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1、慶祝本行成立160週年“In popular language, the name of this noisy, bustling, quarrelsome, discontented and insalubrious little island may not inaptly be used as an euphemous synonym for a place not mentionable to ears polite.” The Times of London, 18571857 年的英國倫敦泰晤時報(The Times) 將香港形容為一個乏善足陳的地方。Solitary beginn
2、ings 孤身創業There was little to recommend Hong Kong 160 years ago. A collection of buildings on the edge of a fine natural harbour, the island had been under British rule for almost ten years and the Kowloon peninsula was still a rural corner of Mainland China. Yet a few hardy souls saw potential and p
3、ersisted. One of those was William Bridges who, in 1851, arrived here to practice law at the invitation of the Governors Private Secretary, William Mercer. As one of the colonys first barristers, Bridges quickly developed a lucrative, albeit slightly unfair, practice by securing the exclusion of sol
4、icitors as court counsel. Feeding off the litigation which quickly flared in this uncomfortable and competitive outpost, he kept himself busy at the Supreme Court, soon acquiring a reputation as a strong and capable opponent. Dr Bridges, as he later became, also served as acting Attorney-General as
5、well as Colonial Secretary from time to time. Bridges left Hong Kong after ten years, by which time, Hong Kongs commercial potential was undeniable. A robust trading post was coming into its own. The rule of law was gaining pace. And, thanks to Bridges pioneering spirit, a robust and dynamic legal p
6、ractice had been born.1842 Hong Kong Island is ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Nanking香港島根據南京條約割讓予英國1844 Hong Kongs Supreme Court opens香港高等法院大樓啟用1846 First horserace meeting is held at Happy Valley首次賽馬在快活谷舉行1846 The Hong Kong Club is established香港會所成立1861 American Civil War begins美國內戰爆發1861 Fou
7、ndation of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce香港總商會成立1874 Deacons registers Hong Kongs first trade mark的近律師行辦理香港的首個商標註冊After settlement, striking colonial architecture quickly began to adorn the “barren rock”. 香港經過開拓後，賦有特色的殖民地建築物很快便開始為這片不毛之地添上色彩。 .William MercerWilliam BridgesBridgesBridgesBri
8、dgesBridgesBridges百 六 十 年 前 的 香 港 是 個 寂 寂 無 名 的 地 方 。 當 時 優 美 自然 的 海 港 沿 岸 聳 立 著 一 幢 幢 建 築 物 ， 香 港 島 被 英 國 統治 將 近 十 年 ， 而 九 龍 半 島 仍 然 是 中 國 大 陸 的 一 片 農 村 地 方 。然 而 ， 有 少 數 刻 苦 耐 勞 的 人 已 經 洞 悉 香 港 的 發 展 潛一力 ， 不 斷 努 力 奮 鬥 。 其 中 一 位 就 是 。 他 應 港 督私 人 秘 書的 邀 請 ， 於 一 八 五 一 年 來 港 開 業 當 律師 。 作 為 當 時 殖 民 地 首
9、位 和 唯 一 的 大 律 師現 稱 訴 訟 律 師 ，（憑 這 個 身 份 確 定 了 律 師 現 稱 事 務 律 師 不 可 擔 任 法 院 代表 律 師 這 一 點 ， 雖 然 看 來 有 點 不 公 平 ， 但 結 果 他 的 業 務 迅 速地 發 展 為 一 行 賺 錢 的 生 意 ， 在 這 種 生 活 不 舒 適 及 充 滿 競 爭 的地 方 ， 很 容 易 觸 發 訴 訟 事 件 。便 靠 著 處 理 訴 訟 事 務 開創 他 的 事 業 ， 在 高 等 法 院 忙 個 不 了 。 不 久 ， 他 憑 藉 作 為 在 法 庭上 一 位 強 而 有 實 力 的 對 手 而 名 聞
10、 遐 邇 。在 後 來 成 為 博士 ， 期 間 也 曾 擔 任 署 理 律 政 司 及 署 理 輔 政 使 司 。十 年 後 離 開 香 港 時 ， 香 港 的 商 業 潛 力 已 經 是 無容 置 疑 。 貿 易 正 要 茁 壯 發 展 ； 法 治 精 神 也 正 逐 步 加 強 。全 賴的 拓 荒 精 神 ， 一 個 強 健 和 充 滿 活 力 的 律 師 行業 已 經 誕 生 。（Memories of a distant landFor over 160 years, Hong Kongs “fragrant harbour” had to compete with the swee
11、t smell of money as waterfront trade and commerce flourished. The islands success led to harbour reclamation works that began as early as the 1800s.由於海旁兩岸的工商業發展蓬勃，一百六十多年來，“芳香的海港”與工商繁榮互相競爭。港島發展成功後便進行海港填海工程，而填海工程早於 1800 年代已經開始。思鄉之情.Those responsible for Bridges practice after his departure elected to
12、act as solicitors rather than barristers, following the separation of the professions after their temporary fusion. Operating from offices near the Supreme Court on Queens Road, the Deacons that we know today was becoming a recognisable entity. While it is true that Hong Kong was rapidly growing awa
13、y from its insalubrious roots, it cannot be forgotten that life here through much of the 19th century was still not easy, even for the moneyed classes. The damp and heat of summer were almost insurmountable. Robbery was rife on Hong Kongs ill-lit streets. Social and political unease also pervaded ev
14、eryday living. It is no surprise, then, that the Westerners living in Hong Kong at that time rallied to recreate some sense of their former surrounds. Born on 19 January 1847, the firms namesake Victor Deacon hailed from a small village called Ottery St Mary in Devonshire, England. Memories of that
15、peaceful, rural place would later lead the firm to select the firms telegraphic address as “Ottery”, a somewhat beguiling name for those who did not know the story behind it. For many years, however, the address remained unchanged. While practicalities of communication have now replaced sentimentality, the firm to this day operates a pleasure junk called “Ottery”. It is a gentle reminder of the man who helped shape Deacons into the leading firm it is today.
