In the early 20th century, the island of Cheung Chau was settled on as a suitable spot for building holiday villas for Europeans, and European missionaries in particular. Cheung Chau offered all the advantages of The Peak of Hong Kong for a fraction of the cost - isolation, cool breezes, and extensive views. In fact Cheung Chau actually had its own Peak.
In 1909, building plots and labour were cheap on Cheung Chau, and there was a flurry of building. House #23 may have been built at this time as it may be seen in a Missions photo of 1911 (qv). Built of locally sourced granite, it had a pitched tiled roof.
In 1911 the owner is recorded as the Dr J K Robb, a medical missionary, who served with his wife with the RPCNA, South China Mission in Tak Hing Chau, South China, 1902-1919.
In the 1938 record of European house owners on Cheung Chau, Mr C G Alabaster was recorded as the owner of this house. He was the Attorney General of Hong Kong in1911, 1912 and 1928. He was also an unofficial member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council in 1919, 1924 and 1925.
During the war, Alabaster was interned at Stanley, and it was during this time that he was knighted.
See the colour photograph of House#23 taken in 1950.It looks like it suffered the fate of other western-owned houses in the war and was destroyed by the Japanese. Alabaster said he lost - "furniture, household goods, silver, cutlery, glass, carpets, pictures, clothes, bedding ... jewelry, motor car, wireless set, Masonic regalia etc ... all looted by the Japanese."
In 1949-50, the Christian and Missionary Alliance moved its Bible School from Wuzhou, Gwangxi to House #22 next door and changed its name to the Hong KongAlliance Seminary. It later purchased House #23 and gained a good-sized campus for its operations, possibly when Alabaster died in 1958. It has gone on from there and is now known as the Alliance Bible Seminary.
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European House #23 Overview
In the early 20th century, the island of Cheung Chau was settled on as a suitable spot for building holiday villas for Europeans, and European missionaries in particular. Cheung Chau offered all the advantages of The Peak of Hong Kong for a fraction of the cost - isolation, cool breezes, and extensive views. In fact Cheung Chau actually had its own Peak.
In 1909, building plots and labour were cheap on Cheung Chau, and there was a flurry of building. House #23 may have been built at this time as it may be seen in a Missions photo of 1911 (qv). Built of locally sourced granite, it had a pitched tiled roof.
In 1911 the owner is recorded as the Dr J K Robb, a medical missionary, who served with his wife with the RPCNA, South China Mission in Tak Hing Chau, South China, 1902-1919.
In the 1938 record of European house owners on Cheung Chau, Mr C G Alabaster was recorded as the owner of this house. He was the Attorney General of Hong Kong in 1911, 1912 and 1928. He was also an unofficial member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council in 1919, 1924 and 1925.
During the war, Alabaster was interned at Stanley, and it was during this time that he was knighted.
See the colour photograph of House #23 taken in 1950. It looks like it suffered the fate of other western-owned houses in the war and was destroyed by the Japanese. Alabaster said he lost - "furniture, household goods, silver, cutlery, glass, carpets, pictures, clothes, bedding ... jewelry, motor car, wireless set, Masonic regalia etc ... all looted by the Japanese."
In 1949-50, the Christian and Missionary Alliance moved its Bible School from Wuzhou, Gwangxi to House #22 next door and changed its name to the Hong Kong Alliance Seminary. It later purchased House #23 and gained a good-sized campus for its operations, possibly when Alabaster died in 1958. It has gone on from there and is now known as the Alliance Bible Seminary.
Sources:
Reformed Presbyterian Church North America - 40 Years in our China Mission
Wikipedia