[Text below copied here from gw's comment at https://gwulo.com/comment/78133#comment-78133]
Hi Robin,
You mentioned another photo of this house on Gwulo. I presume it’s this one.
As we already know, both photos show the junction of Caroline Hill and Link Roads, with the house of interest on the south side of the intersection. The second pic shows another, smaller, building between the house and the junction. I don’t know if the smaller building was an outbuilding of the house, an Annex perhaps for staff, garage or garden store, etc., or if it was a completely separate residence.
The 1922 Survey Sheet (www.hkmaps.hk) is the earliest map on which I’ve seen the house of interest. The smaller building was also shown. Unfortunately, the Survey Sheet doesn’t give the address.
The 1938 Street Index states that Link Road, “has been numbered in a Southerly direction, numbers commencing from Caroline Hill Road…”. So the address of the first property on the left going up Link Road from Caroline Hill Road would be No.1 Link Road. If the house of interest and the smaller building were part and parcel of the same development, I guess they would both have the address No.1 Link Road, but if they were completely separate, independent, buildings then the smaller building would be No.1 and the house of interest would be No.3 Link Road.
The Link Road entry in the 1938 Street index tells us that the lot to the south of the junction of Caroline Hill and Link Roads was occupied by “Soo Kunpoo Villas No.2” on “I.L. 1946 s. A.R.P.”, with “Soo Kunpoo Villas No.1” next door further up Link Road on “I.L. 1946 s. A. ss. 1”.
Carl Smith Card No.3695 mentions these properties. The Card summarizes the will of Mr. CHAN Sing fong, who was a merchant residing at No.1 Link Road at the time of his death on 3rd June 1951. Mr. CHAN owned the following properties of relevance to this post.
- “s.s. 1 of Sec. A. s. I.L. 1946”.
- “dwelling No.3 Sookun poo villa”. No lot number is quoted.
- “r.p. Section A. I.L. 1946. No.1 Link Road (formerly No.1 Sookunpoo Villa)”.
A and C are the same lot numbers as quoted in the 1938 Street Index for Sookunpoo Villas No.’s 1 & 2, but confusingly, the Villa No.’s are reversed. Despite this discrepancy, it can be concluded that Mr CHAN owned the first and second lots on the left going up Link Road from Caroline Hill Road, occupied by Sookunpoo Villas 1 & 2.
Regarding “dwelling No.3 Sookun poo villa” mentioned in the will, its name suggests it would be situated together with No.’s 1 and 2 Sookunpoo Villas, but its exact location cannot be specified without further information.
The 1929 and 1930 Juror Lists tell us that Mr. CHAN Sing hong (not fong), was an Assistant at Architects A.G. Hewlitt, and lived at “1 Sookunpoo Villas, Broadwood Road”. Broadwood Road joins Link Road, so I’ll assume it’s the same place as discussed above. However, the 1927 and 1931 Jury Lists mention a Mr. CHAN Sing fong (not hong), Assistant with Hewlitts and living on premises. It’s possible that fong and hong were brothers who worked in the same role at the same company at different times, but I’m inclined to think there was a typo and the two names refer to the same person.
The 1950 Survey Sheets show the house of interest was still present, but it had been redeveloped by the time the 1959 Survey Sheet was produced.
To summarize, the house of interest was already present by 1922. In 1938 it was known as either No.1 or 2 Sookunpoo Villas with an address of No.1 or 3 Link Road. Mr CHAN Sing fong or hong lived thereat from the late 1920’s/early 1930’s and owned the property by the time of his death in 1951. The house was demolished at some time before 1959.
Corrections and additions are most welcome.
Note. The place name "Sookunpoo" is presented in a number of formats in the old documents, e.g. "Sookun poo", "Soo Kunpoo". When quoting directly from a source document I have used the format used therein, but have used the format "Sookunpoo" when not.
Photos that show this Place
