Harbour Office (3rd generation) [1866-????]

Thanks to indieorientalis for these notes from "20th Century Impressions":

The first harbour master was Lieutenant William Pedder who held the position intil 1854 when he retired, being replaced by Captain R.W. Watkins R.N.

His office was originally on board a ship, but  no records exist to show this.  In 1843  it appears that a room in Mr Pedders house built at his own expense on the hill named after him, was used as a harbour office.  Later about 1845 a brick building was erected on the site of present City Hall and this was occupied by the harbour department until 1866.  In that year a permanent building of brick and stone, erected upon reclaimed ground some 1,400 yards to the westward of the old office was opened [ie this Place].  This collapsed in 1873, and the staff of the office took up the ira quarters in a temporary wooden erection close to the sailors home, another 1,300 yards to the west, until the office was re-occupied in 1874.  There the work continued to be done until 1906,  under difficulties in later years, owing  to want of room,  for the staff had increased with the work to be done. though not in the same proportion; in insanitary surroundings, for the building had become old decayed and was built in on every side with lofty native tenement houses, and lack of a view of the harbour for a new reclamation had been made in front of it and was upon a fine new market directly in front eventually blocking out all sight of the harbour.  In 1906 the present office was completed and opened.  This building is situated 350 yards to the eastward of the old office, fronting on the harbour and is in every way satisfactory , being lofty commodious, excellently arranged and conveniently placed.

The building still looks to be there on a 1930s map, so it wasn't demolished when the Harbour Master moved out.