Des Voeux Road
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- For former name of a road in eastern Tsim Sha Tsui, see Chatham Road.
Des Voeux Road Central (德輔道中) and Des Voeux Road West (德輔道西) are two roads on the north shore of the Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. They were named after the 10th Governor of Hong Kong, Sir George William Des Vœux. The name was predominantly spelt with the ligature œ in pre-war documents but is nowadays spelt officially as Des Voeux Road.
History
Starting from 1857, the northern shore of Hong Kong Island (an area known as Victoria City) underwent a series of reclamations under then-Governor Sir John Bowring. Bowring's plans, however, were opposed by British merchants who held lands in the Central area. In response, the government started the reclamation works in the Western District, which was populated by the Chinese. By the time the reclamation works were extended to the Central area, the newly reclaimed land in the west had already been settled, resulting in a discontinuity between the two roads which ran along the western and middle portions of the reclaimed shoreline. Upon completion, the roads were named Bowring Praya West and Bowring Praya Central respectively.Another series of extensive reclamation projects began in 1887, under then-Governor Des Voeux. Upon completion in 1904, Bowring Praya West and Bowring Praya Central (which were now situated inland from the shoreline) were respectively renamed Des Voeux Road West and Des Voeux Road Central, on the orders of then-Colonial Secretary and acting Governor Francis Fleming during the Duke of Connaught's visit to Hong Kong in 1890, in the midst of the project.
Des Voeux Road Central
In the west, Des Voeux Road Central starts at the intersection with On Tai Street. It merges with Queen's Road Central where both continue as Queensway (and later, to Hennessy Road).Des Voeux Road West
Des Voeux Road West then picks up the alignment several blocks down at the junction with Connaught Road West, and ends in Shek Tong Tsui, where it becomes Kennedy Town Praya.Public transportation
Des Voeux Road Central is shared between motor traffic and the Hong Kong Tramways system, with tracks and reserved lanes for the trams laid in the middle of the road. A bus lane runs down the road for a considerable length. Part of the MTR Island Line also runs underneath the road, currently terminating at Sheung Wan Station near the Western Market.Due to the discontinuity between Des Voeux Roads Central and West, the tram line takes a detour along Connaught Road West, then continues along Des Voeux Road West towards Kennedy Town.
Reference
- Leung, To (1992). Origins of Hong Kong Street Names. Urban Council.
External link
- [Hong Kong Place: Hong Kong streets named after colonial governors] (in Traditional Chinese)
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