Hunter's, or possibly Huntsman's, Arms [????- ] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Hunter's, or possibly Huntsman's, Arms [????- ]

Noted on a road map circa 1960. May have been connected with pre-war Fanling Hunt. Position marked is approximate

Photos that show this place

Comments

You're right. This clipping from 1927 shows it was run by the Fanling Hunt:

The Fanling Hunt and The Hunter's Arms

I've moved the marker to be roughly where it is shown on Moddsey's map above.

Any guesses when it was closed? The last mention I can find of it in the newspapers is in The China Mail, 1937-11-19, reporting on the AGM of the Fanling Hunt and Race Club.

And is there anything left of it today, or any photos out there showing what it looked like?

There is a whole chapter on the Fanling Hunt in the book "At The Peak" by Paul Gillingham. Page153, Several pictures but none of the Hunter's Arms although it is mentioned

IDJ

This is a well-known photo of the Hunters Arms; always wonder where exactly it was:

Hunters Arms 1.jpg
Hunters Arms 1.jpg, by hwngan

A group of members of the Fanling Hunt and Race Club at the building, which is said to be a village house called "鄧裕興" rented by the Club in the Fanling area: 

Hunters Arms 2.jpg
Hunters Arms 2.jpg, by hwngan

Another view of the same building entrance:

Hunters Arms 3.jpg
Hunters Arms 3.jpg, by hwngan

An early photo of the Sha Tau Kok railway line, which operated between 1912 and 1928:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sha_Tau_Kok_Railway

Map of the area in the same era given below. Note the building complex at the top of the photo:

Hunters Arms 4.jpg
Hunters Arms 4.jpg, by hwngan
Sha Tau Kok line
Sha Tau Kok line, by hwngan

Enlarged view of the village houses. Note the close resemblance of the building entrance with "Hunters Arms 1.jpg". Looks like the building complex was the Hunters Arms:

Hunters Arms 5.jpg
Hunters Arms 5.jpg, by hwngan

The same area of the railway track in the 1930s (the Sha Tau Kok line should have been abandoned by then). The armoured car blocked the view of the Chinese village houses in the background:

Hunters Arms 6.gif
Hunters Arms 6.gif, by hwngan

According to an article (reference below), the Hunters Arms in "鄧裕興樓" was at the site of the present-day Fanling Assemblies of God, located at Jockey Club Road near the junction with Sha Tau Kok Road. This is exactly the location of the village house in "Hunters Arms 5.jpg", and so the road in "Hunters Arms 1.jpg" is confirmed to be today's Jockey Club Road. Was this the reason for naming the road this way after the war, since the Fanling Hunt and Race Club was part of HK Jockey Club?

Reference: https://ol.mingpao.com/ldy/cultureleisure/culture/20210228/1614449844280...

Hunters Arms 7.jpg
Hunters Arms 7.jpg, by hwngan

In "Hunters Arms 4.jpg" above, there is a big fenced area in front of the Hunters Arms, with two European bungalows inside. The fence at the back of the area appears to line up with today's Jockey Club Road, so on west side of the road would be this unknown area, on the opposite side would be the Hunters Arms (or "鄧裕興樓" at the time of the photo). This area lasted till the 1930's when the Hunters Arms was in operation, as seen in "Hunters Arms 6.jpg" where the armoured car gives the date in 1930's. Any one knows what that was? In the 1930's photo, a flag can be seen hoisted at one of the two houses - so was that a government/military area?

Hunters Arms 8.jpg
Hunters Arms 8.jpg, by hwngan

 

The Fanling Hunt is also said to be up to the Beas River area, and the present-day HKJC Beas River Old Clubhouse is said to be a clubhouse used at that time:

HKJC Beas River Clubhouse.jpg
HKJC Beas River Clubhouse.jpg, by hwngan

This is a photo showing the clubhouse (right side near middle) in the 1950's when the area was the military Beas Stables Camp:

Beas Stables Camp.jpg
Beas Stables Camp.jpg, by hwngan

Any one knows the history of this clubhouse?

The following place names were mentioned in the Fanling Hunt during 1925-1928:

a) Fanling Crossroads;

b) Lok Ma Chau Crossroads;

c) Fanling Golf Course;

d) Sir Walwing Wynne's Kennel;

e) The "Hut" at Kwanti;

f) The "Kennels" at Kwanti;

g) Cheery 'Ole ;

h) Portuguese Golf Club;

i) Mr. Peter Potts' Bungalow;

j) Mrs Bernard's Bungalow;

k) Mr. da Sousa's Residence and

l) Sheung Shui and Au Tau Police Stations

 

Members of the Mounted Infantry and Armoured Car Companies of the HKVDC were closely associated with the Fanling Hunt. Support was provided in organising the Hunt.