[Updated 22/11/25]
This villa may be the House marked 5, occupied by missionary Rev Julius Kempf in this 1911 picture.
From the photographic evidence, Number 15 was certainly in place on Fa Peng in the 1930s. Most villas were sturdily built with locally quarried granite blocks and shuttered windows and doors against the typhoon season.
The property there now is a two-storey colonial-style villa which may be the original villa restored or rebuilt. tngan's photo shows a double verandah on two sides.
The owner of this house in 1938 was Mr J J Lossius (85), a retired Norwegian sea captain, who also owned House 7. In 1936 it was said he owned three houses on Cheung Chau. For more info, see his page where the house gets several mentions.
In July of 1838, Capt Lossius' wife, Mrs. Agnes Mary Potter Lossius passed away. They had been married 60 years. She left a sister, Marion Potter, who must have been living with them at the time. Marion Potter died during the war while interned in Stanley Camp. See moddsey's post on Mr J J Lossius' page.
Member tung lin remembers during mid-1950s......
My memory of House #15--the Kwai Yuen Jin Seh was at its prime time. A very beautifully-built oriental residence of certain traditional religious depicts with flowering garden at every quarter. It seemed to be a retirement home for the very rich Chinese retirees to stay both short term and long term. At my time, I really didn't know what the house's business was.
Sometimes we dared to walk through the property and the seniors didn't bother about our trespassing.
And in another post on 06/29/2014: I was in the area earlier today (28th June) and I think House #15 might have been demolished quite a while ago. Only the foundation remains. The site was fenced off so I was unable to go near the foundation. The two red roadside signs of 歸元精舍 on Fa Peng Road still exist though.
Photos that show this Place
Comments
Check out this website: Secret Retreat - Cheung Chau House 1967.
I think this great looking 'colonial style' Secret Retreat is our European House 15.
And for a virtual tour of the place, click on 360 View under the main pic. A rare view of the inside of one of our Cheung Chau missionary houses. And 360 views from the rooftop lounge.
I've come across it before but not been able to place it, but tngan's recent photo cracked it.
Edit 11/11/25 : We think this version of the building has now gone and that the villa has been restored to its colonial look.
"A school for the younger members of the Missionary families was started in House No. 15 on 2 October 1925. Under ordinary conditions, the youngsters would be at work at Canton at this time." China Mail 5 October 1925 refers.
The school was temporary and closed the following week. More missionary families had left the island.