Government House Was the Official Residence of the Governor of Hong Kong

When Commodore Bremer formally took possession of Hong Kong Island in 1842, the island was little more than a barren rock, albeit with small fishing villages scattered along its coastline. However, the British began developing Hong Kong Island into a trading post immediately, recognizing the island's ideal location at the mouth of the Pearl River Delta, midway between India and Japan, and between China and Australia.

In the early years of the colony, the administrators and, later, the first governors did not have a proper official residence in Hong Kong. For instance, Sir Henry Pottinger, the first governor of Hong Kong, resided at the site of the present-day Former French Mission Building from 1843 to 1846.

To remedy this situation, construction of Government House commenced in 1851 on Government Hill, during the governorship of Sir George Bonham. However, it was his successor, Sir John Bowring, who became the first governor to reside in Government House when it was completed in 1855.

Since then, and with the exception of a four-year hiatus during the Japanese occupation, Government House has served as the official residence of all the governors of Hong Kong. In 1997, Chris Patten became the last governor to reside there before it became the official residence of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.