Granite setts (a sett is a square or rectangular block) were a popular choice for paving Hong Kong's roads in the 1910s and 1920s, especially for roads that had heavy traffic.
The postcard below shows a section of Connaught Road. The road surface has a clear grid pattern that I believe shows it was paved with granite setts.
I started out looking for evidence that the grid pattern above was caused by wooden blocks being used to pave Hong Kong's roads. I looked through the annual reports of the Public Works Department for the years 1900-39, and though I didn't find any sign of wooden blocks being used, I did find regular mentions of granite setts. (A sett has been cut into square or rectangular block, whereas a cobble is a stone in its natural, more rounded shape.)
The first mention I found is in the 1912 report, item 49, Maintenance of Roads and Bridges in City:
The eastern portion of Pedder Street, between the kerb and the new ricksha stand, was surfaced with tar macadam and that portion of Connaught Road in front of the Post Office was similarly surfaced. Jackson Road was also surfaced with tar macadam throughout the extent of the New Law Courts. A small portion of Connaught Road Central, near the Macao Steamboat Wharf, was laid with granite setts.
The 'small portion' suggests a trial run. It must have had good results, as more setts were laid every year from 1913-1925.
Their deployment peaked in 1923 when 4,802 sq. yds of road surface was converted to granite setts. Its usage drops off quickly after that - the figure fell to 2,836 sq. yds in 1925, then the next mention isn't until 1930. There is a further mention in 1932, then a final mention in 1933, suggesting the granite setts had fallen out of favour, to be replaced by some other type of road surface.
Here are the extracts that mention setts over the years:
| Year of PWD Annual Report | Item | Mentions of setts |
| 1912.49 | 49 | "A small portion of Connaught Road Central, near the Macao Steamboat Wharf, was laid with granite setts." |
| 1913.48 | 48 | "Kennedy Town Slaughter House - Repairing floor with cement concrete and stone setts" |
| 1913.50 | 50 | "Substitution of Granite Setts for Macadam :— Connaught Road, near west end of Wing Lok Street, Morrison Street, Great George Street, Praya East" |
| 1914.48 | 48 | "Kennedy Town Slaughter House—Relaying portion of floor with granite setts" |
| 1914.50 | 50 | "Substitution of Granite Setts for Macadam :— Connaught Road near west end of Wing Lok Street, Praya East, Rienaeeker Street, Torsiem Street, Yee Wo Street" |
| 1915.50 | 50 | "Substitution of Granite Setts for Macadam, or Concrete:— Connaught Road, continuation of length already laid near west end of Wing Lok Street, Burd Street, Praya East, Queen Victoria Street, Smithfield, Yee Wo Street" |
| 1916.48 | 48 | "Bullock Stables near No. 1 Police Station—Laying granite setts to yard" |
| 1916.50 | 50 | "Substitution of Granite Setts for Macadam or Concrete : — Burd Street, Centre Street, Morrison Street, Praya East, Praya West, Smithfield, Sutherland Street, Tung Man Street, Wing Kut Street, In this case the cost of the work was defrayed by the frontagers, Wing Kut Street being a Private Street." |
| 1916.116 | 116 | "(xii.) Saigon Street—Paving with granite setts in front of dust bin" |
| 1916.128 | 128 | "(f.)(ii.) Shamshuipo, N.K.I.L. 40,—Paving scavenging lane and laying granite setts and cement concrete in front of lot" |
| 1917.48 | 48 | "Kennedy Town Slaughter Houses:— Refixing lifting gear and laying granite setts to floor" "No. 1 Police Station : — Paving surface of yard with granite setts" |
| 1917.50 | 50 | "The road surfaces were maintained generally in a satisfactory condition ; the bituminous treatment of carriageways was still further extended throughout the City, whilst a considerable area of granite setts was laid in the carriageways in those portions of the City where the increasing traffic rendered such paving desirable." "Substitution of Granite Setts far Macadam or Concrete :— Burd Street, * In these cases, (he costs were defrayed either partly or wholly by the frontagers under the provisions of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance." |
| 1917.100 | 100 |
"(h)(xi.) Sutherland Street—Raising level of street, kerbing, channelling and laying granite setts" |
| 1917.137 | 137 | "(f)(i.) Tung Chau Street—Laying granite setts on cement concrete foundations, kerbing and channelling in front of N.K.I.L’s 47 and 48, and paving scavenging lane" |
| 1918 | 48 | "...a considerable area of granite setts was laid in the carriageways in those portions of the City where the increasing traffic rendered such paving desirable." "Substitution of Granite Setts for Macadam or Concrete :— Wing Lok Street, Connaught Road, Smithfield, Queen’s Road West, Queen’s Road East, Praya East, *Torsiem Street, *Ko Shing Street * In these cases, the cost was defrayed, either partly or wholly, by the frontagers, under the provisions of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance," |
