Johnston Road is a major road in Wan Chai

Wan Chai

Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called...

 on the Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...

 of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

. It spans from the junction with Heard Street, Hennessy Road

Hennessy Road

Hennessy Road is a thoroughfare on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It connects Yee Wo Street on the east in Causeway Bay, and Queensway on the western end in Wan Chai.The road is named after John Pope Hennessy, the Governor of Hong Kong between 1877 and 1882....

 and Stewart Road are at its east towards another junction with Hennessy Road and Queensway

Queensway, Hong Kong

Queensway is a major road in the Admiralty of Central, Hong Kong. It was originally a section of Queen's Road East to its westmost before the Hong Kong Government separated and renamed it as its present name in 1967...

 at its west near Asian House. It is shaped like a bow with the string being Hennessy Road and the Caltex

Caltex

Caltex is a petroleum brand name of Chevron Corporation used in more than 60 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and southern Africa.-History:...

 gas station, Southorn Playground

Southorn Playground

Southorn Playground is a sports and recreational facility in the Wan Chai area of Hong Kong. It comprises a football field, four basketball courts, and a children's playground....

 and Methodist House in between.

History

The road was named after Alexander Robert Johnston

Alexander Robert Johnston

Alexander Robert Campbell-Johnston was a British colonial official who served twice as acting administrator of the former British colony of Hong Kong from 1841 to 1842...

, the British Deputy Superintendent of Trade during the First Opium War

First Opium War

The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...

. He was the government administrator even before Sir Henry Pottinger was appointed the first Hong Kong governor in 1842. The fact that the street was named after Sir Reginald Johnston

Reginald Johnston

Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston, KCMG, CBE, was a Scottish academic, diplomat and tutor to Puyi, the last emperor of China, and later appointed as the last Commissioner of Weihaiwei.-Early:...

 was actually a myth.

The road is built on the margin of the oldest building cluster in Wan Chai. Many Hong Kong residents are trying to preserve the old buildings and trees from redevelopment. The century old transport Hong Kong Tramways

Hong Kong Tramways

Hong Kong Tramways is a tram system in Hong Kong and one of the earliest forms of public transport in Hong Kong. Owned and operated by Veolia Transport, the tramway runs on Hong Kong Island between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town, with a branch circulating Happy Valley...

 goes through the road with its first service opening in 1904.

Although the name of Johnston Road named in 1920s, part of the road can be traced back to 1851 or earlier when the area was known as Praya East

Praya

Praya , was a term used in Colonial Hong Kong to refer to a promenade by the waterfront. The name comes from the Portuguese term for the broad stone-faced road that runs parallel along the harbour in front of the city. HSBC and Dent & Co...

. The section from Spring Garden Lane

Spring Garden Lane

Spring Garden Lane is a street in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. It was one of the first focal areas developed by the British in the 1840s.-History:During the early development of Wan Chai, one of the focal area of development was Spring Gardens. The name was used by the British during the early Colonial...

 to Wan Chai Road

Wan Chai Road

Wan Chai Road is a main road on the north side of Hong Kong island, in Wan Chai.Wan Chai Road is a L-shape road which constructed in 1851 along Morrison Hill from the foot of Hospital Hill, Hong Kong to the beach at Observation Point .In the 1930 and 1940s, Hong Kong funeral services used to...

 was known as "Strand Road", for its proximity to the coast.

Transport

The faster transport MTR

MTR

Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...

 is located near the road with some exits of Wan Chai Station nearby.

External links

• Google Maps of Johnston Road