Hong Kong Observatory Signal Tower - Kowloon Hospital [????- ]

Submitted by Herman Chan on Fri, 02/26/2021 - 20:01

Current condition

Ruin

There is a tower-like structure with a pole near north-west corner of Kowloon Hospital in one of the old aerial photos. While browsing the 2021 Geoinfo Map, the location is named "Hong Kong Observatory Signal Tower".

Looking into a few old aerial photos dated in ~1947, 1949 and 1969, there was a similar structure at the same location.

In an old "Storm and Strong Monsoon Signal Station" leaflet, there appeared one station located at Kowloon Hospital as well.

Is there any similar signal station still in the territory? preWWII or postWWII?

Hong Kong Observatory Signal Tower ( https://www.map.gov.hk/gm/s/B/1108230773 )

File2302.jpg, by Jim Watkins (https://gwulo.com/atom/20993)

The building circled in red is the Block M of Kowloon Hospital. The Signal station is located at the NW of this building, a white structure (zoom view), at the upper edge of the aerial photo. Source : Heritage Impact Assessment on Block M at the Kowloon Hospital (Survey and Mapping Office,1949)

The signal station is a small structure near the northwest corner of Kowloon Hospital. The Red circle is the new west wing under construction. ( Source: Heritage Impact Assessment on Block M at the Kowloon Hospital )

Kowloon aerial photo 1969 (Survey and Mapping Office)

HK Observatory Signal Station - Kowloon Hospital, by Herman (2021)

HK Observatory Signal Station (2) — HK Observatory Signal Station, by Herman (2021)

HK Observatory Signal Station (pole), by Herman (2021)

Storm Warning Signal Card b., by Andrew Suddaby

Comments

Saw through the high fence

Saw through the high fence and noticed there's something like an Inland Lot stone at the bottom left of the photo ... The GeoInfo Map shows that this site is GLA-K 118.

IMG_20210302_SignalTwr_Stone.jpg, by H.Lo

Structure on the eastern side of the Signal tower

There are few pipes and a stairstep on the eastern side of the tower. Are they underground vent?

Stair step and Pipes near Hong Kong Observatory Signal Tower at Kowloon Hospital — Stairstep and pipes on the eastern side of the tower, by Herman

A concrete base at the southwest side

Hong Kong Observatory Signal Tower - Southwest view, by Herman

It looks like a concrete base and not a lot stone.

Thanks for the clarification

Thanks for the clarification about the concrete cube.

As for the pipes, I learned from photos in another website that there is an underground section of which the ceiling had been collapsed. The webmaster believed that those pipes were for ventilation.

Pipes, underground section ceiling & lot stone nearby

A closer look of the vertical pipes, the tower and ?collapsed ceiling of the underground section. To my surprise, there is a small 'K.I.L.2516' lot stone a few meters over the NW corner of the tower.

Observatory Tower (west side), by Herman Chan

Ceiling of tower base from the SW corner, by Herman Chan

K.I.L.2516 Lot Stone near NW corner of the Tower, by Herman Chan

Thanks for your info

Thanks for your info regarding the lot stone, as I only took my photo IMG_20210302_SignalTwr_Stone.jpg (posted on 4 Mar) beyond the fence, the number could not be viewed clearly, I am still wondering if the one in my photo is also a lot stone. Yours seems to be on the other side.

Concrete base

This is likely a concrete base, could be the base of an old fence or stand of the observatory signal tower. Rusted angle metal bar remnant can be seen on the top and there are metal rings on the side of the base. Similar structure can be seen on the other side of the tower.

Concrete base (west view), by Herman Chan

Concrete base (North view), by Herman Chan

Concrete base (East view), by Herman Chan

Concret base with a yellow leave on top as marker, by Herman

Signal Tower view from outside the fence, by Herman

Engraving not seen

There is no engraving on the other side of the concrete base.

The typhoon signal post

There was a typhoon signal post there until around 1980 or so. I lived at the Kowloon Hospital lodge (my father was a senior medical officer there) from 1970 to 1980.. I could see the signal lights of that pole whenever there a typhoon signals or strong wind signal. They have the physical signal also. I roam Kowloon Hospital as it is my backyard. That place has changed a lot since my father retired from govt and started his own practice around 1980.

The lodge we lived isn't there yet in the 1969 picture. It is just to the east of that building at the top of the hill. I can see the tennis court and the nursing quarters which is just north of the lodge.