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St.
Stephen's Chapel |
History
St. Stephen’s College was founded in 1903 as a Christian school for Chinese boys. By 1928 it had out grown its original site on Bonham Street and moved to Stanley. The College was modelled on English Public Schools and became known as the “Eton of the East”.
All of that changed with the coming of the Second World War and the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in December 1941. The battle for Hong Kong was bitterly fought with heavy casualties on both sides. St. Stephen’s was pressed into service as a military hospital, but on Christmas Day the College became a battleground. The invading Japanese troops stormed into the College and massacred up to 60 wounded soldiers in their beds, along with doctors and nurses who tried to protect them.
Following the British surrender, St. Stephen’s became an internment camp for the Allied civilians until the war ended in 1945. The hardship, suffering and spirit of those times is reflected in the memorial window over the door of the Chapel. We still receive visits from people who were interned here and their families.
The Chapel itself was built after the war. The Foundation Stone was laid by Bishop R.O Hall on 10th December 1949 and the Chapel was consecrated on 4th March 1950. During the consecration, Bishop Hall dedicated the Chapel to those who died in the war and those who suffered here during the internment. We remember them on Remembrance Sunday in November every year.
As well as being the School Chapel since 1977 it has also been home to the present English speaking congregation as a daughter church of St. John’s Cathedral
A history booket of the Chapel was published in 1999.
To view a pdf version you may ... click here