Current condition
In use
Notes from the AMO:
... an early 20th century three-storey building providing married quarters for officers at Victoria Barracks, Cassels Block was converted into the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre in 1992.
Photos that show this Place
1908
1924
1927
Comments
Murray Barracks I think
Murray Barracks I think
'Victoria Barracks' is ok
On older maps, 'Murray Barracks' describes the barracks blocks on the western edge of the military's land. Over on the east were the 'Victoria Barracks', again consisting of several blocks.
Looking at a couple of maps from the late 1880 and the 1920s, the military's land was described as 'The Military Cantonment, Victoria', and 'Cantonment of Victoria'.
So a more accurate name might be 'Cassels Block, Cantonment of Victoria'. But in later years, the 'Cantonment' name fell out of use. As far as I can tell, after WW2 'Victoria Barracks' was the general name for the army's land between Kennedy Road and Queensway.
Cassel Block
The Cassel block was probably named after Major Louis Cassel, O.B.E. (13th August 1871-17th February 1935) an old resident of Hong Kong from October 1914 to November 1934. He was for a time Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quarter Master General (D.A.A.Q.M.G) in the China Command and Press Censor, founder and editor of the 'The Critic", a Hong Kong weekly journal and served on the Committee of the Hong Kong Automobile Associations.