King's Park Government Quarters [c.1951-????]

Submitted by David on Mon, 03/18/2013 - 21:47
Current condition
Demolished / No longer exists
Date completed
(Day, Month, & Year are approximate.)

Four blocks of six-storey government quarters.

They've already been knocked down and the site re-developed.

Tags

Photos that show this Place

gwulo-A430 Kowloon tower blocks.jpg
1951
1958
King's Park flats
1959
See more photos of this place

Comments

Barbara Anslow writes:

The picture on Gwulo today showing 3 large blocks on plateau at the back I think shows the post-war Govt. quarters known as King's Park. Mabel & family lived there from about 1950-56.

In 1946 the Govt. sent a small committee to inspect the pre-war Government quarters in Hong Kong and Kowloon to see if those war-damaged were repairable or not. I accompanied the committee (in a jeep) as stenographer to take notes as they gave their opinions on each place - a lovely week's work, much better than sitting in an office. In one part of Kowloon, the committee climbed up very rough ground to one site, leaving me in the jeep as I imagine they thought it would be too unladylike for me. I can't remember if there was an old Govt. quarter up there, but this was the site where the Kings Park Flats were eventually built.

Richard Wong writes:

The 4 six-storey buildings were the government apartments in King’s Park and estimated to be built before 1954 (refer to Photo of Wah Yan College Kowloon in 1953). The site is originally occupied by Roman Cemetery and Chinese Cemetery which moved to Wo Hop Shek Public Cemetery after 1950. Wah Yan College, Kowloon got the land lot in 1949 and completed in 1952. The government apartment may be also built at the same time as the development plan of the Danger Flag Hill.

Brings back memories.  I lived in Block 4 (#46) in the early 1950s and in Block 1 (#7) in the later 1950s.  Seem to remember a Dr. Black on the ground floor of Block 1 and the Monroe family higher up in that block.  There was a huge boulder in front of Block 1 that was considered un-stable, so they drilled into it to place an explosive charge to blow it into two chunks.  Thereafter it was known as "Split-Rock".

They must have been ready for use in 1951 or thereabouts… I was born in 1952 and was brought home from the hospital to KP.

We lived at number 37 in block 4, number 18 in block 2 and number 8 in block 1 during the 1950’s and early ‘60’s when we moved to Cliffside.

I certainly remember climbing all over ‘split rock’… it was huge!

Rob Large

I seem to remember stories of a Cliff Large crashing cars just before or during the Japanese invasion to prevent them falling into their hands.

 

Clive Hamilton