The residence named “Yalta” stood on Rural Building Lot 54 on the west side of Mount Kellett, just below the level of Mount Kellett Road. The Lot was scheduled for public auction on 21 Dec 1887 (1), but I don’t know the result. The earliest mention of the name “Yalta” that I’ve come across is in 1890 (2), meaning that the house was probably completed sometime in or before early 1890.
The name was used until 1923 (3), but by 1st January 1924 it had changed to “Kellet Lodge” (yes, only one ‘t” in Kellet - an alternative spelling used sometimes in the early days) (4). At sometime, I’m unsure of the date but it may have corresponded with the name change, the house was extended and converted from a single residence into a semi-detached. Evidence of this comes from the 1924 Peak Re-numbering Exercise which lists not only, “Kellet Lodge”, but also “Kellet Lodge (Extension)”, and allocates them the Peak Numbers 180 and 181 respectively. Later the same year, an advertisement for the letting of “Kellet Lodge”, specifically stated “but not including the extension”, indicating two functionally independent residences (5). The 1950’s Peak map shows “Kellett Lodge” (spelled with double “t’s” by now) as one building, numbered 180 & 181, i.e. a semi-detached (6).
As “Yalta” probably underwent significant rebuilding work to become “Kellet Lodge”, I’ve made separate “places” for them on Gwulo.
- Government Notification 522/1887.
- Peak Directory & Ladies Directory in the 1890 Directory & Chronicle for China etc.
- Peak Directory & Ladies Directory in the 1923 Directory & Chronicle for China etc.
- Peak Renumbering Exercise of 1 January 1924.
- Hong Kong Telegraph, 14 August 1924, “To Be Let. Kellet Lodge, No.180 The Peak. The above property situated on RBL 54 (but not including the extension) is to be let”.
- See map at https://gwulo.com/media/14175 .
Photos that show this Place
