European House #6, Cheung Chau [c.1910-????]

[Updated 1/12/25]

European House #6 was built in the early 20th century when Cheung Chau was found to be an ideal alternative to The Peak as a site for holiday villas.  There was a flurry of building in 1909-10, and Cheung Chau got a 'Peak' of its own.  House #6 seems to be present in a Mission photo of 1911 (qv).

House #6 originally may have been a bungalow, but latterly it was a two-storey building, sturdily built of locally quarried granite blocks, with a flat concrete roof, secure enough to withstand the typhoon season in its exposed position.  Like the other villas, it faced south, with a domestics' annex at the rear.  It looks to have had a verandah on two sides, possibly three, and enjoyed superb 360 views in all directions.

In 1926 it was purchased by a missionary (see post below).

In 1938 its owner was recorded as Mr P N Anderson, who may have been a missionary or a wealthy HK individual.

In December 1939 the occupant of House #6 was missionary, Rev Arthur G Lindquist, founding president of the Evangel Theological Seminary in Hong Kong, and a Swedish American colleague of Rev Hugo Rodine (House #17).   Lindquist may have been the purchaser mentioned in 1926, as he sailed out to Hong Kong in 1923, except for the different owner (occupier?) in 1938.

Lindquist was on Cheung Chau for Christmas 1939 and wrote a report on the work in Hong Kong, (two churches and the Bible School (ETS) had been opened), which he sent for publication in the Evangelical Beacon, the mission’s magazine back in America. Very auspiciously for our benefit, he signed off the report with his address - 6 Cheung Chau Island, Hong Kong!  

By the time the war came, No #6 had been extended to three times its original size, but it was badly damaged during the war, as its wood was stripped out by the locals for fuel, and the Japanese blew it up as being western-owned.

In 1949 Rev Lindquist bought House #2 at Kwun Yam for the use of himself and others for the next six years.

Today the site is occupied by part of the Salvation Army Bradbury Camp complex, a residential camp for groups and families.