8750 Tai Po Road, Piper's Hill [????- ]

Submitted by wvmarle on Mon, 05/27/2013 - 22:36
Current condition
Unknown

Abandoned house near the highest point of Tai Po road. No markings seen to indicate it's original use; the style suggests built in the 1950s, and it looks like it's a residential building.

It has a verandah, several rooms including what appears to be kitchen and bathroom in the main building, and a separate building which contains a kitchen and a number of smaller rooms - possibly servant's quarters. The private road (mapped on Google and OSM) is unmaintained and completely overgrown, at the end of this road is a garage large enough for one vehicle.

There was no furniture present, wooden floors (same style as seen in many 1980s flats in Hong Kong), red tiled floor on the verandah.

There is an old path (partly paved) between nearby Pillbox 315 and this building.

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8750 Tai Po Road, Piper's Hill
2013
8750 Tai Po Road, Piper's Hill
2013
8750 Tai Po Road, Piper's Hill
2013
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Comments

I believe it was a pre-97 police building - there is a sign nearby that says "Royal HK Police Force".

EDIT: Actually I believe the sign says RHKPF, which I just assumed to mean the police.

Interesting. I wouldn't have thought about that. No fortifications like most old police buildings have, no watch tower, kitchen and bathroom in main buidling and kitchen in secondary building.

The gate only says "private road" (didn't take photo of that, don't have the exact wording), nothing to indicate this would be police or anything government related.

It was indeed a police quarter, I went there once or twice when I knew the occupant. Perhaps the hotel in question was the Carlton Hotel. 

I lived there around 1984. It was a government accommodation property. The place is a fully functional house with garage, potting shed, and I think the remains of a bowling green in the back. At that time the garden was overrun and infested with monkeys. The police sign is only a log station. I believe to have been a senior engineer's accommodation, from around the time of the reservoir enhancements.

If I remember correctly, this bungalow was first used as a site office by the Water Works Department during or after the construction of the reservoir and related facilities nearby.

It was then used as a residence for senior Water Works staff until the 1980s.

In the 1990s, the government attempted to rent/lease it out to the general public, but was unsuccessful.

Today, it is probably left vacant, fenced off and marked government property.

Pillbox 315 is about 50m north northwest of the bungalow, and was only accessible to the residence (and guests) of the bungalow before the 1980s, or other government officials after the 1980s. Furthermore, the pillbox is at the top of a small hill. As a result, it is protected from vandalism and excessive moisture (which, together with carbonation, is the worst enemy of concrete), and still looks almost like new.

In my childhood, I visited the place quite frequently and has entered pillbox 315 many times, or stood on top of it to enjoy the excellent view of Kowloon Byewash Reservoir.

There was a garbage incinerator near the pillbox because there was no garbage pickup in such a remote place. (They didn't know that deadly dioxin may result from the burning of plastics at that time.)

Thanks I was wondering if that was an incinerator or a military oven/field kitchen. Incinerator makes more sense. There is also a concrete tank. I assume a water tank - presumably for the house  but I suppose could also be used by PB 315 crew. PB remains in excellent condition - the bunk hooks look almost new.  Philip Cracknell

Hi i have been trying to find some friends from my time in Hong Kong,  Alison Ayres her sister Barbera and their parents. They moved from Kings Park to anicos old police house and I think this is the one. It would be good to hear if you could confirm this.

Regards,

John