Photo of the day No. 50 - Sir Thomas Jackson Statue HK
Hong Kong - would you put traffic cones around a Picasso?
Me Jamie, your host, I am English and I have lived in Hong Kong for 53 years - I know the place.
I have personally completed 2,340+ Private Tours and Experiences (over 6,000+ guests) since April 2011 and I am considered one of the finest Private Tour Guides in Asia.
A blog post with a difference
Please do visit Hong Kong in 2025 | Travel, Tourism, Tours, Tips, Daily Life and my personal thoughts on Hong Kong.
Hong Kong | Pearl of the Orient
Customised Private Tours & Experiences in Amazing Hong Kong
Pearl of the Orient
Private Tours Cultural Tours Walking Tours Sightseeing Tours City Tours Night Tours Transit Tours Shore Excursions
Carefully Crafted Personalised and Customised Itineraries by Jamie | Hong Kong’s Most Experienced Private Tour Guide For :
Solo Travellers Friends Families Seniors Couples Business People
J3 Group Hong Kong | J3 Consultants Hong Kong | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong
Creating Memories That Will Last A Lifetime
Book Now
Photo of the day No. 50 - Sir Thomas Jackson Statue HK
Hong Kong - would you put traffic cones around a Picasso?
Sir Thomas Jackson Statue in Statue Square Hong Kong
click on the image to enlarge
I appreciate that the Sir Thomas Jackson statue in Statue Square in Hong Kong is not like most statues, he was not a king, he was a banker for HSBC which made him very important indeed and has been a fixture in Statue Square for a very long time, since 1906
I have walked past this statue thousands of times since 1972 and in terms of Hong Kong history it is an iconic statue.
So what is my beef.
In a nutshell typical Government logic and red tape
In recent years the statue has become popular with Mainland Chinese Tourists and for some reason or another some of them would try and climb onto the statue and take a selfie (I kid you not) even the concrete tank bollards did not deter the determined
So in a fit of bureaucratic incompetence some low level idiot employed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, decided to place 4 “traffic cones” around the Statue to stop people climbing the Statue.
Honestly, it infuriates me, why not place a discreet metal sign to warn people off, or even better a 1 ft high metal fence around the entire statue. chain link or something that does not look out of place.
4 traffic cones just looks dumb and spoils the ambience of the place, a small fence will not detract from taking a photograph! …. oh and the cones have a notice that states keep of the rocks! they are concrete bollards.
It is not an expensive fix but it is a logical one, I am sick and tired of looking at those stupid “traffic cones”
would you put “traffic cones” around a Picasso ?
Sir Thomas Jackson Statue in Statue Square Hong Kong, no “traffic cones” in 2021
click on the image to enlarge
They could even ise the green bars that ring the garden as a fence to keep with the style in the garden, the cones appeared after a major renovation of the statue in 2023 when it was boxed off for some time. they could have done it then.
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive (Leader) is a good guy and has a keen interest in doing right by Hong Kong Tourism Matters but his advisors are more interested in “mega events” the key is not spending massive amounts of money on one mega event a month but fixing and improving a thousand small things and most rational people would wonder what idiot put traffic cones around the most visible statue in Hong Kong in a place that gets probably 5,000 - 10,000 visitors a day.
A brief history of the Sir Thomas Jackson Statue in Statue Square Hong Kong
The statue of Sir Thomas Jackson, 1st Baronet, is a bronze sculpture by Mario Raggi, unveiled on February 24, 1906, in Statue Square, Central, Hong Kong, by Governor Sir Matthew Nathan. It honors Jackson (1841–1915), the third Chief Manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) from 1876 to 1902, who played a pivotal role in developing the bank and Colonial Hong Kong’s economy, earning him the title “the Great Architect.” The statue was initially placed facing the HSBC building, reflecting his association with the institution.Statue Square, established in 1897 on reclaimed land, was originally named Royal Square and housed multiple statues of British royalty, including Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Edward VII, and others, alongside Jackson’s statue.
During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II (1941–1945), most statues, including Jackson’s, were removed and sent to Japan for melting. However, Jackson’s statue was discovered intact in Kobe in September 1946 among the Osaka Army’s arsenal, bearing scratches and indentations from the ordeal, and was returned to Hong Kong. Unlike other statues, such as Queen Victoria’s (relocated to Victoria Park in 1952), Jackson’s was reinstated in Statue Square after the war, making it the only original statue remaining there today
.In 1965–1966, Statue Square underwent a significant redesign to enhance spatial and visual connections with the reconstructed Queen’s Pier (1954) and the new City Hall (opened 1962). The original layout, centered on Wardley Street, was redeveloped into the modern gardens seen today, with the gardens officially opened by Governor Sir David Trench on May 26, 1966. As part of this redevelopment, Jackson’s statue was repositioned within the square to its current location, roughly in the center, facing the Court of Final Appeal Building. The relocation was likely to accommodate the new landscape design, which eliminated Wardley Street and integrated ornamental ceramic fountains by Italian artist Antonio Casadei.
There is no evidence suggesting the statue was moved outside Statue Square or for reasons beyond the redesign.The claim on the statue’s plaque that Jackson was Chief Manager from 1870 to 1902 is incorrect; HSBC’s official records confirm he served intermittently between 1876 and 1902. The statue, recently repolished, remains a focal point of Statue Square, symbolizing Jackson’s enduring legacy in Hong Kong’s financial history.
Sir Thomas Jackson Statue in Statue Square Hong Kong | incorrect sign
click on the image to enlarge
… and a note about Sir Thomas Jackson, BART, on the brass plaque below his statue it says he was Chief Manager of HSBC from 1870 - 1902, this is an error, according to the official HSBC Website it clearly states he was Chief Manager of HSBC at three different times between 1876 and 1902, I will take that as fact.
… and for the record BART is short for Baronet which translates to being a member of the British Order of Honor; it ranks below a Baron but above a Knight apparently…
They should really make a new plaque and correct a long standing mistake and that is something HSBC should see to.
Sir Thomas Jackson Statue in Statue Square Hong Kong | Facing the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong since 1966
click on the image to enlarge
This version of Statue Square came about in 1966 and has not changed much since -Sir Thomas Jackson used to face HSBC in the early 1960's (to the right) now he faces the Court of Final Appeal, the original statue was also located about 30 yards from its current location.
Sir Thomas Jackson Statue in Statue Square Hong Kong | facing HSBC in Hong Kong
click on the image to enlarge
As you can see the Statue was in a slightly different position and about 30 yards away from its current position, I have no data as to why it is now facing away from HSBC
This was one of it’s locations prior to 1966 and I am guessing this image was taken between March 1962 - 1966 (The building in the background is City Hall which opened in March 1962)
My insider tip
Please note that in general if you book a tour on Viator or Tripadvisor you generally have NO control over what guide will lead your Private Tour of Hong Kong and this is the most important component of the tour. I urge you to check the actual company website and book via their website and do not forget to read Tripadvisor reviews as well.
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Consultants Hong Kong | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong |
| 2010 - 2025 All rights reserved. |
Click on any image to enlarge to full screen
Current images from my Instagram feed
