HSBC's Lions Back on Display

Peter Wong (left) unveiled the return of Stephen and Stitt

The big news in Hong Kong today?

The HSBC lions are back on display!

Stephen and Stitt, named after two bank managers, were unveiled at HSBC headquarters in Central today, nine months after extensive cleaning when they were painted read and torched during last year's protests. 

Last year the lions were damaged by fire and paint

Protesters were angry the London-based bank had shut down the bank account for SparkAlliance, which was accused of funding the legal and medical costs for the protest movement. Hong Kong police shut down the account which had HK$70 million, and arrested four people on money laundering charges.

"Stephen and Stitt have watched over HSBC's main building for 85 years. Through good times and bad, they have been an enduring part of Hong Kong's story," said Peter Wong Tung-shun, deputy chairman and chief executive of HSBC Asia-Pacific.

"Many customers, employees and the general public told us how much they missed the lions, so we decided to put them back on display following the first phase of restoration. When the work is complete, they will look as impressive as ever.

The two lions have a long history with the bank that dates back to 1923. Stephen, the one growling, was named after Alexander Stephen the chief manager, and Stitt for Gordon Stitt, the Shanghai manager at the time.

The lions were designed by Henry Poole in England in 1921 and cast in bronze. Another pair of lions were designed for the Hong Kong headquarters which was opened in 1935. 

Stephen back to his old self growling again

Since then Stephen and Stitt have only left their posts twice: in World War II when they were consigned to Japan for scrap metal. But luckily an American sailor spotted them in a Japanese shipyard and were returned to Hong Kong in 1946.

Then in 1981 the lions were moved again this time to Statue Square while the new HSBC headquarters was being built. Four years later they were put back in place according to feng shui.