ in Hong Kong are applying for the enactment of an Ordinance for the incorporation of the Church.
The Hop Yat Tong Church of Christ in Hong Kong was formed by Chinese members of certain Christian Congregations under the management of the trustees of the said church. For this purpose the trustees purchased the leasehold property known and registered in the Land Office as Section D of Inland Lot No. 500 and erected a church thereon.
The Church is independent of other churches bearing the same name in South China.
In order to secure perpetual succession it is proposed that the church shall be incorporated as a corporation solely by under the management of Trustees and the Bill now proposed follows in its main lines other incorporating ordinances which have been passed from time to time."
Source: Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 11th May 1931
The proposed Bill is in full on page 5 of the same publication.
Hop Yat Church Walking tour
Antiquities and Monuments Office - Central and Western Heritage Trail (536) (amo.gov.hk)
Church building completed in 1926
We can follow the construction of this building in the annual reports of the Public Works Department:
1923.41 : 'A new Church on I.L. 590, Bonham Road, was commenced. '
1924.42: 'A Church on I.L. 590, Bonham Road, was in course of erection.'
1925.42: 'The following [...] were in course of erection: [...] A Church on I.L. 590, Bonham Road.'
1926.44: 'The following [...] were completed during the year: [...] New Church on I.L. 590, Bonham Road.'
New Church
The following article appeared on p. 3 of The China Mail, 1926-09-01:
NEW CHURCH.
IMPOSING BONHAM ROAD EDIFICE COMPLETE.
BAZAAR FOR FUNDS.
Many who have noticed the growth of the imposing edifice at the junction of Seymour Road, Bonham Road and Hospital Road will hear with interest that it is now complete except for stained glass windows the arrival of which hat been delayed. The opening ceremony of this church —the Church of Christ—in the erection of which many missions (now combined as the Church of Christ in China) have combined, will take place on October 19.
To assist in defraying certain of the costs, a bazaar and fete has been arranged for to-morrow, to be opened by Lady Clementi at 3 p.m. It will be continued on Friday and Saturday. Most of the cost incurred in the building have been defrayed by the members of the Missions combining but there is still a debt of $4,000. Most of this may be borrowed from funds for evangelic purposes but it is hoped that a large sum may be obtained through the sale of work and gifts which is to be held to-morrow.
The new Church has been built in accordance with a plan prepared by Messrs. Palmer and Turner. The design is Gothic, the exterior being finished with red brick bands and rough cast. The construction is in reinforced concrete. The ground floor is designed as a meeting hall and the first floor is the Church proper, with a gallery at the Eastern end. The main entrance is also at the east and from this point the clock tower rises.
The building, including fittings and furniture, has cost about $220,000.
The congregation that will meet in this church is one that has been connected with seven or eight different missions which have now united in the Canton Province as the Church of Christ in China, and it is hoped that the rest of China will eventually form a similar church.
The basis of union has been prepared so as to allow churches of all types to join in it, at the same time it is not so fixed it might not be changed sufficiently to admit those who can show good cause for necessary change.
In addition to the sale of goods from the stalls to-morrow, there will be sideshows and games which will be some of the chief items of attraction.
The brass and string bands of the Chinese Amateur Musical Association are giving their services for the three days. The Chinese have been extremely generous in presenting many artistic and valuable articles to help in the good cause. There is a stall of Chinese curious and old paintings which will repay a visit to it. Many non-Chinese friends have given articles of value for the sale. There is some article given for every ticket, and these articles are generally of the value of the ticket. The majority are estimated to lie above that value.