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Russell street is an east-west running street with two sections. It starts from Lee Garden road, split by Matheson Street and Percival Street, and ends in Canal road east. Russell street is one of the most crowded street in Hong Kong. The eastern section from (Lee Garden Road to Percival Street) was renovated and reopened as a full-time pedestrian street in April 7, 2000. It was the first pedestrian street in Hong Kong. The remaining section, from Matheson Street to Canal Road east, was also added to the scheme as traffic-calming street later.

History

Russell street used to be a traditional Chinese wet market where hawkers sell vegetables, fruits, meats and groceries. Dai Pai Dong (Cooked-food stores) could also be found along the street. Due to the lack of hygiene and sanitation knowledge at that time, mice infestation was very serious in there-- people even called Russell street the "Mouse Street". The Jian family, in 1905, founded The Nanyang Brothers' Tobacco Co., based in Russell street. Due to the intense rivalry with the monopoly, British American Tobacco company, the Jian family declared bankruptcy and closed the factory in 1908. In the 1920s, Hong Kong Tramways built a tram depot by Russell Street, mainly for tram repairing and parking. As the demand for tram service grew, the old Russell Street tram depot could no longer park all the trams Hong Kong Tramways owned. The company decided to expand Russell street depot, and at the same time built a temporary tram depot in North Point to ease tram parking problem. In 1951, Hong Kong Tramways finished the renovation of Russell Street depot, renamed it as Sharp Street depot. The North Point temporary tram depot was then closed. Not long after the expansion of Russell street tram depot, the Tramway workers resent Hong Kong Tramways for unjustifiable dismissal and break of employment contract, which eventually caused a labor dispute in 1952. In 1989, Lockhart Road market reconstruction completed. Hawkers and Dai Pai Dong on Russell street all moved into the new Lockhart Road market. Sharp street depot (Russell street depot) was shut down and demolished. Trams were all moved to Sai Wan Ho and Whitty Street depot. The site of Russell Street was then reconstructed into Times Square.

1952 Russell street labor dispute

The tramways workers were initially requesting to demolish the new Condition of services introduced by the Hong Kong Tramways. But the political elements eventually changed the focus to disputes between the management and unions with political background. In 1951, the Hong Kong government proposed that most of the workers' variable living allowance payed by their employers should be included as part of the basic wage. The Hong Kong Tramways then launched a new Condition of Services along with the new wage plan, stating that other than allowances, dismissal and retirement compensations would also be considered as part of the basic wage. Most of the workers opposed to the new Condition of services. The Hong Kong Tramway Workers' Union (HKTWU) even asked for mediation from the Labor Department with Hong Kong Tramways. The HKTWU, a member of the the left-wing Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions. After they announced their intention to mediate with Hong Kong Tramways through the Labour department, left-wing organizations and unions actively showed supports to them. Considering the political background of HKTWU, the Hong Kong Tramways rejected to attend mediation with HKTWU. Instead, they held a meeting with workers representatives, given that workers could not claim to be representatives of the HKTWU. The meeting went on for serveral months, and Hong Kong Tramways at last agreed to change mandatory participation in the new Condition of services to voluntary based. The Tramway workers gained success in the negotiation with Hong Kong Tramways, but HKTWU then requests for recognition from Hong Kong Tramways, which turned the dispute into political means. The Hong Kong Tramway recognized another non-political Tramway workers' union, but refused to recognize the HKTWU, had led to discontents among HKTWU members and other left-wing organizations and unions. The conflict became more intense after three tramway workers were dismissed on April 20, 1952. The HKTWU met with Hong Kong Tramways, asking to restore the three workers' position. Lots of workers gathered outside the Russell street tram depot, waiting for the result of the meeting. The meeting continued for two days. Two of the three workers were eventually reinstated.

Transportation

MTR

The south concourse of Causeway Bay Station is located in the Time Square basement. This concourse can only lead to Exit A, the entrance of Time Square at the intersection of Russell street and Matheson Street.

Tram

Route 105, from Kennedy Town to Happy Valley Terminus, stops at the intersection of Percival Street and Foo Ming Street, which is only one block away from Russell street. This route is operated by Hong Kong Tramways. Tram fare is HKD $2.30 per adult.

Bus

Canal Road East stop is located under Canal road flyover, right accross Russel Street. The Kowloon Motor Bus, Citybus, and New World First Bus run 15 routes via this stop.

Routes that stop at Canal Road East:

Kowloon Motor Bus

Route	Terminals
108	Braemar Hill Public Transport Interchange	→	Kowloon City (Shing Tak Street)
116	Quarry Bay (Yau Man Street)	→	Tsz Wan Shan (Central)
112	North Point (Pak Fuk Road)	→	So Uk Bus Terminus
N112	Shau Kei Wan	→	Mei Foo Public Transport Interchange

City Bus

Route	Terminals
72	Causeway Bay (Moreton Terrace) Bus Terminus	→	Wah Kwai Estate Public Transport Interchange
72A	Causeway Bay (Moreton Terrace) Bus Terminus	→	Sham Wan Road Public Transport Terminus
N72	Quarry Bay (Hoi Chak Street)	→	Wah Kwai Estate Public Transport Interchange
77	Shau Kei Wan	→	Tin Wan Bus Terminus
96	Causeway Bay (Moreton Terrace) Bus Terminus	→	Lei Tung Estate Bus Terminus
592	Causeway Bay (Moreton Terrace) Bus Terminus	→	South Horizons Public Transport Interchange

New World First Bus

Route	Terminals
15B	Wan Chai (Convention Centre)	→	The Peak Public Transport Terminus
38	North Point Bus Terminus	→	Chi Fu
42	North Point Bus Terminus	→	Wah Fu (South) Bus Terminus
42C	North Point Bus Terminus	→	Cyberport Public Transport Interchange
65	North Point Bus Terminus	→	Stanley Bus Terminus
116	Quarry Bay (Yau Man Street)	→	Tsz Wan Shan (Central)
112	North Point (Pak Fuk Road)	→	So Uk Bus Terminus
N112	Shau Kei Wan	→	Mei Foo Public Transport Interchange

See also

Roads in Hong Kong named after British and colonial officials

Back to the old depot

The Hong Kong wet markets (Traditional Chinese)

Hong Kong history III: Russell Street tram depot (Traditional chinese)

Big Business in China: Sino-foreign Rivalry in the Cigarette Industry, 1890-1930

Golden-Silk Smoke: A History of Tobacco in China, 1550–2010

Biographical Dictionary of Republican China, Volume 3

External link

Russell street,Hong Kong on Google map