Media

The First International Lighthouse Symposium
"Saving Our Maritime Icons – A Regional Overview of Historic Lighthouses"

19 Oct 2017

The Department of Real Estate and Construction of the University of Hong Kong will hold a symposium "Saving Our Maritime Icons - A Regional Overview of Historic Lighthouses" on October 20 (Friday). It will be the first international symposium to present an overview of the history of modern lighthouses development in the region in the nineteenth and early twentieth century.

The symposium seeks to re-enliven the region's historic lighthouse, reconnect the historic Maritime Silk Route and reinforce the regional relationships among port cities. Topics cover various aspects of historic lighthouses including history, architecture, structural engineering, construction management, operations and maintenance, economics, functions, conservation, heritage and keepers' unique culture. Eminent speakers and scholars who have been engaged in the management and conservation of historic lighthouses are invited from Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Macao, Taiwan, Singapore and the UK.

Hong Kong was a free port under British's colonial rule from 1842. It had been playing an important strategic role in serving north bound maritime trade. Early in 1857, the colony was asked by Britain to build a lighthouse in nearby water. The first heritage lighthouse in Hong Kong was completed in 1875 at Cape D' Aquilar, followed by several lighthouses built into the early nineteenth century.

At about the same time in Mainland China, there was a vast project going on to build a network of lighthouses along the coast. The work was masterminded by an Englishman Mr Robert Hart, who was appointed Inspective General of the Imperial Maritime Customs Service; and designed and constructed by Mr. David M. Henderson, also an Englishman and the Chief Engineer of the Customs Service. Mr. Henderson designed and supervised more 30 lighthouses along the region's coastlines, almost all of which have been declared as built heritage by the relevant authorities in the region.

The symposium's organiser Dr S.W. Poon, together with his team, has spent the past three years on the topic in collecting first-hand documents, photos and historical materials undisclosed before including the diary of Mr Charles Edwin Nicholas, the first senior lighthouse keeper at Gap Rock. He has also identified the descendants of key people in the scene including the great granddaughter of Mr. David M. Henderson - Mrs Felicity Somers Eve who will be a special speaker at the symposium.

The First International Lighthouse Symposium
Date: October 20, 2017 (Friday)
Time: 9am to 6pm
Venue: KB526, 5/F Knowles Building, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Language: English & Chinese

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Ms Melanie Wan, Senior Manager (Media), Tel: 2859 2600 / Email: melwkwan@hku.hk.