The picture is datable to the period between 1847-1856. During this time the building with the Danish flag was occupied by Jardine Matheson and Augustine Heard. A member of Jardine Matheson was the Danish Consul. The land for a Protestant church in front of these buildings at the end of Hog Lane was purchased in 1847 with the war indemnity extracted from the Chinese Government. The church was erected shortly afterwards. In 1856 the factory area was levelled by a fire, never to be rebuilt in a similar manner

For a comparable view see Carl L. Crossman, The China Trade, 1991 p.434