25.
Coming nearer to the city, we find one of the old West Point houses marked on the plan of the Seventies, published yesterday. This is marked Richmond Terrace, which is named after the older Mount Richmond, a mansion situated a little higher up the hillside. The place belonged to the former Richmond Estate, and the terrace property, comprising six dwellings, was taken over by the Humphreys Estate Company in 1892. The mansion itself dating back to the Sixties, or earlier, was sold by the original owners to Mr. Babington, of Messrs. Shewan, Tomes and Co., hence the name given subsequently to the pathway known to-day as Babington Path. Later, Mount Richmond was sold to a Chinese, and remains in Chinese hands to-day.
Moving down to the seafront, we get the old Slaughtering House, as it was called, and this marks one of the later local abattoirs, two having been erected as early as 1853, while the one shown here, situated at Belcher's Bay was built in 1867 and superseded in 1894. The Shektongtsui Market was apparently erected in the Fifties; the Saiyingpun Market was built in 1864, and the Saiyingpun School in 1865. Other buildings shown in the old plan went up a little later – the Sailors' Home in the Sixties (it was opened on January 31, 1863); St. Peter's Church in 1872; and the No.7 Police Station in 1858, being superseded in 1902 (see 3-10-33), and since moved into the old Sailors' Home. We shall return to these presently.
The Gas Works were completed in 1864 (of this more anon); the Church Mission House dates back a few years before this plan was drawn (perhaps a reader will provide more data on the subject); and the slipway seen at Whitty Street is the one belonging to Captain G.U. Sands, forming one of the first such shipbuilding enterprises in the Colony (see 1-7-33), having been erected in 1867 by, it seems, a concern managed by Mr. J. McDonald. In 1877 these patent slips were purchased from Captain Sands by the H.K. and Whampoa Dock Company, and moved to Kowloon (see 29-8-33). It is on record that in January that same year a Chinese gunboat had been launched at this slipway. We might also note the water tank on this map, near Richmond estate, marked Cowper's Tank: recalling the Cowper who founded the Whampoa dockyard taken over afterwards by the original Kowloon Dock amalgamation.
Let us now consider some of the old places in detail.
489
The charitable work for seamen in the early days was crystallised in the Sailors' Home. The heads of the firm of Jardine, Matheson & Co. distinguished themselves by their princely liberality, and recognising the duty incumbent on those who mainly benefit by the sailor's industry and toil, were prominent in the efforts to care for the seafaring man's welfare. Mr. Joseph Jardine, seconded by his brother, Mr. Robert Jardine, started a scheme for the erection of a Sailor's Home and set aside for the purpose at first $20,000. The community of Hongkong supplemented this sum by liberal donations and the Government eventually, on July 5, 1861, gave a fine site at West Point. A public meeting, held at the Hongkong Club on February 4, 1861, had elected as trustees Messrs. A. Fletcher, C.W. Murray, J.D. Gibb, J. Heard, W. Walkinshaw, Lapraik, R.H. Reddie, H.T. Thomsett and Rev.W.R. Beach, and called for further subscriptions. After an attempt to obtain the site of the Horse Repository (at Kennedy Road) had failed, building operations commenced in 1862 at West Point.
25.
Coming nearer to the city, we find one of the old West Point houses marked on the plan of the Seventies, published yesterday. This is marked Richmond Terrace, which is named after the older Mount Richmond, a mansion situated a little higher up the hillside. The place belonged to the former Richmond Estate, and the terrace property, comprising six dwellings, was taken over by the Humphreys Estate Company in 1892. The mansion itself dating back to the Sixties, or earlier, was sold by the original owners to Mr. Babington, of Messrs. Shewan, Tomes and Co., hence the name given sub- sequently to the pathway known to-day as Babington Path. Later, Mount Richmond was sold to a Chinese, and remains in Chinese hands to-day.
Moving down to the seafront, we get the old Slaughtering House, as it was called, and this marks one of the later local abattoirs, two having been erected as early as 1853, while the one shown here, situated at Belcher's Bay was built in 1867 and superseded in 1894. The Shektongtsui Market was pparently erected in the Fifties; the Saiyingpun Market was built in 1864, and the Salyingpun School in 1865. Other buildings shown in the old plan went up a little later .ne Sailors' home in the Sixties (it was opened on January 31, 1863); St. Peter's Church in 1872; and the No.7 Police Station in 1858, being superseded in 1902 (see 3-10-33), and since moved into the old Sailors 'Home. We shall return to these presently.
The Gas Works were completed in 1864 (of this mær e aaon); the Church Mission House dates back a few years before tais plan was drawn (perhaps a reader will provide more data on the subject); and the slipway seen at Whitty Street is the one belonging to Captain G.Ü. Sands, forming one of
he first such shipbuilding enterprises in the Colony (see ⠀ 1-7-33), having been erected in 1867 by, it seems, a concern
med by Mr. J. McDonald. In 1877 these patent slips were purchased from Captain Sands by the H.K. and Whampoa Dock Company, and moved to Kowloon (see 29-8-33). It is on r ecord that in January that same year a Chinese gunboat had been launched at this slipway. We might also note the water tank on this map, near Richmond estate, marked Cowper's Tank: recalling the Cowper who founded the Whampoa dockyard taken over afterwards by the original Kowloon Dock amalgamation.
Let us now consider some of the old places in detail.
489
The charitable work for seamen in the early days was crystallised in the Sailors' Home. The heads of the firm of Jardine, Matheson & Co. distinguished themselves by their princely liberality, and recognising the duty incumbent on those who mainly benefit by the sailor's industry and toil, were prominent in the efforts to care for the seafaring man's welfare. Mr. Joseph Jardine, second ed by his brother, Mr. Robert Jardine, started a scheme for the erection of a Sailor's Home and set aside for the purpose at first $20,000. The com- unity of Hongkong supplemented this sum by liberal donations ad the Government eventually, on July 5, 1861, gave a fine site at West Point. A public meeting, held at the Hongkong Club on February 4, 1861, had elected as trustees Messrs. A.
letcher, C.W. Murray, J.D. Gibb, J. Heard, W. Walkinshaw,
Lapraik, R.H. Reddie, H.T. Thomsett and Rev.W.R. Beach, id called for further subscriptions. After an attempt to stain the site of the Horse Repository (at Kennedy Road) ad failed, building operations commenced in 1862 at West Point.
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