The First Generation Building
Beaconsfield House site was originally home to the Beaconsfield Arcade (so named for Benjamin Disraeli, Lord Beaconsfield), built in 1878 by then Hong Kong Bank director, Calcutta-born Sephardi Jew Emanuel R Belilios and sold controversially to the government in 1898 (the Legco Public Works Committee resolution passing on Mr Belilios' own vote over a suppressed protest for pecuniary interest disqualification), and across the street from Hong Kong Bank itself and City Hall. Dent's Fountain was later added and donated by Dent & Co..
Beaconsfield was also named for a government building near Government Hill built in the late 19th Century. It was demolished to make way for the French Mission Building of 1917 (at one time also owned by Mr Belilios).
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Famous quotes containing the words the first, generation and/or building:
“We might all place ourselves in one of two ranks—the women who do something, and the women who do nothing; the first being of course the only creditable place to occupy.”
—Lucy Larcom (1824–1893)
“The generation of mankind is like the generation of leaves. The wind scatters the leaves on the ground, but the living tree burgeons with leaves again in the spring.”
—Homer (c. 9th century B.C.)
“The artist must be an egotist because, like the spider, he draws all his building material from his own breast. But just the same the artist alone among men knows what true humility means. His reach forever exceeds his grasp. He can never be satisfied with his work. He knows when he has done well, but he knows he has never attained his dream. He knows he never can.”
—Rheta Childe Dorr (1866–1948)