Shatin Police Station / Shatin Babies Home / High Rock Centre [1924- ]

Submitted by David on Wed, 09/20/2017 - 13:13
Current condition
In use
Date completed
(Day & Month are approximate.)

The Shatin Babies Home History web page says it was "established in the old police barracks of Shatin. The main building was a large, two story brick and wood building located about a mile's walk from the Shatin train station."

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Photos that show this Place

1956 shatin babies home
1956
1956 Shatin Babies' Home
c.1956
1961 Shatin Babies' Home
1961
See more photos of this place

Comments

Hi There,

The site is actually much closer to Tai Wai Station.  I believe the diesel or even earlier coal single track KCRC used to have a Tai Wai Station too. butI  could not recall the time frame.

The nearest station in the present day is the Che Kung Temple Station.

T

I visited a few years ago. One of the staff saw me outside taking photos and invited me in. It's now (or was in 2013) operated by a Christian organisation as a hostel. It's hidden away on a small hill on the opposite side of the nullah to the Heritage Museum. well worth a trip if you are in the area and there is/was a room inside that contains a little bit of history about the building and Shatin in general including lots of photos before the valley was redeveloped.

High Rock
High Rock, by Philk
High Rock
High Rock, by Philk
High Rock
High Rock, by Philk

Its construction is mentioned in the annual reports of the Public Works Department:

1922.174: 

It was decided to erect this building on the hill to the West of Shatin Tau. Plans were prepared and tenders invited therefor, the lowest amounting to $47,096.50 being accepted prior to end of the year.

1923.187: 

A Contract for the work was signed in January, and by the end of the year, the building, which is similar to the one at Lok Ma Chau was completed structurally, and the finishings were in hand.

1924.195:

The progress of the work was most unsatisfactory, due chiefly to the dilatoriness of the Contractor who was fined for failing to complete the contract within the stipulated time.

At the close of the year the Station has been completed.

The former Sha Tin Police Station was confirmed as a Grade 2 historic building in 2010. It is one of the few remaining pre-war police stations in Hong Kong.

An extract from the Appraisal states:

"Situated at No. 102 Sha Tin Tau Village (沙田頭村), the High Rock Christian Camp (基督教靈基營) was originally erected and used as a police station. Being the second police station in Shatin which replaced the original one in Yuen Chau Kok, the premises functioned to ensure law and order from 1924. During the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945) the premises were used as a command centre by the Japanese army." Details of the various post-war uses of the building are also given in the Appraisal.

Regarding its architectural style, the Appraisal states: "The building complex is two stories high with a basement and encloses a courtyard which is used as a playground. The building displays an interesting vocabulary of architectural features showing Modernist, Edwardian and Arts & Crafts influences. It is mainly constructed of red bricks, but some facades have been rendered and painted. The architectural design is simple and functional, as opposed to decorative and ornamental. Arts and Crafts influence can be seen in the use of local materials and in the craftsmanship. The North and West Blocks, which are probably the oldest parts of the building, have pitched roofs of Chinese tiles and open verandahs at the playground side. Original wooden doors and windows still exist. The South and East Blocks are more modern in appearance with rendered and painted walls and aluminium windows."

The full document is found here: http://www.aab.gov.hk/historicbuilding/en/563_Appraisal_En.pdf 

Mention was made above in the map of 1952 that the  building is marked as a police station.  Mildred Dibden started her second babies' home in two bungalows in Ping Shan NT in May 52, and didn't move into the Old Police Station until May 1953, when it became Shatin Babies' Home.

This complex was, for a number of years, the Police Regional HQs for the New Territories - before the latter was split into North and South Regions. I worked there in the early 1980s. It’s pleasing to see that the building survives. - albeit in a very different role.