HK Shelley Street Central-Mid-Levels escalators n Elgin Street a

HK Mid-levels Shelley Street Central Escalator visitors Dec-2010

Shelley Street () is a street in Central, Hong Kong. It is a ladder street and the

Central–Mid-Levels escalator The Central–Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system in Hong Kong is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. The system covers over in distance and traverses an elevation of over from bottom to top. It opened in 1993 to p ...

s run along the entire length of the street.

Name

The street is named after Adolphus Edward Shelley, an early British colonial administrator. The second son of

Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet (18 December 1771 – 28 March 1852) was an English landowner, Member of Parliament and amateur cricketer. Career He was the son of Sir John Shelley, 5th Baronet by Wilhelmina, the daughter of John Newnham of Mare ...

, he arrived unemployed in Hong Kong from India in June 1844 with vague recommendation letters from

Lord Stanley Earl of Derby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the en ...

, the then

Secretary of State for War and the Colonies The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet-level position responsible for the army and the British colonies (other than India). The Secretary was supported by an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. Hi ...

, and soon became

Auditor General An auditor general, also known in some countries as a comptroller general or comptroller and auditor general, is a senior civil servant charged with improving government accountability by auditing and reporting on the government's operations. Freq ...

until 1846. Shelley was described in a private letter by Sir

John Francis Davis Sir John Francis Davis, 1st Baronet (16 July 179513 November 1890) was a British diplomat and sinologist who served as second Governor of Hong Kong from 1844 to 1848. Davis was the first President of Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong. Backgrou ...

, the second

Governor of Hong Kong The governor of Hong Kong was the representative of the British Crown in Hong Kong from 1843 to 1997. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and commander-in-chief of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong. ...

, to Lord Grey as "dissipated, in debt, negligent, guilty of falsehood, and quite unfit for the high office". In an 1844 letter to

James Matheson Sir James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson, 1st Baronet, FRS (17 November 179631 December 1878), was a Scottish Tai-Pan. Born in Shiness, Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland, he was the son of Captain Donald Matheson. He attended Edinburgh's Royal High Sc ...

, Alexander Matheson described Shelley as a "swindler". He is said to have escaped Hong Kong because of poor investments, and in 1847, he was appointed Assistant Auditor-General of Accounts of

Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It ...

Location

Shelley Street runs uphill from

Hollywood Road Hollywood Road is a street in Central and Sheung Wan, on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The street runs between Central and Sheung Wan, with Wyndham Street, Arbuthnot Road, Ladder Street, Upper Lascar Row, and Old Bailey Street in the vicini ...

to Robinson Road in Mid-Levels. On the way, it intersects Tsun Wing Lane,

Staunton Street Staunton Street () is a street in Central and Sheung Wan, on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Together with the upper section of Elgin Street, it is the heart of the Soho entertainment area, featuring a number of restaurants, bars and shops. It w ...

, Elgin Street,

Caine Road Caine Road is a road running through Mid-Levels, Hong Kong. It connects Bonham Road to the west (at the junction with Hospital Road and Seymour Road), and Arbuthnot Road, Glenealy and Upper Albert Road to the east. The road is named after Wi ...

, Leung Fai Terrace, Prince's Terrace, Rednaxela Terrace ("Alexander" spelled backwards), Mosque Street and Mosque Junction.

History

Until the early 20th century, the area was mostly inhabited by Portuguese people working as clerks in the main British companies. The Club Lusitano, a gathering place of the local Portuguese community, was located in Shelley Street below Caine Road until 1866, when it was moved to its present location at

Ice House Street Ice House Street () is a one-way street in Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Named after the structure previously located on it that housed the city's only source of ice, it stretches from Lower Albert Road to Connaught Road. The street ...

(according to other sources, the club was located at Shelley Street from December 1866 to 1920). The

s opened in 1993.

Features

The lower part of the street is part of the

SoHo Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develo ...

entertainment area and houses a number of restaurants, bars and shops. The upper part of the street is mostly residential. Jamia Mosque is located near the top of the street at its junction with Mosque Street. It was built in 1849 and was the first mosque in Hong Kong.Antiquities and Monuments Office: Jamia Mosque
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References

External links