Pottinger Street is one of the oldest streets in Central district. It was named after Sir Henry Eldred Curwen Pottinger, the first Governor of Hong Kong. Noticeably, Sir Pottinger is the British representative in negotiating the terms of the Treaty of Nanking, which ends the First Opium War as well as cedes Hong Kong Island to the United Kingdom.
Dating back to the 1850s, it witnessed the wax and wane of Hong Kong over century. Thanks to the construction laborer in the old days, it has its special granite steps designed particularly for pedestrians and pole-carried vehicles, which in the meanwhile showers it with another local name. It is commonly known as ‘Stone Slabs Street’ among Hong Kongers.
As can be seen from the old photos, people in Pottinger Street were mainly Chinese. Some were carrying poles.
Originally, Pottinger Street just runs ran from Queen’s Road to Hollywood Road in a series of steep steps. Following later reclamation in the Central District, it was extended north to Connaught Road. With its long-standing history in Hong Kong, it is crowned as “Grade I historic buildings in Hong Kong” by Antiquities and Monuments Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, attracting millions of locals and tourists worldwide.
Pottinger Street is also famous for its stores which are locally known as pai-dongs. Those pai-dongs sprang up after World War II in Pottinger Street and have become one of the iconic features there ever since. Before the late 1980s, those stalls ran a wide variety of businesses, from providing services such as pot mending to selling fruits. Nowadays, being more commercialized, many of them swapped trades to sell more monotonous merchandizes such as women accessories and party costumes.
The stalls were originally made of wood. In hopes of extending their life span, hawkers turned to use tin that is more durable. Most of the stalls are painted in green but have you ever thought of the reason? It is said that 40 years ago hawkers mutually agreed to use the uniform colour - green to give the public a feeling of being well-regulated in order to differentiate themselves from other illegal hawking.
Dating back to the 1850s, it witnessed the wax and wane of Hong Kong over century. Thanks to the construction laborer in the old days, it has its special granite steps designed particularly for pedestrians and pole-carried vehicles, which in the meanwhile showers it with another local name. It is commonly known as ‘Stone Slabs Street’ among Hong Kongers.
As can be seen from the old photos, people in Pottinger Street were mainly Chinese. Some were carrying poles.
Originally, Pottinger Street just runs ran from Queen’s Road to Hollywood Road in a series of steep steps. Following later reclamation in the Central District, it was extended north to Connaught Road. With its long-standing history in Hong Kong, it is crowned as “Grade I historic buildings in Hong Kong” by Antiquities and Monuments Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, attracting millions of locals and tourists worldwide.
Pottinger Street is also famous for its stores which are locally known as pai-dongs. Those pai-dongs sprang up after World War II in Pottinger Street and have become one of the iconic features there ever since. Before the late 1980s, those stalls ran a wide variety of businesses, from providing services such as pot mending to selling fruits. Nowadays, being more commercialized, many of them swapped trades to sell more monotonous merchandizes such as women accessories and party costumes.
The stalls were originally made of wood. In hopes of extending their life span, hawkers turned to use tin that is more durable. Most of the stalls are painted in green but have you ever thought of the reason? It is said that 40 years ago hawkers mutually agreed to use the uniform colour - green to give the public a feeling of being well-regulated in order to differentiate themselves from other illegal hawking.
Photo sources:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5296/5508437672_2d1a9deac7.jpg
http://www.thepottinger.com/images/about-us/historyImg1.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Pedestrians_%26_Vendors_On_Pottinger_Street,_A_Stepped_Street,_Central_District,_Hong_Kong_Island_(c1946)_Hedda_Morrison_(RESTORED)_(4172217394).jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5296/5508437672_2d1a9deac7.jpg
http://www.thepottinger.com/images/about-us/historyImg1.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Pedestrians_%26_Vendors_On_Pottinger_Street,_A_Stepped_Street,_Central_District,_Hong_Kong_Island_(c1946)_Hedda_Morrison_(RESTORED)_(4172217394).jpg