Developed as part of the work of the Hong Kong History Centre, this unique collection of records of individuals, families and organisations focuses on the history of Hong Kong. It contains a wide range of materials that reflect the city’s development and the intimate and public experiences of its peoples, at home and overseas. Hong Kong’s history has been deeply intertwined with Britain’s, and with wider regional and global changes, and these collections document different aspects of those stories.

Photographs

Historic photographs form a collection highlight. These offer a rich visual history of Hong Kong, featuring images that span from the second half of the nineteenth century to the 1980s. These capture both the urban landscapes of central districts and the lives of residents and visitors there, and its rural worlds. They chronicle Hong Kong’s transformation over time, providing an invaluable visual record of the city’s social and architectural evolution.

Other Highlights

As well as photographs, the collection consists of a wide range of materials such as correspondence, deeds, maps, and artworks. Notable highlights include the Elizabeth Ride Collection, which documents the life of Sir Lindsay Ride (former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong and founder of the British Army Aid Group during the Second World War), and the Yeung Kit Po (楊潔波, 1918-1998) Collection, documenting Yeung’s life between mainland China and Hong Kong spanning much of the twentieth century.