Alex. Ross & Co. garage / TST Post Office (3rd location) [c.1929-1979]

Submitted by David on Sat, 02/27/2010 - 22:30
Current condition
Demolished / No longer exists
Date completed
(Day, Month, & Year are approximate.)
Date closed / demolished
(Day & Month are approximate.)

This was on Salisbury Road, next to the KCR terminus and opposite the old Marine Police HQ.

Initially it was built as a garage. Notes from Moddsey:

The typhoon of 20 August 1927 brought down the HK and Kowloon Taxicab Company's Garage on Salisbury Road near the KCR Terminus. About 20 cars and half a dozen motor cycles were in the garage at the time of the disaster.Extensive damage was caused. HK Telegraph 22 August 1927 refers.

In 1928, foundation work for a new motor garage for Alex. Ross & Co. Ltd had begun on the same site.  HK Daily Press 2 July 1928 refers. The one storey building would be completed around 1929.

In 1934, it became the TST Post Office. Moddsey again:

The move [from its first location] across Salisbury Road to larger premises was completed in November 1934 when a showroom and garage formerly occupied by Messrs. Alex. Ross & Co. on KCR property was converted into a Post Office with a large public hall with fitted counters, sorting room and records office.

The move into the new premises was intended to be temporary one until a larger administration building housing other government departments and post office could be built. Owing to the economic depression that Hong Kong was facing in the 1930s, construction of a new Post Office in Kowloon prior to WWII never materialised.

Photos that show this Place

Comments

China Mail 30 October 1934

The new Kowloon Post Office formerly occupied by Messrs Alex. Ross & Co, Ltd., opposite the Fire Station will be opened on 1 November 1934. (Typo in the year in write-up under place).

I recall a quaint little brick and stone building in this vicinity which sold handmade cotton goods, dolls, table cloths etc. It was called the Welfare Handicrafts shop - I wonder if it might have occupied the old Post Office building? It was tucked under the hill in front of the Maritime Police HQ in between the YMCA and Star House, facing what was the railway terminal?

Outside the shop, sitting on a low wall just to the west of it, there was often a man selling the most amazing objects from a basket,  All the things he sold were made from course grass and leaves. He made very beautiful grasshoppers and crickets as well as curled horns which made a screaching noise when blown!   I wonder if anyone else can recall this chap?

I have just located a photo of this building on a website called www.hkmemory.hk if you search Welfare Handicrafts Centre...

1979 demolition of old tst post office
1979 demolition of old tst post office, by simtang

The Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office is in the centre . The office moved to 1 Peking Road on 10 March 1979 and again on 7 March 1983 to the ground floor Hermes House, 10 Middle Road. TST market at Peking rd had to move to Haiphong Road in 1978 to make way for the post office.

https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/%E5%B0%96%E6%B2%99%E5%92%80%E8%A1%97%E5%…
https://mmis.hkpl.gov.hk/coverpage/-/coverpage/view?p_r_p_-1078056564_c…