Workmen unearthed the foundation stone of the original building which had been demolished in 1954. A bronze plaque in florid characters indicated the foundation stone was laid on _?_th day of February, 1847 by Governor Davis with Major Aldrich, Commanding Royal Engineer in attendance.
Hong Kong Annual Report 1954 provides an update to the date. It mentions that the circular bronze plaque covered a metal canister containing five Victorian coins (1843-1844). The inscription records that the foundation stone was laid on the 24th day of February 1847 by Sir John Francis Davis, Bart., the "Governor and Commander in Chief, Hong Kong and Vice Admiral of the same, Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary in China". The cost of the building "(being intended for Government offices)" was estimated at £14,300. 3s. 10d.
This postcard looks alike a 19th century photo (link). As caption on the Bristol History Centre webpage, this is estimated as dated 1897.
The big tree in the centre of the lawn is a Burmese Rosewood (pterocarpus indicus). It nearly aligns with the main entrance of this Old Secretariat Building.
A 1930s photo from 'Links Gwulo to Library photos' account on flickr here.
Present day Google street views near 18 Lower Albert Road may show similar form of the tree during winters, e.g. Feb 2011, Feb 2024. Just left-right reversed. Likely, all these show the same old tree. The tree is recorded on the Old and Valuable Trees register.
This tree was possibly planted in 1880s 1, as a guess from the history context if its origin is actually Burma. (*) There are at least two more such century-old Burmese Rosewood trees nearby. One just on opposite side of Lower Albert Road, further West. Another in Botanical Gardens. As described by C. Curtis (1892), pterocarpus indicus is the principal shade tree planted in Penang.
Other comments and opinions are most welcome.
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1. note, unlike the layout of various trees on the lawn in the 1875 photo on gwulo
Other references Heritage Impact Assessment for the Former CGO, by AAB (2011)
(*) update : the oldest specimen of this species (re Natural History Museum, London) is dated 1822, collected from Penang Island. This is an interesting possibility. (the record here) One more specimen from Penang is of 1832, which is stored in Kew (record here). Both are attributed to the Dutch botanist N. Wallich.
Early days of Gwulo when the postcard was sent in with an incorrect 1910s caption.
Yes, the scene in the postcard is from the 1890s. I believe the postcard was made available for sale in the 1900s. I have seen a photograph of the same postcard scene (same photo as in the Bristol link) outside the Central Government Offices (East Wing) on the wall facing Garden Road. Google Street View
Comments
Colonial Secretariat
I question whether there were "Central Government Offices" in 1910. This building was more likely referred to as the "Colonial Secretariat".
Re: Colonial Secretariat Building Foundation Stone
Workmen unearthed the foundation stone of the original building which had been demolished in 1954. A bronze plaque in florid characters indicated the foundation stone was laid on _?_th day of February, 1847 by Governor Davis with Major Aldrich, Commanding Royal Engineer in attendance.
China Mail 27 August 1954 refers.
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Hong Kong Annual Report 1954 provides an update to the date. It mentions that the circular bronze plaque covered a metal canister containing five Victorian coins (1843-1844). The inscription records that the foundation stone was laid on the 24th day of February 1847 by Sir John Francis Davis, Bart., the "Governor and Commander in Chief, Hong Kong and Vice Admiral of the same, Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary in China". The cost of the building "(being intended for Government offices)" was estimated at £14,300. 3s. 10d.
Burmese Rosewood tree, from the 19th century
This postcard looks alike a 19th century photo (link). As caption on the Bristol History Centre webpage, this is estimated as dated 1897.
The big tree in the centre of the lawn is a Burmese Rosewood (pterocarpus indicus). It nearly aligns with the main entrance of this Old Secretariat Building.
A 1930s photo from 'Links Gwulo to Library photos' account on flickr here.
Present day Google street views near 18 Lower Albert Road may show similar form of the tree during winters, e.g. Feb 2011, Feb 2024. Just left-right reversed. Likely, all these show the same old tree.
The tree is recorded on the Old and Valuable Trees register.
This tree was possibly planted in 1880s 1, as a guess from the history context if its origin is actually Burma. (*)
There are at least two more such century-old Burmese Rosewood trees nearby. One just on opposite side of Lower Albert Road, further West. Another in Botanical Gardens. As described by C. Curtis (1892), pterocarpus indicus is the principal shade tree planted in Penang.
Other comments and opinions are most welcome.
________________________________
1. note, unlike the layout of various trees on the lawn in the 1875 photo on gwulo
Other references
Heritage Impact Assessment for the Former CGO, by AAB (2011)
(*) update : the oldest specimen of this species (re Natural History Museum, London) is dated 1822, collected from Penang Island. This is an interesting possibility. (the record here)
One more specimen from Penang is of 1832, which is stored in Kew (record here). Both are attributed to the Dutch botanist N. Wallich.
Re: Postcard
Early days of Gwulo when the postcard was sent in with an incorrect 1910s caption.
Yes, the scene in the postcard is from the 1890s. I believe the postcard was made available for sale in the 1900s. I have seen a photograph of the same postcard scene (same photo as in the Bristol link) outside the Central Government Offices (East Wing) on the wall facing Garden Road. Google Street View