| 1857 |
Robert Swinhoe, a young interpreter in the British Foreign Service at Amoy, arrived Taiwan for the first time. In later 13years, He researched, classified and named many Formosa mammals, birds, butterflies, moths, and plants, etc, and introduced them to the western world |
| 1860 |
Takao (Kaohsiung), An-ping (Tainan), Tamsui (Taipei) and Keelung were forced to open to the west as trade ports based on the Treaty of Peking. UK was the first among western countries to establish the consulate in Taiwan. |
| 1861 |
Robert Swinhoe, aged 24, was appointed as the first British vice-consul to Formosa. |
| 1864 |
The British moved consulate from Tamsui to Takao. |
| 1865 |
British McPhail & Co (Tien-li Company) built the first western style building on ShaoChuanTau near Takao harbor in the southern Taiwan. |
| 1867 |
British government rent the building from McPhail & Co as Takao consulate and appointed Swinhoe as the first consul general in Taiwan. |
| 1909 |
Japanese government claimed the right to all foreign consulates in Taiwan. British government closed Takao consulate in the next year. |
| 1931 |
Japanese viceroy office made this building as “Ocean Observatory”. |
| 1944 |
Japanese paint the wall of consulate building with white cement to avoid bomb attack from US air force during the 2nd world war. |
| 1945 |
The consulate building became“ Weather Bureau Observatory”Taiwan was returnedto R.O.C. in 1945. |
| 1971 |
Taiwan was forced to give up membership in UN and to stop official relationship with UK in 1972. |
| 1986 |
Kaohsiung city government commissioned Professor Li Chien - Lang to repair the consulate building to set up a museum to store historic documents and cultural products. |
| 1987 |
Ministry of the interior announced the building as the 2nd class historic relic. |
| 1993 |
UK open a “British Trade & Cultural Office Taiwan” in Taipei. |
| 2003 |
Culture Bureau of Kaohsiung Government was established and started to manage the consulate. |
| 2004 |
“Kingship Continental Hotel Group” was appointed by Culture Bureau of Kaohsiung Government to repair and manage the consulate building. The opening ceremony was held by vice- president Annette Leu in September. |
| 2005 |
The consulate received the highest architecture award (the first prize of Yuan-Yeh Award)in Taiwan and more than 400,000 times of visit in the whole year.
To receive the most honorable architecture award in Taiwan,the first prize of Yuan-yeh Award in City Landscape. |
| 2006 |
There are more than hundred arts and cultural activities held in the Consulate, including Taiwan National Oil Painting Competition and Photograph Competition. |
| 2007 |
The United Nations Observatory Group visited the British Consulate; Presidents and Diplomats from countries of Democratic Pacific Union visited the British Consulate; Correction of 312 cherish oil paintings was completed in the Consulate and the cooperated area. |
