Stanley is a popular tourist destination with a market, and pubs and restaurants occupying the waterfront.
Development of Stanley
Stanley was named after Lord Stanley, the British Secretary of State for the Colonies at the time of Hong Kong's hand over to Britain in 1841. It is one of the oldest villages on Hong Kong Island and appeared in Chinese official records in the Ming Dynasty (1573 - 1620).
In 1841, Stanley had a population of roughly 2,000 was the most populous area on the island. It was used a base for the British garrison, leading to the development of a military cemetery. A police station was set up in 1859 which itself has an interesting history.
Being so remote from the City of Victoria and the harbour, coupled with the constant threat of piracy, hampered Stanley's development.
In the mid-1930s, defensive structures were erected on the southern shore of Hong Kong, including at Stanley to guard against attack from the sea. In 1938, Stanley Prison, the largest prison in Hong Kong, was built - just in time for the Japanese to put it to use.
During the Japanese invasion in December 1941, a fierce and final battle was fought as Stanley. Nearby St. Stephen's College was the scene of a massacre and other atrocities.
Post-War
The development of Stanley took off in the 1970s as the economy geared up for tourism and leisure.
Murray House, originally located in Central and built in 1846, housed the garrison's officers in this early period. It was dismantled and put in boxes in 1982 and reconstructed in Stanley in 2001.
Further Disneyfication of Stanley saw the addition of the the Blake Pier in 2006 as this formerly located Central was also reconstructed.