“What if these walls could talk?” they might whisper tales of diplomacy. We’re standing before the Former Consulate-General of the United Kingdom in Shanghai. It is one of the oldest buildings gracing the Bund.
This compound wasn’t just one building. It was a hub of British activity. It housed the Consulate-General and the British Supreme Court for China. This lasted until December 8, 1941. The Japanese then occupied the Shanghai International Settlement during the Pacific War.
The British Supreme Court for China was later abolished. This happened under the British-Chinese Treaty. It was for the Relinquishment of Extra-Territorial Rights in China. After the war, the Consulate-General returned. It remained until 1949. Britain withdrew its consular staff due to the communist occupation of Shanghai. The consulate re-opened in 1954. It closed again in 1967 during the Cultural Revolution.
Look closely. What appears as one building is actually two. The side facing the Bund housed the Consulate-General offices. It also housed the British Supreme Court for China and Japan. The entrance on Yuanmingyuan Road led to the court building. The main court was on the second floor.
At the north end stood the British consul-general’s residence. To the west was the old Union Church.
The Supreme Court building finished in 1871. The Consulate Office building completed in 1873. It was built in the Renaissance Revival style. This later building replaced the previous consulate. That one burnt down on December 28, 1870. The Supreme Court building expanded in 1913. Wings were added to house new courts and consular offices. The total area is 38559 square meters.
Imagine the foundation stone laying ceremony. The North China Herald described the new building in 1872. The building would maintain the outline of the original. Its architecture would harmonize with the new Supreme Court building.
The rooms were rearranged. Court offices adjoined the court building. Consulate offices concentrated in the opposite wing. The lower floor’s south side held public Court offices. The Police Court was at the southeast corner. The Magistrate’s office sat in the center. A fireproof room held legal records. The Consular Shipping offices occupied the north side. Another fire-proof room secured Consular records.
Upstairs, the Judge’s offices sat above the Clerks. The Consul’s office was above the Magistrate. The Vice-Consul and Consular staff worked above the Shipping offices. The entrance was through a passage running north to south. A stone staircase branched to the right and left to the upper floor.
The foundation stone read: Foundation stone laid by Agnes Goodwin. It listed Sir Edmund Hornby, Walther H Medhurst, Charles W Goodwin, Chaloner Alabaster, Robt. A Mowat, and Robert H. Boyce.
In the early 1980s, the compound became the Friendship Store. It was a place for foreign tourists to buy Chinese products. The Friendship Store was in the former Assistant Judge’s House. A new building opened at the southern end in 1985.
Later, Shanghai government bodies used the compound’s offices. During the 1990s, the building was abandoned. It fell into disrepair. In the mid-2000s, the Shanghai government revitalized the Yuanmingyuan Road area. This included the consulate. They tore down the old Assistant Judge’s house and the 1985 Friendship Store.
The compound has been fully restored. It’s now known as 33 Waitanyuan. It is an entertainment and dining venue. The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Group manages it.
A plaque describes the compound. Waitanyuan 33 is the former British Consulate General complex. It extends from Zhongshan Dong Xi Road to Yuanmingyuan Road. This area marked the start of the Shanghai concession. Construction began in 1849. Five buildings are key historical sites. They include the former British Consulate General and its official residence. Also included are the former Church Apartments, Union Church, and Shanghai Rowing Club. These buildings are important to the Bund’s architecture. Magnificent gardens surround them. They boast 27 ancient and famous trees.
The Former Consulate-General of the United Kingdom stands as a testament to Shanghai’s international history. It links Britain and China through trade, diplomacy, and sometimes, conflict.