Hong Kong Photo Gallery - 88 Staunton Street

Staunton Street is one of the oldest streets in the British colony, already appearing on an 1845 map. This area was primarily a European district until the late 1860s when wealthy Chinese merchants started moving in. Most of the timber and brick buildings in the area did not fare well through World War II and needed to be rebuilt. 88 Staunton Street was completed in 1951 and initially owned by co-founders of Wah Kiu Yat Po (Overseas Chinese Daily News), a newspaper whose offices were nearby. Some of the paper's staff had also lived here and at neighbouring #90. The 4-storey houses were modest in design with a storage loft between the ground and first floor. Vertical openings are placed along the middle staircase to improve ventilation and add natural lighting, a common design in post-war tenement buildings. Shops occupied the ground floor, with a clinic at #88 while a tea house, followed by a butcher's shop operated at #90. Redevelopment has been quite controversial in this part of the city, and luckily the 2 buildings were not demolished and turned into luxury apartments like many of its neighbours. They have been revitalized and are now leased out for housing. A small museum showcasing life back in the day can be visited with a pre-booking. The roof is also open to visit and makes a good space to dry your laundry while admiring the other historic landmarks nearby, such as PMQ and the old Bridges Street market, both just next door.