Victoria Barracks, Hong Kong

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The Victoria Barracks (Chinese: 域多利兵房) were barracks in Admiralty of Central on the Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The barracks was constructed between the 1840s and 1874,^[1] situated on Cotton Tree Drive, Kennedy Road and Queensway, Hong Kong. The Barracks with Murray Barracks, Wellington Barracks and Admiralty Dock formed a British military zone in the Central.

The barracks was one of the first British military compounds in Hong Kong and were used by the Japanese during the Japanese occupation (1941-1945). They had undergone major restoration after World War II. Part of the land was returned to the government in 1967;^[2] most of the rest was transferred to Hong Kong Government in 1979.^[1]

According to the Hong Kong Heritage Society, a Shinto-style arch was built and a pilau stone was erected by the Japanese Admiral during wartime.^[3] These Japanese structures still existed in the barracks in the late 1970s.^[2]

The barracks had been used as a branch office of Immigration Department;^[4] illegal immigrants went to the Victoria Barrack office for the registration and application of the Hong Kong Identity Cards in 1979.^[5]

Contents 1 The Planning for the redevelopment of the Barracks 2 Historic Buildings 3 Queen's line 4 Destroyed Buildings 5 Gallery 6 References 7 External link

[edit] The Planning for the redevelopment of the Barracks

In March 1977, the Governor of Hong Kong appointed the Victoria Barracks Planning Committee to advise him and the Executive Council on the planning of the area; in September in the same year, the committee published the Report to the Governor-in-Council on the Future Development of Victoria Barracks.^[3]

The planning of the redevelopment of the Victoria Barracks had led to the strong public pressure in the late 1970s. According to the Report, the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Hong Kong Heritage Society objected to set up the ad hoc committee, separate from the Town Planning Board.^[3]

In the report, the committee suggested that the public supported to preserve the mature trees and the green zones, including the wooded slopes, in the Barracks; also, it is suggested that Flagstaff House and other historic buildings should be preserved. The Hong Kong Squash Rackets Association supported to retent the historic squash courts building,^[3] which was later demolished during the redevelopment and replaced by a new one. The Scout Association of Hong Kong requested for the allocation of some of the buildings and structures for setting up a scout training centre.^[3]

Some people proposed that the government should resiting the new proposed secondary school, the government offices and the then Supreme Court(now High Court).^[3]

In 1979,the Government release the final planning proposal; the Urban Council, the Conservancy Association and the Hong Kong Heritage Society were dissatisfied that the Government refused to preserve the whole site of the Barracks.^[6]

Part of the site was converted to the Hong Kong Park while the southern part of the barracks was now where Pacific Place, High Court and Queenway Government Offices are standing.

[edit] Historic Buildings

Some of the barracks were preserved and graded as Historic Buildings:

• The Former Explosives Magazine complex of the Barrack was graded as Grade I Historic Building.^[7]It contains two former explosives magazines and a laboratory building separated by earth mounds known as traverses which were built as buffers in case of explosions ^[8].

The following buildings are graded as Grade II historic buildings^[7]

• Cassels Block (early 20th century), former barracks for married British officers. Originally named as "Block C"^[8]. Now housing the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre since 1992.
• Rawlinson House (1910 ^[3] in early 20th century), former house of the British Deputy General(aka "Deputy Commander British Force"^[2]), converted in the 1980s into a marriage registry. Two Warrant Officiers' Married Quarters were combined into the single building in 1960s.^[2]
• Wavell House (early 20th century), former quarters for married British officers, converted in 1991 into the aviary support centre (Education Centre).
• Montgomery Block was used by the Mother's Choice Limited and KELY Support Group. It was returned from the then British Force to the Hong Kong Government in 1967.^[2]
• Roberts Block occupied by the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association as the Jockey Club New Life Hostel since 1986. It was returned from the then British Force to the Hong Kong Government in 1967.^[2]

[edit] Queen's line

Ching Yi To Barracks, formerly known as "Queen's Line", was part of the Barracks. The current Ching Yi To Barracks is used by the People's Liberation Army.^[9]

Dragon House and Paget House was two of the existing buildings of the former Victoria Barracks in the current barracks.^[10]

[edit] Destroyed Buildings

The following building was destroyed when the barracks were redeveloped into the Park:

• Blocks A,B,C, D and E: They were built in around 1868 for the Indian troops of the garrison. Block A and B were later used to accommodate the Headquarters in 1920s; A bamboo bridge was used to connect the two blocks in the period. Block D was used as Headquarters Bridgade of Gurkhas in 1970s.^[2] The Victoria Barracks Planning Committee recommended that Block E should be preserved for the community uses in a report to the Governor and the then Executive Council ^[3].
• Alexander Block: Erected in the early 1900s.^[2]
• Birdwood Block was the identical twins of Cassels Block. Like the Cassels Block, it also had the stepped roof. ^[2] The Block was named after Lt.General Sir William “Birdie” Birdwood" ^[8].It was used as married offiers' quarters.^[2]
• Colvin Block was used by Women's Royal Army Corps,^[11]
• Freyberg Block was built in 1931 and had been used as the Head of Service of Intelligence.^[2]
• Gort Block
• Hamilton Block was returned from the then British Force to the Hong Kong Government in 1967. ^[2]
• Kitchener Block was used accommodation for school teachers.^[2]
• The Squash Courts building in the Barracks was the first one of such kind of building built in Hong Kong.^[12]

[edit] Gallery

Rawlinson House, now used as Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry	Cassels Block	Wavell Block	The historic stone which were once erected in the Barracks area , now is on the lawn outside the Flagstaff House
The Statue of a British soldier in Hong Kong Park, reminder of the historic background of the park	The Pacific Place and the Queenway Government (the yellow building on the right hand side) are standing on the site where once the Victoria Barracks was located

[edit] References

[edit] External link

• [1] The selection of photos of “Victoria barracks” from the 1970s and earlier.