Flagstaff House

Hugh Farmer: I was not sure whether to include the following material in an article for this website. However, I thought its origin was worthy of being graded as Hong Kong industrial history.

Flagstaff House, built in 1846, is the oldest example of colonial architecture remaining in Hong Kong. It is located at 10 Cotton Tree Drive, Central – within the Hong Kong Park. It has been a longtime residence of the Commander of the British forces in Hong Kong during colonial times. Today Flagstaff House houses the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware.

The building was designed in a Greek revival style. Historians suspect it was designed either by Murdoch Bruce, a Scotsman who was inspector of buildings, or by Lieutenant Bernard Collinson of the Royal Engineers. Construction was completed in 1846, and the first occupant was Major-General George Charles D’Aguilar, General Officer Commanding from 1844 to 1846, who also held the post of Lieutenant Governor.

The west and east wings were shelled during the Japanese invasion in the Second World War; it also suffered bomb damage. The Japanese repaired it and the Commandant took the building as his residence during the occupation.

After the war, Flagstaff House was again the Commander’s residence until 1978, when the Commander moved to a purpose built house on Barker Road. It was handed over by the military to the civilian Hong Kong Government as part of the recovery of Victoria Barracks. The Government put it under the responsibility of the Urban Council in 1981.

The building was declared a monument in 1989. It was restored as far as possible to its original mid 19th century appearance, structurally reinforced, and the interior was to be modified so that it could be used as a museum.

Source: wikipedia.org

This article was first posted on 2nd January 2026.