Blocked entrances of ARP Network 04, Hospital Road | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Blocked entrances of ARP Network 04, Hospital Road

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Blocked entrances of ARP Network 04, Hospital Road
Submitted by Raymond Lo
Tags: 
history
Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Gallery: 
ARP Tunnels
Connections: 
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Comments

Submitted by David on Sat, 2013-05-18 12:22.

I don't know why this section of wall was replaced by concrete, but I don't think it was related to a tunnel portal. The tunnels didn't run as far west as Eastern Street.

Regards, David

Submitted by Raymond Lo on Sat, 2013-05-18 19:41.

A news article published by the Chinese language Kung Sheung Yat Pao[工商日報] on 27th October, 1940 about air raid precaution tunnel said that  the first tunnel built near Hospital Road was built from the Eastern Street. I guess whether the part replaced by concret was the entrance of the tunnel.

The article was on page 6 of the 27th October, 1940 edition of the Kung Sheung Yat Pao[工商日報].

Submitted by David on Sun, 2013-05-19 15:28.

Hi Raymond,

That's a new source. I can't read Chinese, so please let us know if it has any other interesting facts.

The source I used is a couple of maps that were included with the reports on the tunnels that were compiled in 1978 & 1979. (The reports can be viewed in the CEDD library, reference numbers 5328 and 11865). One of the maps dates to the 1940s when the tunnels were under construction, and the other is from the 1970s when the tunnels were investigated. Both show the same layout under the KGV park, with the westernmost tunnel just a small distance west from the portal on Hospital Road, and no portals on Eastern Street.

Also if they were going to dig an entrance in the slope on Eastern Street, I guess they wouldn't dig it so close to the corner as the concrete patch shown in the photo above. Excavating there would be very close to the wall along Hospital Road, making it unstable. Just a guess, as I'm not an engineer.

That doesn't explain the report in the Chinese newspapers though. Hopefully some other source will turn up that explains the difference.

Regards, David

Submitted by Raymond Lo on Sun, 2013-05-19 18:31.

According to the 7th December, 1940 edition of the Chinese language Ta Kung Pao[大公報], the Hong Kong Government decided to build the ARP Tunnel at Hospital Road. I will find the name of the contractor. I only have its Chinese name.

I will translate the news articles into English. Please wait.

Submitted by Raymond Lo on Mon, 2013-05-20 14:35.

The portion of the news article published by The Kung Sheung Daily News[工商日報]on 27th October, 1940 concerning the ARP Tunnel at the Eastern Street is as follows:......the first tunnel being dug[under the Victoria Peak]was situated at the Eastern Street.

The portion of the news article published by Ta Kung Pao[大公報]on 7th December, 1940 concerning the ARP Tunnel at the Hospital Road is as follows:Director of Air Raid Precautions Commander Steele-Perkins also decided to build air precaution tunnels at the  Hospital Road.

I asked an old neighbour this morning whether there was an air raid precaution tunnel at the Eastern Street. I said that that portion of the Eastern Street was at the corner of the Hospital road and Eastern Street, his answer was yes.

 

 

Submitted by tngan on Mon, 2013-05-20 14:53.

Hi there,

The MTR had been working there for quite a while.  The concrete shown in the photo looked sort of new.  I wonder if they have done that after back filling some of the tunnels there.

We need some older photos, I think.  Maybe simply some post war photos of the same spot?

Best Regards,

T

Submitted by David on Mon, 2013-05-20 22:10.

Thanks for the extra information. The contractor's name may have been "Marsman", as that is the name on the 1940s map.

Let's hope we can find some old photos of that wall as T suggests, so we can see what was there before the concrete.

Regards, David

Submitted by Raymond Lo on Tue, 2013-05-21 21:05.

I find a photograph of the Eastern Street taken from the corner of the Third Street on 22nd April, 1995, it shows that the corner of the Hospital Road and the Eastern Street of the stone wall is partially covered with concrete, just as the recent one.

Submitted by Bails on Wed, 2013-05-22 06:23.
Hong Kong has hundreds of these amazing walls made from granite blocks. Some are very old. Where was all the granite quarried from?

Submitted by Admin on Wed, 2013-05-22 22:13.

I walked by there yesterday, and took a closer look.

From across the street, it looks as though a section of the stone wall had been removed, then later filled in with concrete. That would suggest a tunnel portal had been dug there.

But when close-up, I can see that it was just a thin layer of cement over the top of the old stone wall. The old stone wall is still there underneath the concrete, so I don't think any tunnel was dug at that location. If a tunnel was dug into the wall at Eastern street, I believe it would have been done further up the hill.

Regards, David

Submitted by David on Wed, 2013-05-22 22:16.

Patrick Hase talks about quarrying in video 6a or 6b (can't remember which one) over here:

http://gwulo.com/Historical-development-of-the-Central-District

Quarrying was big business - think Stonecutters Island, Quarry Bay, etc.

Regards, David

Submitted by tngan on Thu, 2013-05-23 11:45.

Hi there,

If you could read Chinese, you might like to take a look at this link.

http://app1.rthk.org.hk/special/hkhistory2010/episode.php?ep=5

It is the episode 5 of the History of Hong Kong series.  I think google translate should give you some idea of it if you do not read Chinese.  Unfortunately the video archive is not carrying this series any longer.  Some DVD shops might still have it.  

Best Regards,

T

Submitted by tngan on Tue, 2020-10-13 17:33.

Hi There,

I don't know why I did not realize this before.  I winder if it is a drain, or a vent.  Whatever it is, it looks old.  Was the brick work recently falling off?  It didn't seem to be connected under ground based on its look.  Should have gone over and take a good look.  Maybe next time.

T

DSCF1469 (2).JPG
DSCF1469 (2).JPG, by tngan