This is the witness history podcast from the BBC World Service.

It's 25 years since the transfer of Hong Kong sovereignty from the United Kingdom to China.

Britain's control of Hong Kong lasted more than 150 years,

apart from a brief period during World War II when the Japanese took over.

And it all ended with a huge firework display that lit up Victoria Harbour.

So that's where we begin, with the handover ceremony itself.

It happened on the 1st of July 1997.

In 2013, Louise Hidalgo spoke to Britain's last Governor General Chris Patton.

It's July 1997, and Britain has handed back its last major colony.

BBC News at Midnight.

The Chinese flag is flying over Hong Kong tonight.

156 years of colonial rule ended when Britain handed the territory over to China.

A secured red digits of the countdown clock fell towards zero,

and crowds in Chinaman Square watched gigantic streams showing the lowering of the British flag.

There were cheers and clapping.

The Chinese government had wanted a low-key ceremony,

but the man whose job it was to oversee the territory's transfer back to China,

Britain's last Governor to Hong Kong, Chris Patton, insisted there would be pomp and ceremony.

As a fitting farewell to one of the world's most vibrant capitalist societies,

now about to be ruled by Communist China.

We had to say, which was pretty emotional,

farewell to our wonderful, mostly Chinese staff,

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