XN000022-1992-02-28 — Page 25

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1992

MAIN BUILDING OF ST STEPHEN'S GIRLS' COLLEGE

DECLARED MONUMENT

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THE MAIN BUILDING OF ST STEPHEN'S GIRLS' COLLEGE AT NO. LYTTELTON ROAD, HONG KONG ISLAND WAS TODAY (FRIDAY) GAZETTED AS A HISTORICAL BUILDING UNDER THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS ORDINANCE.

ST STEPHEN'S GIRLS' COLLEGE IS ONE OF THE FIRST SCHOOLS TO DEVOTE ITSELF TO THE EDUCATION OF GIRLS IN HONG KONG. MANY OF ITS STUDENTS BECAME PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING SOME OF THE FIRST FEMALE GRADUATES OF HONG KONG UNIVERSITY.

MANAGED BY THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY, THE COLLEGE WAS ESTABLISHED AND SUPPORTED WITH THE HELP OF SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE LOCAL CHINESE COMMUNITY.

THE COLLEGE WAS ORIGINALLY LOCATED AT 27 CAINE ROAD BUT MOVED TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION AT LYTTELTON ROAD IN 1923.

THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE BUILDING, LOCATED AT WEST END PARK, WAS LAID ON APRIL 7, 1922 BY THE VISITING PRINCE OF WALES AND THE BUILDING WAS OFFICIALLY DECLARED OPEN ON JANUARY 25, 1924 BY LADY STUBBS, WIFE OF THE THEN GOVERNOR, SIR REGINALD STURBS.

THE ORIGINAL PLAN FOR THE COLLEGE WAS THE WORK OF THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM, MESSRS LITTLE, ADAMS & WOOD (NOW NO LONGER IN BUSINESS). THE WEST WING AND THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE BUILDING COMPLETED IN 1923 WHILE THE EAST WING WAS BUILT IN 1928.

WERE

THE BUILDING IS A FOUR-STOREYED STRUCTURE ENCLOSING A SCHOOL HALL IN THE CENTRE.

IS OF

THE DESIGN CONCEPT AND LAYOUT OF THIS EUROPEAN BUILDING PARTICULAR INTEREST BECAUSE OF ITS SIMILARITIES IN STYLE TO A TRADITIONAL CHINESE COURTYARD HOUSE.

THE LOAD BEARING WALLS WERE BUILT OF TWO DIFFERENT MATERIALS, WITH MASONRY WORK BENEATH THE GROUND FLOOR LEVEL AND BRICKWORK ABOVE IT. THE PITCHED ROOF IS OF TIMBER CONSTRUCTION WITH CHINESE PAN AND ROLL TILES.

OWING TO SUBSEQUENT EXPANSION, OTHER BUILDINGS WERE ADDED TO THE COLLEGE COMPOUND. THE STRUCTURE NOW DECLARED IS THE MAIN BUILDING.

THE BUILDING WILL BE PROPERLY MAINTAINED BY THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED BY THE COLLEGE.

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