Duddell Street Lamps

One of the gas lamps at night Hannobun / CC BY-ND 2.0

Mike W. / CC BY-SA 2.0

One of the gas lamps during the day Lam Yuean Geei Sosamz (Creative Commons)

View of the granite steps during the day Elisa.rolle (Creative Commons)

Gas Pipe of Duddell Street Gas Lamps Isaac Wong (Creative Commons)

Firemen stand by to watch for any gas leaks after the four gas lamps at Duddell Street, Hong Kong, were damaged by Typhoon Mangkhut (2018). Anthony Ivanoff (Creative Commons)

Duddell street stairs and gas lamps damaged by Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018 (after two weeks) SH6188 (Creative Commons)

Collector of Experiences (Atlas Obscura User)

In bustling Hong Kong, where infrastructure and people are adapting and evolving every second, Duddell Street is a time capsule to the city’s British colonial past. The last of their kind, these gas lamps serve as a reminder of Hong Kong’s bygone era.

Still in use, the lamps are a monument to the city and are currently operated by the Hong Kong and China Gas Company. The street is short but contains a grand flight of granite steps that continue to Ice House Street. Completed in 1883, they are adorned with heavily molded newels, rails, and balusters of Tuscan order. The lamps are two-light Rochester models that were supplied by William Sugg & Co. during the early 20th century.

The street was named after the Duddells in honor of George and Frederick Duddell. The brothers were prominent landowners at the early stages of the city’s British rule, having emigrated from Macau after the annexation of Hong Kong in 1841. George, an auctioneer, had significant property ownership in the area during the 19th century.

Three of the four lamps were sadly destroyed during Typhoon Mangkhut, which caused extensive damage in September 2018. Thankfully, they were restored in late 2019. The team that led the repairs used advanced 3D scanning technology and the conservation principle of using original craftsmanship and materials.