Governorship Exit Strategy

“Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel.”
John Quinton quotes

Well, the pockets of the past governors of Hong Kong weren't very deep; as the tunnel that opens directly underneath the Government House only goes so far to the Lower Albert Road. It was said to have been built in the 1930s but unknown today for what purpose --- no one is at liberty to tell, … According to military records, special attentions were given to strengthen the protection of the tunnel on the final days of defending the Hong Kong Island from Japanese invasion, but why? Chris Pattern, the last British Governor of Hong Kong, denied any knowledge of the tunnel that runs beneath his official residence. The Chief Executive's Office acknowledges the existence of the tunnel, and said nothing further except that the tunnel was no longer in use. There is no record of the tunnel in the Office of the Public Records.

The South China Morning Post gave a not-so-in-depth report on the subject on March 7, 2009, so did Radio Television Hong Kong on the following day, finding no new information on why and who gave the order to build the tunnel. I guess we've just had to wait and see when and who will break the silence.

Caption: An architectural drawing showing the position of the air raid tunnel directly beneath the Government House, but this is not it, ...

Hot Place to Break in

A burglar(s) broke in to the the residence of the first governor, Henry Pottinger, on April 26, 1843. A year later on July 16, the residence was again broken in to, but this time, the occupant was John Francis Davis, the second governor. Records did not show what were stolen; or whether it was the same people who committed these 2 burglaries a year apart, …

The governor's residence, located at 1, Battery Path, Central, was built in 1842-43. The present three-story building that housed the French Mission and later the Court of Final Appeal was built in 1917.

Post Office

Updated on October 20, 2009

Known as the "Owen Letter", this letter bears the
'Hong Kong Post Office 1841' mark.
Hong Kong's First Post Office was established in August 1841.

General Post Office Building: the first generation (1841-1846) was located where the Central Government Offices are now. The 2nd generation GPO building (1846-1911) was located on Queen's Road Central near the corner of Pedder Street. The 3rd generation (1911-1976) was located at the corner of Pedder Street and Des Veoux Road Central - where the World Wide House is.

The second generation GPO Building (1846-1911) C.1880 photo

The 3rd generation GPO Building (1911-1976) C.1973 photo

The Old Wan Chai Post Office (1912/1913- )
The Old Wan Chai Post Office, situated at the junction of Wan Chai Gap Road and Queen's Road East, is the oldest surviving post office building in Hong Kong. The L-shaped building was erected between 1912 and 1913, and opened on March 1, 1915 as the Wan Chai Post Office. Featuring a simple pitched-roof structure with gable ends and mouldings, the building became a declared monument on May 18, 1990, and is now operated by the Environmental Protection Department as a resource center.

University

March 11, 1912, the University of Hong Kong, teaching commenced in September, the university had three faculties: Medicine, Engineering and Arts, with a total of 71 students.

On March 16, 1910, Frederick Lugard, Governor, laid the foundation stone of the Main Building.


1946 Photo, the hall in the main building is seen damaged from the war

Road

1844, Hollywood Road (荷李活道)

1908 photo of the corner of Hollywood Street and Wyndham Street. The building is the former headquarters and milk distributing centre of Dairy Farm Ice and Cold Storage Co, established in 1892. The present appearance of the southern section was the result of this extensive renovation which was completed in 1913. The building was gave to the government in 1980 and currently houses the Foreign Correspondents' Club (外國記者協會) and the Fringe Club in (藝穗會).

Reservoir

1863, the Pok Fu Lam Reservoir; expanded to current capacity of 68 million gallons in 1871


In 1863, the Pok Fu Lam Reservoir and the first water main from Pok Fu Lam Reservoir to Bonham Road was built. However, the storage capacity of the reservoir was reduced from the original 30 million gallons to 2 million gallons (equivalent to 9,000 m3). The Pok Fu Lam Reservoir could at best provide 4 days of water to the community. Once completed the reservoir was found to be grossly inadequate. In 1871 the expansion project of the Pok Fu Lam Reservoir was commenced. In 1877, after the completion of several expansion projects, the reservoir’s capacity had increased to 68 million gallons, which was 34 times of its capacity originally built.

Reservoirs in Hong Kong

Reservoir / year in supply / storage capacity (m3)
Pok Fu Lam / 1877 / 233,000
Tai Tam Upper / 1889 / 1,490,000
Tai Tam Byewash / 1904 / 80,000
Tai Tam Intermediate / 1907 / 686,000
Kowloon / 1910 / 1,578,000
Tai Tam Tuk / 1917 / 6,047,000
Shek Lei Pui / 1925 / 374,000
Reception / 1926 / 121,000
Aberdeen (2 Res.) / 1931 / 1,259,000
Kowloon Byewash / 1931 / 800,000
Shing Mun (Jubilee) / 1936 / 13,279,000
Tai Lam Chung / 1957 / 20,490,000
Shek Pik / 1963 / 24,461,000
Lower Shing Mun / 1965 / 4,299,000
Plover Cove / 1968 / 229,729,000
High Island / 1978 / 281,124,000

Photo caption: Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Masonry Bridge; grade II listed building