The joint Savings Society Bank

Once the home of four of China's smaller banks, the Yienyieh, Kincheng, Continental, and China and South Sea Banks, this building was their Szechuen Road office. It was designed by the Hungarian architect Ladislaus Hudec.

In addition to the bank, the building also contained offices of several German and French firms. It is still a bank and office building today.

The Chung Wai Bank

The bank building was designed by the French architectural firm of Leonard, Veysseyre and kruze for "Green Gang" boss Du Yuesheng, who had his headquarters in the French Concession-and was said to control the Concession's police force. The role of bank president offered "Big Eared" Du a degree of legitimacy, which he sought and bought. Indeed in "Men of Shanghai and North China", the early Shanghai version of  "Who’s Who", his name and picture appear. Cited among many other positions held is  that of bank president, and he is also mentioned as a great public benefactor.

As this was a publication primarily for those who paid for their own entries, no mention was made of any other lines of work in which the bank president might have been engaged and for which he was famous-and infamous. With a vast network of loyal henchmen and extensive firepower under his control, President Du had no difficulty in getting depositors, both Chinese and westerners, and his bank had an enviable record for non-defaults.

The bank today is the Shanghai Museum. In the entrance lobby the initials C.W.B. are still visible at the mezzanine level of the lobby.

There were numerous bank buildings along this stretch of Avenue Edward VII-along with "Poste de Police Mallet" to protect them. As the police station lay on the south side of the Avenue, however, it could offer no  help to banks on the north side, which were in the International Settlement. The Pootong Commercial Savings Bank building is the large one diagonally opposite the Chung Wai Bank.

The Bank of China, Hongkew Branch

Ingeniously utilizing a very narrow lot, in 1933 the architect, H.S. Luke, designed this branch bank to look like the prow of a ship. Despite the lack of depth, the building still managed to incorporate within its premises not only its banking operations but also 19 apartments and 32 dormitory rooms for its staff. Five sets of stairs to the various sections of the upper floors insured maximum privacy. In addition to communal sitting rooms for entertaining guests, there was also a roof garden for the use of tenants and employees.

The building remains a Bank of China branch, surmounted by an apartment house, and- at sixty years of age-is still holding up well.

The Bank of China on the Bund

This interesting building was a joint venture operation. The original design was by Palmer and Turner, but a Chinese architect was subsequently charged with making the bank look "Chinese". This he did by grafting a Chinese roof onto an Art Deco skyscraper and adding a few embellishments on the front, perhaps not a total success architecturally but certainly striking.

The architect was also instructed to make the building the highest one in the city. He succeeded, and when the building was completed in 1937 it was higher by a small margin than the Sassoon House next door-but only if you do not count the pinnacle on its roof.