Discover the bank's origins and its development into one of the world’s largest financial services organisations. Explore the five eras below to uncover 160 years of great stories.
Era 1 - 1865 - 1899
Foundation and branching out
Era 2 - 1900 - 1949
Growth and challenges
Era 3 - 1950 - 1979
New opportunities
Era 4 - 1980 - 1999
Global reach
Era 5 - 2000 - now
A new century
Thomas Jackson retires, having led HSBC for three periods since 1876. We had faced financial difficulties when he first took the role. We were prospering by his first retirement in 1888. Twice more, in 1890 and 1893, we fell on hard times and Jackson returned to, in his own words, set the bank ‘on an even keel’.
Portrait of HSBC Chief Manager Thomas Jackson painted by Howard Barron
Overseas staff at head office in 1902. Thomas Jackson is seated in the centre of the front row with his successor, John Smith, to his right
Front page of the Journal of the American Asiatic Association issued in June 1900. It records a dinner held in New York City to honour Thomas Jackson for services rendered 'in the development of trade in the Far East'
A pair of bronze lions – Stephen and Stitt – are commissioned to guard our new premises in Shanghai in 1923. They arrive as we are rapidly expanding our branch network, thanks to the flourishing rubber and tin trade in Asia. The board also invests in several other impressive new bank buildings to underline our confidence in the region.
A man strokes the paws of Stephen for good fortune
Staff desks in the grand banking hall of the Shanghai office
The statues are soon nicknamed Stephen (left) and Stitt (right) after Alexander Stephen and Gordon Stitt, HSBC managers at the time
The Roaring Twenties give way to the Wall Street Crash and Great Depression. We signal our commitment to Hong Kong by commissioning a new headquarters at 1 Queen's Road Central. The brief to the architects is simply: 'Please build us the best bank in the world'. The grand Art Deco office, completed in 1935, is the tallest structure between Cairo and San Francisco.
Perspective view by William Walcot of our 1935 head office
Stonemasons at work on our new head office in November 1934
Part of the mosaic ceiling in the banking hall of our 1935 head office. It was designed by Russian artist Podgoursky to symbolise trade between East and West
Our Hong Kong office is taken over by the Japanese army in December 1941, and management is temporarily transferred to London. Employees across the network show tremendous courage, staying at their posts until the last minute to help customers. Many are captured and interned.
HSBC managers, and other bankers, being marched through occupied Hong Kong
Diary and documents kept by employee Maxwell Haymes, during his internment at a civilian camp in the Philippines between 1942 and 1945
Letter from Acting Chief Manager Arthur Morse, describing the moment he took control of the bank from London in December 1941. He reflects that “no more unpleasant duty has ever fallen to the lot of any Official of our Bank”
Head office returns to Hong Kong after the war. The Japanese military had compelled our staff to sign and issue banknotes during occupation. Without legal backing these 'duress notes' are essentially worthless. We accept the loss and announce we will honour the notes. This restores public confidence in the currency and is critical to Hong Kong’s economic reconstruction.
Bundles of 'duress notes' returned to the bank after the war in exchange for legal tender
Extract from HSBC's 1946 annual report showing which branches have re-opened
Arthur Morse departs the bank on his retirement day. The Hong Kong Governor describes him as: ‘The man who since liberation has probably done more for Hong Kong than any other single individual'
