The advert on the left appeared on the 1st day issue of the Kung Sheung Daily and lasted until 30 June of the year at least. It starts eye catching as it apparently makes use of some grey area to name itself.
One hundred years ago, the regulating of banks worldwide may be less stringent.
Literally, the first four Chinese characters may be translated as : Great Britain Bank, which may be wrongly taken by readers as some government bank.
In brief, the content of the left side advert covers in turn :
authorized capital and paid up capital in pounds,
main branch 122 Leadenhall Street^, London,
branches at Cockspur Street^, West (District*) London,
Bombay*, ... Columbo*, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canton, Shanghai etc,
main lines of banking business ...
address at 22 Des Voeux Road Central
undersigned by the Manager Hopkin* (sic)
Do you think which single clue I have used to seek and discover the ads on the right ?
Founded 1920, the P. & O. Bank was short-lived though, with a majority sold to Chartered Bank effective c.1928. But jurors list of 1938 suggest that it had operated in Hong Kong under
the same name for years into 1930s. The same is supported by records of P. & O. Bank in the Blue Book for the period up to 1938 also.
As above ads, the bank initially started on 22 Des Voeux Road Central. In fact, it was also listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange until c. 1929 Aug. Its addresses as the 1936 and 1938 telephone directory are Prince Building and 15-19 Des Voeux Road Central respectively. These directories and other newspapers affirm this Chinese name was in general use during the 1920s - 30s.
As the Reuter news in Dec. 1938, the sale undertaking of the bank to Chartered Bank was subject to approval of shareholders meeting on 16 Dec. that year.
* reverse translation attempted
^ proper name looked up
sources
Kung Sheung Daily News, 1926-4-2, 1933-6-7
Hong Kong Telegraph, 1926-6-29 p. 9 (earliest ads 1922-11-22); 1938-12-9
Comments
Origin of the Chinese name of the bank, resolved
One earliest record on Directory and Chronicle showed P.& O. Bank in Shanghai 1923 with this name 大英銀行. No entry for the Hong Kong branch seen yet.
So likely this misnomer was carried over from Shanghai to Hong Kong.
In the 1924 directory, P. & O. bank was inserted immediately before Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company in the Shanghai chapter. The way it was presented is likely the
editor's discretion, as not in alphabetical order. The bank's Chinese name follows (for convenience ?) the P. & O. Company's, which started long before.
A similar example of Shanghai naming 'carried over' to Hong Kong is the 友邦銀行, c.1932 (photo of Underwriters Bank).