Noonday Gun
| Industry | Conglomerate |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1841 |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong Island , Hong Kong |
| Owner | Jardine Matheson (owns and manages The Noonday Gun) |
The Noonday Gun () is a decommissioned naval artillery piece situated near the Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter on Hong Kong Island. It is owned and managed by Jardine Matheson and is discharged every day at noon, making it a prominent attraction for visitors.
Origin
Originally positioned at what was called East Point, now incorporated into Causeway Bay, this site was the first parcel of land sold by the colonial administration in 1841, acquired by Jardine Matheson.[1] Due to land reclamation efforts, the shoreline has advanced northward, altering the gun’s original location.<ref name=HKMag>
The custom originated in the 1860s when Jardine’s private militia fired salutes to greet their tai-pan arriving by sea. A senior British naval officer, unfamiliar with this practice—which was usually reserved for official government or high-ranking military personnel—raised objections. Consequently, Jardines was mandated to fire the gun daily at noon in perpetuity as a form of penalty.[1][2]
During the Japanese occupation in 1941, the initial gun was removed and subsequently lost. Following liberation in 1945, Jardines received a replacement six-pounder gun from the Royal Navy to resume the tradition, which recommenced on 1 July 1947.[3] In response to complaints about noise, the marine police substituted it in 1961 with a quieter Hotchkiss three-pounder cannon that saw action during World War I’s Battle of Jutland.[1]
Tourist attraction
Despite the conclusion of British governance in Hong Kong in 1997, the noonday gun firing ritual persists under Jardine Matheson stewardship. Each day, a small audience gathers for this event. Additionally, a Jardines representative fires the gun at midnight on New Year’s Day to celebrate the incoming year. During the ceremony, a uniformed Jardines guard signals the end of the morning watch by ringing a bell before firing the gun, securing it afterward and then departing. This tradition dates back to when Jardines’ main offices and warehouses were situated at East Point.
Access to the gun is provided via an underground passage beneath Gloucester Road from The Excelsior hotel’s basement car park; The Excelsior was managed by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, a subsidiary of Jardines. The hotel ceased operations in March 2019 and is scheduled for demolition to facilitate office redevelopment.
For a donation of HK$48,000 to Community Chest, individuals may arrange to pull the lanyard that discharges the gun.
In popular culture
The firing of the noonday gun is famously mentioned in Noël Coward’s song "Mad Dogs and Englishmen":
See also
- Noon Gun: located on Signal Hill, Cape Town, South Africa
- One O'Clock Gun: situated at Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland