Untitled Document

Different monuments
protected in different ways

By Cheung Lok Sze

Sally Yip Yuen Ka Ling

After relocation, Murray House became a major tourist attraction. The former Marine Police Headquaters compound.

They are all monuments, but not all of them are preserved in the same way. Murray House, originally situated in Central, has been resettled in Stanley. The former Marine Police Headquarters compound is occasionally used as an exhibition gallery. Blue House will become a part of a proposed "monument trail".

Murray House

This building is one of the oldest examples of Western architecture in Hong Kong. It was designed by Major Aldrich and Lieutenant Collinson of the Royal Engineers, and it was built in Central in 1846.

Its original location was near the Murray Parade Ground in Central (the current Cheung Kong Centre) and it formed part of Victoria Barrack. British army officers were housed there until 1963.

During World War II, it was used as an interrogation centre by the occupying Japanese forces.

In 1963, the building was handed over to the Hong Kong Government and turned into the Ratings and Valuations Department.

Throughout '60s and '70s, the house was said to be haunted. An exorcism ceremony was performed in the late '70s.

To make room for the Bank of China Tower, the government decided to demolish Murray House in the early ’80s. Public opposition was strong. As a response, the government promptly decided on a relocation plan.

In 1982, 400,000 pieces of its stone and other components were identified and numbered for future reconstruction. They were moved to huts beside Tai Tam Reservoir for storage.

Six years later, reconstruction took place in Ma Hang Village (the current Stanley Plaza) in Stanley. Ninety-five percent of its stone components were preserved.

The original Chinese tiled roof replaced a replica in 2000. Since then, it has been opened to the public. Its interior has been renovated. Shops and restaurants were opened.

Marine Police Headquarters

This structure was built in 1884 as the base for the police boats that defended local sea trade against pirates. It is one of the four oldest remaining government buildings in Hong Kong.

The British Navy stationed its warships there after the Chinese emperor's armies posed a threat in the aftermath of the Opium Wars and the Boxer Uprising.

There was a main building, a stable block and a signal tower on the compound. An additional third storey was added to the main building in the '20s. Its southeast and southwest wings served as quarters for married officers.

The signal tower, commonly known as Round House, is the building's most unique part. It was constructed to provide time signals to ships in the harbour. The time ball dropped at 1 p.m. every day, enabling ships to synchronize their chronometers.

In 1907, it ceased to operate when the time-ball apparatus was removed to Signal Hill.

The compound was used as a base by Japanese Navy during the Japanese occupation. At that time, extensive underground tunnels were constructed beneath the lawn. After World War II, the tunnels were sealed and the lawn was redone for public safety.

It was declared as a monument in 1994. Now the Round House is occasionally used as an exhibition gallery by the marine police.

In August 2001, the government announced a plan to create a culture belt stretching from the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and West Kowloon reclaimed areas to the compound.

Blue House

Situated at Nos. 72-74A of Stone Nullah Lane in Wai Chai, the Blue House was comprised of four-storey shophouses on a single unbroken terrace. The house was built with red bricks in the '20s
.
Its classical design features a shallow gable at each flank wall. There is a wooden staircase between the upper floors of every two blocks.

The shophouses were once owned by a medical factory. The blocks at Nos. 72, 72A and 74 painted in blue were surrendered to the government in 1978, while the one at No. 74A is still owned privately.

Wah To Hospital was established near the site in 1867. After the shophouses were constructed, the hospital moved to the ground floor of No. 72 block.

After World War II, the Ho family, one of whose descendants still lives on the third floor of No. 72A block, managed the hospital.

Each block has a legendary past. Around the 1950s, a follower of the famous kung-fu master Wong Fei-hung rented a flat there for his kung-fu club. It was later transformed into an osteopathy clinic.

The second floor of No. 72 block housed the Kang Ham Free School. It provided free education to the children in the district. It had only one class, but the class had more than 40 students. Yat Chong College, on the third and fourth floors, was the only English school in the area. After World War II, the two schools were closed down.

Today, many old shophouses have already been converted into residential units. The granite steps and tiled roof of the Wah To Hospital are still preserved.

The Urban Renewal Authority and the Antiquities and Monuments Office have been considering better preservation methods. A Wan Chai monument trail has been proposed. The trail will link up historical buildings in the district, including the police station, the post office and Blue House.

