Public Seal of Hong Kong

Last updated May 03, 2019

The Public Seal of Hong Kong (Chinese :香港公印), formally known as Public Seal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is the seal for certifying government documents and legislations of Hong Kong. It is held by the Chief Executive.^[1]

Traditional Chinese characters are Chinese characters in any character set that does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. They are most commonly the characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong and Macau, and in the Kangxi Dictionary. The modern shapes of traditional Chinese characters first appeared with the emergence of the clerical script during the Han Dynasty, and have been more or less stable since the 5th century.

Hong Kong, officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and commonly abbreviated as HK, is a special administrative region of China on the eastern side of the Pearl River estuary in southern China. With over 7.4 million people of various nationalities in a 1,104-square-kilometre (426 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is the world's fourth-most densely populated region.

The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is the representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and head of the Government of Hong Kong. The position was created to replace the Governor of Hong Kong, the representative of the Monarch of the United Kingdom during British rule. The office, stipulated by the Hong Kong Basic Law, formally came into being on 1 July 1997 when the sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China.

The Governor of Hong Kong was the representative in Hong Kong of the British Crown from 1843 to 1997. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions. Upon the end of British rule and the transfer of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China in 1997, most of the civil functions of this office went to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and military functions went to the Commander of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison.

History

The Governor of the Crown Colony of Hong Kong had possessed and used a public seal from the foundation of the colony in 1843. Article VI of the letters patent issued to the Governor stated: "The Governor shall keep and use the Public Seal of the Colony for sealing all things whatsoever that shall pass the said Public Seal."^[2]

Description of the colonial seal

1939–1948 Public seal

Design: Originally created by Mr. B. Wyon, Her Majesty's Medallist in Chief,^[3] in 1841, the seal is engraved as follows. In the centre an oval medallion in which is depicted Hong Kong harbour with, in the foreground, a wharf with three people and five bales of merchandise on it; in the middleground, a Chinese junk under sail and a three-masted European-style sailing ship with bare yardarms; and in the background, mountains comprising the Peak District of Hong Kong. The medallion is encircled by a scroll surmounted with the Royal Arms and supporters and bearing the words 'Hong Kong' in the lower portion. Around the lower half of the medallion is a second scroll with the words 'King Defender of the Faith Emperor of India'. Encircling the whole are the words 'George VI by the Grace of God of Great Britain Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas'. On the side the seal bears the hallmark of the Royal Mint.^[2]

Emperor of India title used by British monarchs from 1 May 1876 to 22 June 1948

Emperor/Empressof India, shortened to King-Emperor or Queen-Empress, was a title used by British monarchs from 1 May 1876 to 22 June 1948. The Emperor/Empress's image was used to signify British authority — his/her profile, for instance, appearing on currency, in government buildings, railway stations, courts, on statues etc. "God Save the King" was the former national anthem of British India. Oaths of allegiance were made to the Emperor/Empress and his/her lawful successors by the Governors-General, princes, governors, commissioners in India in events such as Imperial Durbars.

George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death on 6 February 1952. He was the last Emperor of India and the first Head of the Commonwealth.

Holders: When this seal was introduced the Governor was Sir Geoffry Alexander Stafford Northcote who held the post from 28 October 1937 until 10 September 1941. He was followed by Sir Mark Aitchison Young whose tenure was interrupted by the occupation of Hong Kong by Japan on 25 December 1941. Sir Mark resumed his governorship following the defeat of Japan in August 1945. He was succeeded in turn by Sir Alexander Grantham on 25 July 1947 who was governor when the public seal was replaced.

Sir Mark Aitchison Young was a British administrator who became the Governor of Hong Kong during the years immediately before and after the Japanese occupation of the territory.

Alexander Grantham British colonial administrator

Sir Alexander William George Herder Grantham, GCMG was a British colonial administrator who governed Hong Kong and Fiji.

1948–1952 Public seal

Design: Following Indian independence the previous year, a Royal Proclamation issued in 1948 gave notice that the words 'Emperor of India' were to be omitted from all instruments bearing the Royal Style and Title. In October 1948 the seal was withdrawn from use and replaced by another of a similar design but with the Royal Style and Title amended.

Holder: Sir Alexander Grantham

1952–1997 Public seal

Design: Queen Elizabeth II succeeded King George VI as the Queen of the United Kingdom. The Public Seal was revised to the current Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with the Royal Style and Title amended.

Holders: Sir Alexander Grantham, Sir Robert Brown Black, Sir David Clive Crosbie Trench, Sir Murray MacLehose, Sir Edward Youde, Sir David Wilson and The Rt. Hon. Chris Patten

At the midnight hour of 1 July 1997 when British sovereignty over Hong Kong ended, a junior Executive Council official removed the Public Seal and formally defaced it with a ragged cross, using a chisel.

Under the Public Records (Access) Rules, the public can request to see government documents where contents were made available to the public and older than 30 years old. Currently, one of the metal seals used between 1939–1948 is viewable at the Government Records Service, located at the Hong Kong Public Records Building.^{[ needs update ]}

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References

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[1] Cap 1 s 3 Interpretation of words and expressions (INTERPRETATION AND GENERAL CLAUSES ORDINANCE)

[GPO-2] 1 2 Public Seal of Hong Kong

[3] "Chinese Trophies , At Windsor Castle", The Illustrated London News , January 6, 1841