Banque de L'Indochine - Hankow - 1902
Quai de France, French Concession.
France acquired its Concession in Hankow in 1896 and initially French business interests centred on the construction of the Peking to Hankow railway line (753 miles) which was opened on 14 November 1905. In fact, the railway line was the product of Franco-Belgian industrial, construction and financial co-operation under the auspices of the "Société d'Étude de Chemins de Fer en Chine".
The Hankow branch of the Banque de l'Indo-Chine was opened in 1902; based in Paris, the Banque functioned as France's colonial banker throughout French possessions in Asia; originally French territories in Tonkin, Cochinchine and Annam and from the 1890s it financed French commercial interests in China, primarily at Hong Kong, Canton, Shanghai and Tientsin.
This fine polychrome brick building is in the colonial "compradore" style of verandahs and arcades, typical of the style at the turn of the century. An early photograph reveals that the verandahs were not open to the elements and were indeed glassed in as they appear in the photo above. The French tricoleur flew proudly over the central parapet.
Banque de L'Indochine - Hankow - 1902
Quai de France, French Concession.
France acquired its Concession in Hankow in 1896 and initially French business interests centred on the construction of the Peking to Hankow railway line (753 miles) which was opened on 14 November 1905. In fact, the railway line was the product of Franco-Belgian industrial, construction and financial co-operation under the auspices of the "Société d'Étude de Chemins de Fer en Chine".
The Hankow branch of the Banque de l'Indo-Chine was opened in 1902; based in Paris, the Banque functioned as France's colonial banker throughout French possessions in Asia; originally French territories in Tonkin, Cochinchine and Annam and from the 1890s it financed French commercial interests in China, primarily at Hong Kong, Canton, Shanghai and Tientsin.
This fine polychrome brick building is in the colonial "compradore" style of verandahs and arcades, typical of the style at the turn of the century. An early photograph reveals that the verandahs were not open to the elements and were indeed glassed in as they appear in the photo above. The French tricoleur flew proudly over the central parapet.