'We thank God for what St. John's men have been both in the hall and in their late public life; for what they are now and for what they have done. With gratitude for the past and confidence for the future we seek their continued interest and help as the Hall moves forward to its greater future.' - Bishop R. O. Hall, May 1952

St. John’s College, formed in 1955 by the amalgamation of St. John’s Hall (1912) and St. Stephen’s Hall (1922), is the oldest residential college in the University of Hong Kong. Over the past century, the College has witnessed not only the lives of some 6,000 residents, but also the evolution of the University and society at large.

In 2016, a group of undergraduates started the Retracing St. John’s Project to salvage documents and relics scattered around College premises. When College Council formed an Archives Subcommittee in 2018, Retracing St John’s rebranded itself as St John’s College Archives. From modest beginnings, the Archives now occupy a purpose-built repository in Marden Wing, providing a secure, climate-controlled, and pest-free environment for proper preservation.

The Archives’ main responsibilities include management, research, and oral history. Our collections contain records on College administration and student life dating from 1911 to present. With a variety of documents, publications, photographs, films, and artefacts, we aim to sketch a panoramic and informative picture of the College’s governance, activities, developments, and achievements. These are available for use by St Johnians, the academic community, and the wider public.

A significant proportion of our collections are catalogued and digitised online, which can be accessed here (https://archives-sjchku.com/). The Archives can accommodate a very limited number of visitors by prior appointment. Please contact our executive team to make arrangements.