Bracken Hill [1951- ]

Submitted by Klaus on
Bracken Hill
Current condition
In use
Date completed
(Day & Month are approximate.)

Update 2026-02-03 (see comments below)

The building is situated on R.B.L. 100. The address is 12 Barker Road (old address 454 The Peak). It was built on the site of Crow's Nest. The number was changed to 12 Barker Road in 1996. Before that date it was No.14. See Peak Map from 1960.

The house was built for the Union Insurance Society of Canton between 1949 and 1950. HK University hosts plans of the building etc. in their Palmer and Turner collection, but in fact the architects were Leigh and Orange. 

At some time later, the name Bracken Hill came up for this building. 

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Previous place(s) at this location
Crow's Nest [c.1904-c.1946]

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Photos that show this Place

464 The Peak - page 1 of 2
1950
464 The Peak - page 2 of 2
1950
464 the peak, advertisement
1950
See more photos of this place

Comments

14 Barker Road re-numbering, Union Insurance

Submitted by Compradore on Mon, 2015-06-08 21:10.

Apparently, this house was re-numbered after its most recent sale in 1996.  The number changed from No. 14 to its current No. 12.  At that time a swimming pool and parking area were added. 

In the 1960s, Bracken Hill, 14 Barker Road was the house for the General Manager of Union Insurance Society of Canton.  Richmond House at No. 31 was the Assistant General Manager house.  Since Richmond House sold in 1997 and Bracken Hill in 1996, it is possible that Union was also the seller of this house.

Bracken Hill - only one generation?

Submitted by Compradore on Tue, 2015-06-09 22:29.

The present house is certainly bigger than Bracken Hill used to be in earlier pictures, but it looks to be the same house. 

https://gwulo.com/media/21040 Today, the main (square-ish, rectangular) part of the house looks to be identically proportioned as it was in 1980s and the only difference is that two chimneys near the two sides of the roof have been removed.  The horizontal centre chimney is still there.

It seems like the rear of house has been extended and what was a small balcony in the picture above looks to have been stretched further out in to the yard.  Still, there is unused floor area because the house is 10,000 sq. ft. and the lot is 30,000 sq. ft.