[Updated 24/11/25]
European House #1, a bungalow, may have been built in the early 20th century, as newspapers of the time were celebrating the attractions of Cheung Chau as an economical alternative to The Peak for holiday villas. There was a spate of building from 1908-10.
The whereabouts of House #1 is currently thought to be on the site of house 892 on the 1938 map, near the junction of School Road and Peak Road, where it had a view over Tung Wan and the sea.
Our earliest reference to it is in the Hong Kong Daily Press, 21 September 1934 (see here), where it carries the name Sunnyside, and the owner's name Westcott. From this we have Leonard G G Westcott, an English merchant, married with children, who lived in Shanghai, and latterly moved to Cheung Chau.
His bungalow, "Sunnyside" was available for rental as a vacation house as well as serving as a camp for army personnel. In 1939, the Hong Kong Telegraph (19th August) posted a photograph of about 40 men of the Middlesex and the Royal Scots Regiments in residence together there.
This tells us either the house was very large, or if some of the residents were camping in the grounds, it was on a large plot; or both!
Evidently during the war, the house was damaged by the Japanese, who blew up western-owned houses, and by the locals, who stripped houses of all their wood to use for fuel. Leonard Westcott applied for government compensation for the repair costs.
Leonard Westcott died in 1953.
Note: Hopefully pictures to follow.
Photos that show this Place
Comments
"Sunnyside", House No. 1 very likely on C.C.I.L. 30
A good find from hkspace-wl regarding Westcott posted on 24 November 2025.
There was some small claims case re his 'Army Holiday Camp' (No. 1 Bungalow) reported on the China Mail on Feb. 1939.
In the Government Records Office (link), it keeps a file with this entry description :
"SUNNING SIDE"[^] CHEUNG CHAU I.L. NO. 30, ON CHEUNG CHAU ISLAND, N.T. - APPLICATION FROM MR. L.G. WESTCOTT FOR COMPENSATION FOR - RUINED DURING THE WAR
CCIL 30 is on south west of CCIL 45 (cf here). So this bungalow is likely in the proximity of the Assembly Hall in the 1930s era. On the 1938 map, we could see the number "30" near its location.
In Aug. 1939, some news mentioned concerts in the hall and No. 1 "Sunnyside" together, for activity along the social line .
[^] sic (likely, typo of Sunnyside)
(The current marker may need to be slightly nudged.)
1939?
So we're saying not '888'?
And where do we move the marker? Centre of the trapezoidal shape/ onto the spot marked '30' / somewhere else?
Re: "Sunnyside"
With new information that "30" likely represents I. L. 30, it is suggested to place the marker in box 892 or close to it as a start-off point. The location is only approximate as one is not sure of the actual size of the lot, if this is agreeable until further infomation or photo evidence point to a location elsewhere.
It would appear that "Sunnyside' was situated close to the crossroads and the main path to/from town.