Ping Shan House [1922- ]

Submitted by leungpk on Wed, 10/26/2016 - 00:33
Current condition
In use
Date completed
(Day is approximate.)

This grade 2 historic building is now a halfway house run by an NGO named Richmond Fellowship of Hong Kong (http://www.richmond.org.hk/en). You can visit only by special arrangement. In general, they only accept groups related to/interested in mental health.

However, an open house is scheduled on Saturday, 7 January 2017, 10 am - 4 pm. 
Poster (in Chinese): http://www.richmond.org.hk/zh/news/%E3%80%8C%E5%88%A9%E6%B0%91%E6%9C%83%E5%B1%8F%E5%B1%B1%E6%A8%93%E3%80%8D%E6%9A%A8%E3%80%8C%E5%88%A9%E6%B0%91%E5%81%A5%E5%BA%B7%E8%BE%B2%E8%8E%8A%E3%80%8D%E9%96%8B%E6%94%BE%E6%97%A5

Application form (in Chinese): http://www.richmond.org.hk/sites/richmond/files/upload/%E5%8F%83%E8%A7%80%E5%8F%8A%E6%B4%BB%E5%8B%95%E5%A0%B1%E5%90%8D%E8%A1%A8.doc

For enquiries, call (in Cantonese) Ms Lam 2478 6983.

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Photos that show this Place

屏山樓 (歷史建築物) 1 Apr 2016.jpg
2016
屏山樓閘門的把手也是古蹟.jpg
2016
2016Nov5 front 1st floor verandah 1.jpg
2016
See more photos of this place

Comments

Many thanks for letting us know about this property Leungpk. I'd never heard of it until now. I assume there is nothing to stop the public wandering up the road and taking photos from outside?

Thanks

Phil

Hi Phil & others who are interested,

It is ok, as long as you do not mind walking uphill to reach the place. (Take the light rail to Ping Shan Station, go over the footbridge to the other side of the highway, and walk uphill along Ping Shan Lane until you reach the highest point.)

If many of you are interested, perhaps you can get together and ask the administration of the NGO to partially open the place to vsitors, perhaps with an entrance fee to help the NGO, and with refreshment served by the residents. It will probably be good for some of the residents to meet more people and interact closer with the outside world.

Talking about the outside, it reminds me of an old grave on the garbage-strewn slope outside the building. (What a disgrace!) According to the info on the gravestone, the person died sometime in late Qing Dynasty. Although it is over 100 years old, one morning I saw a woman sweeping the grave & paying respect to the deceased.

It is now possible for the general public to visit the building if you send your request by mail or email to: Ping Shan House, 10 Ping Shan Lane, DD 122 Ping Shan, Yuen Long, New Territories, HK rfpsh@richmond.org.hk, preferably in Chinese and at least 4 weeks in advance. Of course, there is also the open day on 7 Jan 2017 http://www.richmond.org.hk/zh/news/%E3%80%8C%E5%88%A9%E6%B0%91%E6%9C%83%E5%B1%8F%E5%B1%B1%E6%A8%93%E3%80%8D%E6%9A%A8%E3%80%8C%E5%88%A9%E6%B0%91%E5%81%A5%E5%BA%B7%E8%BE%B2%E8%8E%8A%E3%80%8D%E9%96%8B%E6%94%BE%E6%97%A5.

The construction was finished in August 1922, and the finished building was described in the 1922 Annual Report of the Public Works Department:

182. Land Bailiff's' Quarters, Ping Shan.—The building provides, on the ground floor, accommodation for a court room 18'0" x 26'6",- an office 18'0" x 18'0", a demarcation room 15'0" x 15'0" and a Land Bailiff’s Office 22' x 15' with a lavatory attached.

The quarters for the Land Bailiff are on the 1st floor, formed of reinforced concrete, finished with grooved and tongued H.W. boarding and consist of a dining room 18'0" X 18'0" and 2 bed rooms 23'9" x 12'10 1/2" and 18'0" x 12'6" respectively. The domestic offices consist of European kitchen, pantry, 2 bath rooms, store cupboard and a coal store. The usual servants quarters are also provided.

The exterior of the building is finished in cement pointed brickwork with the lower verandah piers in rough cast. The quarters verandah is laid with cement tiles.

All roofing is in double roll and pan tiling.

A Garage, shelter for visitors to the court, and male and female lavatory accommodation is provided in a detached building.

The work was completed in August and by the end of the year all liabilities had been discharged.

1922 Estimates, ...$ .10,000.00 | Total Estimates    $35.000.00
1922 Sup. Vote, ...   12,500.00 |
                      --------- |
                     $22,500.00 | Expenditure to
1922 Expenditure      21,876.54 |    31/12/22,        34,354.19

I believe this was the office of my father Paul Tsui as DO/Ping Shan which covered NWNT 1950-52.  He was also a Special Magistrate and there was said to be a Court Room inside. 

I visited this place in the mid-70s when it was the Police Dog Unit.  I think it was the same place.

Lawrence

 

My elder brother recalls father's DO office was at the upstairs of this house, telephone number dial 91 for Tsuenwan Exchange and ask for 227.  Our home at Dunrose (18.5 Miles oppisite what is today the Gold Coast Resort Hotel) was 91-TWEx-720.

Will have to miss the open house - I am living in Toronto.

Lawrence

 

Hong Kong History MeetUp has organised a visit on 30 December 2017 to Ping Shan Heritage Trail, and Ping Shan House will be included. Those interested may RSVP through HKHistory MeetUp.