Kennedy Town Gasometer [1935-????]

Submitted by David on Wed, 02/25/2015 - 23:40
Current condition
Demolished / No longer exists
Date completed

The 1935 completion date is an estimate, based on the Legco minutes for 24th June, 1936 [1], saying the gasometer had already been built here to replace the West Point Gasometer. There had been a big explosion at the West Point Gasometer in 1934 [3].

Extract from the Legco minutes for 24th June, 1936:

HON. MR. T. N. CHAU asked:—

With reference to the Hon. Colonial Secretary's replies to the questions asked by the Hon. Dr. R. H. Kotewall in this Council on the 10th January, 1935, in regard to the explosion of a gasometer at West Point, will the Government state:—
(1) Whether it has been finally decided to move the gasometer at West Point to a more suitable site; and, if so, where the site is;
(2) Whether advice of the Home Authorities has been obtained as to whether special legislation for the compulsory inspection of gasometers is desirable here; and
(3) What action does the Government propose to take in regard to gasometers in other parts of the Colony?

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY replied:—

(1) The Hong Kong and China Gas Company have purchased an area of land now known as Inland Lots 4097 and 4098 situated to the South of the Cattle Depot at Kennedy Town. One Gasometer of 500,000 cubic feet capacity has already been erected on this area to replace the former main Gasometer at West Point. Government understands that the Company proposes to transfer at a later date all the remaining gasholders in Hong Kong and Kowloon either to Kennedy Town or to Ma Tau Kok.
(2) The advice of the Home Authorities on the desirability of special legislation for the compulsory external inspection of Gasometers has been obtained.
Government has also had the benefit of the advice of the Institute of Gas Engineers in England on this subject.
In view, however, of the fact that a Gasholder Committee of the Institute of Gas Engineers has recently been examining in conjunction with the Home Office the question of the internal inspection of gasholders it has been considered advisable to postpone further consideration of the matter until that Committee has issued its recommendations.
An officer of this Government at present on leave is under instructions to visit the proper authorities at Home with a view to acquiring the latest information regarding maintenance and design of gasholders from the point of view of public safety.
(3) The reply to this question is contained in the foregoing answers.

Wikipedia [2] says that:

The gasometer was in existence until the early 1980s when it was demolished to make way for the construction of Smithfield Terrace (嘉輝花園) by Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd, the largest shareholder of Hong Kong and China Gas Company.

Map.gov.hk shows that IL 4097 is the land near today's Wai Wah Court.

References:

  1. Legco minutes: http://www.legco.gov.hk/1936/h360624.pdf, found via Wikipedia [2]
  2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithfield,_Hong_Kong#Gasometer
  3. Photos and details of the explosion of the West Point Gasometer in 1934: http://gwulo.com/node/7714

Photos that show this Place

Comments

David, please also add the tags "gas holder" and "gas works" to this place (for the gas works map).

Regards, Klaus 

Smithfield Pokfield Road T junction - by SCMP Pictures

According to the discussion in some Sai Wan facebook Interest groups, some say it was taken around 197x

https://www.facebook.com/groups/westerndistrict/?post_id=10153135581685286

The gas holder is on the left. In the center farther down Smithfield the Cheung Hing Ind. bldg was already built.

https://www.facebook.com/southchinamorningpost/photos/pcb.10153653070774820/10153653067319820/?type=3&theater

In the picture those schoolchildren were believed to be kids of St. Charles

http://www.stcharles.edu.hk/intro/history.php

 

"Smoke and flames billow from the Wing Kwai Industrial Building at 12 Smithfield Road, Western District, as determined firemen battle on. 24AUG78"

by SCMP / Getty Images

https://www.gettyimages.hk/detail/%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/smoke-and-flames-billow-from-the-wing-kwai-industrial-building-at-%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/1096292820?adppopup=true

also in the photo:

St. Charles http://www.stcharles.edu.hk/

HSBC Staff Quarters on Pokfield (demolished, now "University Heights")