Bank of China Building / Central House / Kai Ming Building [1921-1980]

Submitted by Admin on Fri, 06/14/2013 - 17:09
Current condition
Demolished / No longer exists
Date completed
Date closed / demolished

Building on western corner of Duddell Street / Queen's Road Central (QRC) junction. When it was built this site was 4, QRC. In the 1960s the road was re-numbered and this site's address changed to 10, QRC.

Previous place(s) at this location
Building on western corner of Duddell Street / Queen's Road Central junction [1878-1919]

Photos that show this Place

1920s Junction of Queen's Road C and Ice House Street
1925
1930s Junction of Queen's Road C and Ice House Street
1930s
Junction of Queen's Road Central and Duddell Street
1941
See more photos of this place

Comments

I did a search on its old address, 4 Queen's Road Central, (view online) that turns up some more names:

  • 1913 - Cheong Lee, Furniture
  • 1925 - China Bank Building
  • 1963, 1964 - Central House
  • 1994 - Beaconsfield House
I'll guess that the 1913 name refers to an earlier building on this site, and the 1994 name refers to a different site after the road was re-numbered. So maybe this was originally the China Bank Building, before they moved to the building next to HSBC post-WW2.

HKGRO PWD Annual Reports

The previous building at 4 Queens Road Central was demolished in 1919 with a new one erected in 1921. It appears to have been known as the Bank of China Building.

The building at 6 Queen's Road Central was completed in 1922.

First I thought these were two names for the same building, but a post on Uwants (thanks to Jessica for the link) shows them as adjacent buildings: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204712365182434&set=p.1020471…

This 1959 map agrees, and also shows them as adjacent buildings, numbers 4 and 6 QRC:

1959 BOAC Street Map of Central

But then this 1960s map confuses things:

1960s Map of Central

It shows the outline of two buildings, but just a single name and number: "Kai Ming Building  HK-60". I'm not sure if the two buildings were combined into one around then, or if it is just careless numbering on the map. Does anyone remember the Central House name lasting into the 1960s?

Regards, David