during the
Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in December 1941. entering the middle of
Victoria Harbour via North Point in 1945 , demolished in 2003. on
King's Road. The name 'North Point' was first used by
Royal Engineer lieutenant Collinson (1821–1902) in 1845. Appearing in his official survey map to mark the northernmost point in
Hong Kong Island. Although the exact location of North Point was uninhabited before 1845, areas in around North Point have been inhabited since before
the British arrived, with
Tsat Tsz Mui Village considered as the oldest settlement in the vicinity, most likely established during the early 19th century.
Early development During the early period of the
Colonization of Hong Kong, North Point remained relatively barren when compared to other areas on Hong Kong Island such as the vibrant
Sheung Wan and
Central districts. This was mainly due to lack of flat land around north point. The first developments in North Point centered around
Shaukiwan Road (now
Kings Road), such as The Metropole Hotel built in 1899, used until 1906, where the Metropole Building stands today. The hotel was described in an advertisement as a popular resort occupying a charming seaside location, with first class refreshments and dinners. It was later rebranded as Belle View Hotel from 1906 to 1916 (Late Metropole Hotel). and North Point Hotel from 1917 to 1919, which was easily accessible by a
tram service every few minutes. In 1919, the
Hongkong Electric Company started operation of the territory's
second power station at North Point. Being the first industrial development in North Point, it was built on
reclaimed land off the coast. The two original
steam turbines of the power station were sourced from
Dawson City,
Yukon Canada, and were a prized purchase that provided relatively cleaner energy than older generation turbines. Within 10 years the station had increased its generating power from 3,000 to 28,000 kilowatts, a testament to the rapidly expanding electricity needs of Hong Kong Island. It featured a variety of programs such as
circus performances, boxing matches, and open theaters, all of which are often well attended. It was also famous for organizing
Dragon Boat racing events off the coast at North Point. Due to various reasons, including competition from the adjacent
Lee Garden, the park closed down in the end of the 1930s.
'Little Shanghai', and 'Little Fujian' During the
Sino-Japanese War, and the
Chinese Civil War, a large number of the rich and middle class from
Shanghai such as the
Jiangzhe people fled to Hong Kong to escape the turmoil of war, many of whom settled in North Point. In 1950, North Point became known as "Little Shanghai", since in the minds of many, it has already become the replacement for the surrendered Shanghai in China. They also learned
Cantonese and intermarried with people of other dialect groups. During the 1950s, North Point was the premiere place of residence for these emigrants, leading to a massive population boom; by the end of 1960, North Point was listed as the most densely populated place on earth by the
Guinness Book of Records. The first school in Hong Kong to use
Mandarin as the main medium of instruction,
Kiangsu and Chekiang Primary School, was founded in 1953 in North Point by these early Shanghainese immigrants. Shanghai at the time was heavily associated with
leftist movements; leftist-supported businesses in North Point such as the
Sunbeam Theatre (which now showcases
Cantonese Opera), are a legacy of their influence. The second group that moved to North Point were the
Hokkien Fujianese, who were mostly displaced by political events in
China but then soon mostly moved to countries in
Southeast Asia, such as the
Philippines and
Indonesia. During the late 1960s North Point became known as "Little Fujian". ==Culture==