Peel Street, Hong Kong

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Peel Street
The historic market on Peel Street
Chinese卑利街
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinBēilì Jiē
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationbei1 lei6 gaai1
Jyutpingbei1 lei6 gaai1
A pair of old shops on Peel Street
Peel Street, looking south towards the corner of Elgin Street
Pak Kung shrine on Peel Street

Peel Street (Chinese: 卑利街) is located in Central, Hong Kong. It is named after Sir Robert Peel, a two-time British prime minister.[1]

History

The road was built in the 1840s, at the start of the colonial era, and named for British prime minister Sir Robert Peel. Initially settled by Westerners, the Chinese became the dominant ethnic group in the 1870s, and the expatriates had all but gravitated towards Conduit Road in the Mid-Levels by the 1950s.[2]

Wai Siu-pak, founder of Yee Tin Tong pharmacy, once lived in Wise Mansion, a large house at the top of Peel Street next to Robinson Road. The section of Peel Street between Hollywood Road and Staunton Street was known for its calligraphers, who specialised in making signboards in the 1950s and 1960s.[2] The part below Hollywood Road was well known for its Indian curry restaurants. However, expensive rents have driven these trades out of the area, to be replaced by modern tower blocks. The century-old Graham Street market is located in the lower reaches of Peel Street.[2]

Description

Peel Street is a long, narrow street which begins at its northern tip in Queen's Road Central, and climbs southwards into the Mid-Levels, where it terminates at the corner of Mosque Junction, directly beneath the Central–Mid-Levels escalator. It is largely pedestrianised, with only certain sections open to traffic, and generally has the quality of a ladder street.

Peel Street's greatest claim to fame was the Ho Hei Kee Umbrella Maker (何希記造遮) shop, run by Ho Hung-hei, which had attracted the attention of the media when he received a Guinness World Record for producing the world's most expensive umbrella. Ho died in 2015 after closing shop his the previous year.[3]

There is a shrine dedicated to Pak Kung (伯公), situated just below the junction with Staunton Street.[4]

Redevelopment plan

The Urban Renewal Authority announced the Peel Street/Graham Street redevelopment project on 26 February 2007 with the intention of breathing new life into the area.[5][6] Since the project focused on the historic Peel Street market, it sparked much interest in the conservation of Hong Kong culture.[7][8][9]

See also

References

  1. Yanne, Andrew; Heller, Gillis (2009). Signs of a Colonial Era. Hong Kong University Press. p. 28. ISBN 978-962-209-944-9.
  2. Frew McMillan, Alex (26 June 2011) "Street talk: Peel Street". Post Magazine (South China Morning Post)
  3. "Ho Hung-hei, 'King of Umbrella', dies at 87". Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
  4. Hayes, James (1987). "Notes on Temples and Shrines, Hong Kong Island" (PDF). Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch. 27: 285–291. ISSN 1991-7295.
  5. "Press information : URA Peel Street/Graham Street redevelopment project". Urban Renewal Authority. Archived from the original on 14 April 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2008.
  6. Peel Street / Graham Street Project Archived 24 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine Urban Renewal Authority
  7. "Marked for Death". HK magazine:, 20 July 2007
  8. "Market Raiders" Archived 5 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine. HK magazine. 14 September 2007
  9. "Market Values" Archived 5 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine. HK magazine. 1 February 2008

22°16′57″N 114°09′08″E / 22.28238°N 114.15235°E / 22.28238; 114.15235