Alexander Perceval (merchant)
Alexander Perceval (often spelled Percival) (1821–8 May 1866) was a British merchant connected to Hong Kong’s early business scene. He was the third son of Colonel Alexander Perceval, a former MP for County Sligo, and Jane Anne L’Estrange of Ireland.
In Hong Kong, Perceval joined Jardine, Matheson & Co. as a clerk in 1850, became a partner in 1853, and by 1862 was the firm’s head, known as the Taipan. He also served as an unofficial member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council from 1860 to 1864 and was the first chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.
After earning a large fortune in the Far East, he returned to Ireland in 1860 and bought Temple House in County Wexford. He died at Temple House in County Sligo in 1866, aged 44.
His family faced tragedy when his nineteen‑month‑old son, Robert Jardine Percival, died in May 1852 and is buried in the Hong Kong Cemetery. A street on Hong Kong Island, Percival Street, is named after him.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:18 (CET).