Cheung Chau Notes (c. 1923-1936): View pages


(excerpt)

The major portion of the building is of grey granite, cement painted,
a few of the divisional walls are of brick. The major portion of
the roof is of double tile close set, supported by hardwood beams
and rafters stained dark brown...

  Opening onto the platform (of polished hardwood) are two small
rooms which will serve as library and vestry or for Sunday school
classes. In the front is a concrete roofed porch, and before entering
the main hall are four small cloak rooms. The four of these and
of the main hall is laid with brown black-cornered tiles. The
hall from the edge of the platform to the ante-room is forty feet in
length and excluding the porch and small recess at the back of the
platform the outside measurements are sixty by thirty feet.

   The seats are of polished teak, cane-seated and backed; to accom-
modate twelve persons in each row, leaving two aisles, the
centre unit containing six seats. The hall could hold, with extra
seats, about two hundred. It is well lit and ventilated by eight
double windows protected in stormy weather by strong shutters.
The acoustic properties of the building are excellent. 

                      (related photos)

Cheung Chau Assembly Hall, with interior (1924) , by hkspace_wl

   Most of the crew of the 'Kung Yik' have returned to work. Two
trips each way were made on Sunday and soon we hope to have
the full service running. From to-day the sailings are at 1 p.m. and 5.15
from Hongkong.

 ...
  The preacher next Sunday will be the Rev. R.A. Jaffray of Wuchow.

  Today is the 17th anniversary of the Typhoon which wrecked a 
number of the new houses in the first year of the settlement (1908).

 

source : China Mail
 



Although this news is not put with the column heading 'Cheung Chau Notes', it may still be a continuation of that correspondent series.

The annual concert of the Cheung Chau Residents' Association was held in the Assembly Hall last evening ... [1]

The programme includes :

(1) Piano Accordion and Mouth Organ Duet by W. Newbern and Billy Newbern [2]  
(2) Male Quartette, P. Backlund, D. Carlson, H. Gravern and Mr. Holten 
(3) Recitation, Miss Gertrude Wahl
    . . .
(7) Vocal Solo, Doris Dirk, accompanied on the Auto-Harp by Mr. H. Holten
    . . . 
(11) Welsh Songs, A. Thomas and P. Jones."Juanita" and "The Cat," 
    by Mrs. N. Hill, Mrs. D. Carlson, Mrs. C. Lawson, Mrs. H. Holten, Mrs. W. Newburn and Miss P. French,
    accompanied on the piano by Mrs. G. Krickson
    . . .
(13) Reading by the President, Mr. D. O. Silver
    . . . 
(15) Community Singing led by Mr. W. Newburn [2]

Sports are to be held tomorrow on the Afternoon Beach followed by a Community Supper.

 

This may possibly be the 'last' concert held in that assembly hall. WWII apparently changed this close community a lot.

My enquiry :

  do you know whereabout this Cheung Chau Assembly Hall was located ?


notes
1. China Mail, 1940-8-27
2. I think all 'Newborn', 'Newburn' is Newbern actually. Would try to disprove it myself, if evidence found otherwise.