| 1919 | 45 | "...a considerable area of granite setts was laid in the carriageways in those portions of the City where the increasing traffic rendered such paving desirable." "Substitution of granite setts for macadam or concrete, 743 sq. yds." |
| 1920 | 43 | "surfacing yard to Bullock Stables, Wanchai, with cement concrete and granite setts" |
| 45 | "...granite setts laid in the carriageways in those portions of the City where the increasing traffic rendered such paving desirable." "Substitution of granite setts for macadam or concrete, 1,613 sq. yds." |
|
| 100 | "( j.) Raising Praya Wall and Roadway (Connaught Road West) West of Morrison Street.—The Tramway track, referred to in paragraph 98 (o) of last year’s Report, having been relaid to an improved level, the carriageway abutting it was similarly dealt with, the surface being finished with granite setts on the sea side and treated with asphaltum on the other." | |
| 1921 | 46 | "...granite setts laid in the carriageways in those portions of the City where the increasing traffic rendered such paving desirable." "Substitution of granite setts for macadam or concrete, 262 sq. yds." |
| 182 | "Raising the Praya Wall between Whitty Street and Kennedy Town and surfacing with granite setts the portion of roadway maintained by Government between tracks and the remainder of the road with macadam.—Advantage was taken of the relaying of tramway tracks through this section to improve the levels both of track and roadway ; the praya wall between Hill Road and Catchick Street was raised to the improved levels of the Tramway track, and the necessary alterations to the carriageway and footway carried out. The centre portion of the Tramway track was paved with granite setts." | |
| 1922 | 45 | "...granite setts laid in the carriageways in those portions of the City where the increasing traffic rendered such paving desirable." "Substitution of granite setts for macadam or concrete 4,631 sq. yds." |
| 106 | "(u.) ... Connaught Road, between Cleverly Street and Hillier Street, was also surfaced, half the width on the South side with asphaltic sand carpeting 2" thick laid upon cement concrete foundation 6" thick, and the Northern half with granite setts on cement concrete foundation 6" thick." "(v.) Kennedy Town Praya,—Surfacing with setts and asphalum to improve levels.- This work referred to in paragraph 182 of last year's Report was completed." |
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| 1923 | 48 | "... granite setts laid in the carriageways in those portions of the City where the increasing traffic rendered such paving desirable." "Substitution of granite setts for macadam or concrete 4,802 sq. yds." |
| 84 | "Substitution of granite setts on 6" cement concrete, 320 sq. yds." | |
| 120 | "(t.) Connaught Road Central, between Cleverley and Hillier Streets and from Douglas Street to 300 feet westwards, was surfaced, half the width on the Southern side with asphaltic sand carpeting 2" thick laid on cement concrete foundation 6" thick, and on the Northern side with granite setts on cement concrete foundation 6" thick." | |
| 1924 | 49 | "granite setts laid in the carriageways in those portions of the City where the increasing traffic rendered such paving desirable." "Substitution of granite setts for macadam or concrete 3,779 sq. yds." |
| 85 | "Substitution of granite setts on 6'' cement concrete, 450 sq. yds." | |
| 124 | "(q.) Connaught Road Central between Gilman and Hillier Streets and between Pottinger and Jubilee Streets was surfaced half the width on the Southern side with asphaltic sand carpeting 2" thick laid on cement concrete foundation 6" thick, and on the Northern side with granite setts on cement concrete foundation 6" thick." | |
| 1925 | 48 | "...granite setts were laid in the carriageways in those portions of the City where the increasing traffic rendered such paving desirable." "Substitution of granite setts for macadam or concrete 2,836 sq. yds." |
| 123 | "(p.) A further length of 300 feet of paving setts was laid on a 6" Portland cement concrete foundation in Connaught Road, Central, from Wing Lok Street westwards." | |
| 1930 | 41 | "The following are particulars of the additional areas laid with improved surfacing during the year: — 3. Substitution of granite setts macadam or concrete 58 sq. yds" |
| 1932 | 7 | "7. Works completed were:— ... 6" cement concrete foundation for granite setts at Connaught Road, west of Centre Street;" |
| 1933 | 48 | "Connaught Road West (Eastern Street to Ping On Wharf) was laid with 6" cement concrete foundation to receive granite setts and asphaltic sand carpeting. " |