About this collection
HSBC opened as an ambitious start-up in 1865, and initially rented offices in Wardley House at One Queen’s Road Central. The building offered sweeping views over the harbour – the perfect location for a bank focused on trade finance. Our directors purchased the building outright the following year. The adjoining site was snapped up in 1881, with a view to constructing a purpose-built head office to accommodate the growing business. Work began in late 1882. Clement Palmer, a 23-year old architect from Wilson & Bird, proposed a bold design on a scale not seen in Hong Kong before. Opened in 1886, the four-storey building boasted a lift, gas lighting, fire extinguishers, and an electric bell system for communication. It formed the blueprint for our future head office premises: functional, eye-catching and ground-breaking.
