Government House and Chater Collection

After occupying Hong Kong, the Japanese Military Government commissioned Japanese engineers to renovate the Government House. Modifications included transforming the original roof into a Japanese-style tiled roof and adding a central tower, both of which remain today.

After the death of Sir Paul Chater, his private collection (known as the Chater Collection), comprising oil paintings, watercolours, sketches, prints and photographs, was bequeathed to the Hong Kong Government. Shortly before Hong Kong fell to Japanese forces in 1941, valuable artworks were hidden in Government House’s strong room, wine cellar and buried in the gardens of the Government House. During the renovation in 1942, local contractor Sinn Chi Lam discovered the discarded paintings. Risking his life, Sinn Chi Lam secretly relocated 23 paintings to his hometown, returned them to the Hong Kong Government after the war.

During the Japanese Occupation, conversions were made by the Japanese Military Government to the Government House, including adding a central tower to connect the two original buildings and modifying the roof with Japanese architectural elements. HKRS913-1-6 (1940s)

The renovated exterior and the newly built tower of the Government House. 08-28-003 (1961)

Some valuable paintings of the Chater Collection were taken out of their frames, treated, and then placed in sealed tins before being buried in the gardens of the Government House. HKRS41-1B-2 (1945)

Local contractor Sinn Chi Lam recounted the risky adventure of smuggling some paintings of the Chater Collection out of the Government House to his hometown. After the war, all of the paintings were returned to the Hong Kong Government. HKRS41-1B-2 (1946)

A document recorded that in 1950, a radio broadcast mentioned the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young, ordered some artworks of the Chater Collection to be hidden in the strong room and wine cellar underneath the Government House shortly before the Japanese Occupation. HKRS41-1B-2 (1950)

One of the engravings from the Chater Collection which depicted the view of Hong Kong. 951.25 CHA 2007 With courtesy of Hong Kong Museum of Art

Another engraving from the Chater Collection which depicted the view of Hong Kong. 951.25 CHA 2007 With courtesy of Hong Kong Museum of Art

A lithograph from the Chater Collection depicting the City of Victoria. 951.25 CHA 2007 With courtesy of Hong Kong Museum of Art

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