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Sally Yip	Yuen Ka Ling

After relocation, Murray House became a major tourist attraction.	The former Marine Police Headquaters compound.
They are all monuments, but not all of them are preserved in the same way. Murray House, originally situated in Central, has been resettled in Stanley. The former Marine Police Headquarters compound is occasionally used as an exhibition gallery. Blue House will become a part of a proposed "monument trail". Murray House This building is one of the oldest examples of Western architecture in Hong Kong. It was designed by Major Aldrich and Lieutenant Collinson of the Royal Engineers, and it was built in Central in 1846. Its original location was near the Murray Parade Ground in Central (the current Cheung Kong Centre) and it formed part of Victoria Barrack. British army officers were housed there until 1963. During World War II, it was used as an interrogation centre by the occupying Japanese forces. In 1963, the building was handed over to the Hong Kong Government and turned into the Ratings and Valuations Department. Throughout '60s and '70s, the house was said to be haunted. An exorcism ceremony was performed in the late '70s. To make room for the Bank of China Tower, the government decided to demolish Murray House in the early ’80s. Public opposition was strong. As a response, the government promptly decided on a relocation plan. In 1982, 400,000 pieces of its stone and other components were identified and numbered for future reconstruction. They were moved to huts beside Tai Tam Reservoir for storage. Six years later, reconstruction took place in Ma Hang Village (the current Stanley Plaza) in Stanley. Ninety-five percent of its stone components were preserved. The original Chinese tiled roof replaced a replica in 2000. Since then, it has been opened to the public. Its interior has been renovated. Shops and restaurants were opened. Marine Police Headquarters This structure was built in 1884 as the base for the police boats that defended local sea trade against pirates. It is one of the four oldest remaining government buildings in Hong Kong. The British Navy stationed its warships there after the Chinese emperor's armies posed a threat in the aftermath of the Opium Wars and the Boxer Uprising. There was a main building, a stable block and a signal tower on the compound. An additional third storey was added to the main building in the '20s. Its southeast and southwest wings served as quarters for married officers. The signal tower, commonly known as Round House, is the building's most unique part. It was constructed to provide time signals to ships in the harbour. The time ball dropped at 1 p.m. every day, enabling ships to synchronize their chronometers. In 1907, it ceased to operate when the time-ball apparatus was removed to Signal Hill. The compound was used as a base by Japanese Navy during the Japanese occupation. At that time, extensive underground tunnels were constructed beneath the lawn. After World War II, the tunnels were sealed and the lawn was redone for public safety. It was declared as a monument in 1994. Now the Round House is occasionally used as an exhibition gallery by the marine police. In August 2001, the government announced a plan to create a culture belt stretching from the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and West Kowloon reclaimed areas to the compound. Blue House Situated at Nos. 72-74A of Stone Nullah Lane in Wai Chai, the Blue House was comprised of four-storey shophouses on a single unbroken terrace. The house was built with red bricks in the '20s . Its classical design features a shallow gable at each flank wall. There is a wooden staircase between the upper floors of every two blocks. The shophouses were once owned by a medical factory. The blocks at Nos. 72, 72A and 74 painted in blue were surrendered to the government in 1978, while the one at No. 74A is still owned privately. Wah To Hospital was established near the site in 1867. After the shophouses were constructed, the hospital moved to the ground floor of No. 72 block. After World War II, the Ho family, one of whose descendants still lives on the third floor of No. 72A block, managed the hospital. Each block has a legendary past. Around the 1950s, a follower of the famous kung-fu master Wong Fei-hung rented a flat there for his kung-fu club. It was later transformed into an osteopathy clinic. The second floor of No. 72 block housed the Kang Ham Free School. It provided free education to the children in the district. It had only one class, but the class had more than 40 students. Yat Chong College, on the third and fourth floors, was the only English school in the area. After World War II, the two schools were closed down. Today, many old shophouses have already been converted into residential units. The granite steps and tiled roof of the Wah To Hospital are still preserved. The Urban Renewal Authority and the Antiquities and Monuments Office have been considering better preservation methods. A Wan Chai monument trail has been proposed. The trail will link up historical buildings in the district, including the police station, the post office and Blue House.