Duddell Street

Duddell Street

Although Duddell Street is just an alley tucked among high-rise buildings, at its end lie two historic landmarks over a century old — granite staircases and gas street lamps.

The granite staircase connecting Duddell Street and Ice House Street was built around 1875 to 1889. The Duddell Street staircase was declared a monument in 1979. On the stone pillars at both ends of the staircase railing, four antique gas street lamps are installed — the only remaining gas lamps in Hong Kong. The installation year of the gas lamps cannot be confirmed, but they were recorded in Suggs & Co’s 1922 catalogue. These four gas lamps are of the double-bulb Rochester style, manufactured by Suggs & Co, and are notably short in height. According to records from the gas company, the gas lamps were relit in February 1948. Later, gas lamps in other parts of Hong Kong were gradually replaced by electric lights, leaving only these four lamp posts still standing in the bustling Central district.

The Hong Kong government once discussed with the gas company about relocating the lamp posts to the Hong Kong Museum, but it was eventually agreed that they would remain in their original location. The Hong Kong and China Gas Company, which was originally established to provide street lighting in Hong Kong, now supplies the gas and maintains the lamps. In the past, gas workers would light the lamps manually every evening using long poles. Nowadays, the gas company has installed an automatic timing system that turns the lamps on at 6 p.m. and off at 6 a.m. Due to the unique charm of the staircases and lamps, this spot has become a popular location for movie and photo shoots.