Old Houses - 30 Lugard Road, The Peak | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Old Houses - 30 Lugard Road, The Peak

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Old Houses - 30 Lugard Road, The Peak
Submitted by Alison.

The apartments we moved into in 1953 on Lugard Road, The Peak and lived there until 1956.  I believe they are still standing today and look much the same.

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Sunday, January 1, 1950
Gallery: 
1950s Hong Kong
Connections: 
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Comments

Submitted by annelisec on Fri, 2011-06-10 19:24.

They look exactly the same today. Well built I'd say.

Submitted by David on Mon, 2011-06-13 01:34.

They're called Hirst Mansions today - was it the same name when you were there?

Regards, David

Submitted by Alison. on Mon, 2011-06-13 15:57.

I think it was called that but no one ever used the name.  The apartments were all rented by the staff of the British General Electric Company - of which my father was one and he eventually became HK and SE Asian Manager and that is when we moved to Mt. Kellett Road.

Submitted by 80sKid on Mon, 2011-06-13 16:27.

"No. 30, the apartment house known as Hirst Mansions, was built by the General Electric Company of the U.K., post-war, to provide accommodation for its senior staff, the last of whom, Mr. Alastair Murray, left Hong Kong during the 1980s." http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/44/4400867.pdf

Presumably named after Hugo Hirst, (later Lord Hirst) the 'Father of GEC' http://www.britishtelephones.com/histgec.htm

Submitted by Alison. on Wed, 2011-06-15 13:37.

That is fascinating - thank you for the link - do you know when it was written?  I remember there was a Dr. John Park who was there when we were and I wonder if the author is a relative?  The apartments were indeed new when we moved in and I recall all the other tenants very well and the occupants of the houses nearby.  We often played on Lugard Road as children as there were very few cars and I remember the Duke and Duchess of Kent used to walk around the Peak - often at the weekend - with the baby pram and their first born - this was when the Duke was posted to Hong Kong in the army.  We used to chat to them and play with the baby in the pram.

As for the G.E.C. my father moved to HK in 1947 with the company and I remember him telling me that one of the first contracts they undertook was the lighting on the runway at Kai Tak airport following the Japanese occupation.

Submitted by annelisec on Wed, 2011-06-15 16:59.

The author, Barbara Park, was John Park's third wife.  

His second wife, Isobel and he bought 28 Lugard Road and lived there in the 1960s.

I'm interested to learn that he lived at #30 before he married Isobel.

John died in the US in Washington State, after having married at least one more time.

Here is his obituary: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=John-Park&...

Submitted by moddsey on Wed, 2011-06-15 17:44.

Yes, British GE (HK) Ltd had won the lighting contract for Kai Tak. Over 7 miles of cables were laid with duplicate circuits from separate supply sources so that if one supply source had failed, half of the approach and runway lighting would remain on. This was an engineering feat at the time. Another achievement was the lighting of the curved approach over the city from Kowloon Tong to Kowloon City with the erection of light fittings on the rooftops of buildings.

Submitted by Alison. on Wed, 2011-06-15 20:21.

I remember my father talking about this - and the lighting of the curved approach.  I am almost sure they also did the engineering for the new runway that went into the harbour as well.

Submitted by Alison. on Wed, 2011-06-15 20:29.

Thank you,  Annelisec, I enjoyed that article very much.  I am sorry if I misled you, John Park didn't live at No. 30 - he lived at 28 with Isobel as you mentioned. She was the headmistress of the Peak School when I was there.  They had a daughter and I think her name was Dorothy.  John Park was, I think, in partnership with Dr. Eric Vio who was married to an Italian concert pianist - Annarosa Taddei.   They were our doctors and great friends of my parents.  Eric Vio was a surgeon.

Submitted by moddsey on Wed, 2011-06-15 21:35.

Yes, GE also did the lighting for the seaward approach to the reclaimed runway at Kai Tak.

Submitted by annelisec on Wed, 2011-06-15 23:02.

Isobel only passed away last year here in Hong Kong.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2011-06-19 22:48.

Dr eric vio is a surgeon. His wife is annarose taddei vio,but is passed away in few months .

Submitted by Alison. on Mon, 2011-06-20 19:59.

I am sorry to hear the news about Isobel Park  - she must have been quite elderly.  Do you know what happened to her daughter?  I am sorry to hear that Annarosa Taddei passed away too - is Dr Vio still alive?  

Submitted by annelisec on Mon, 2011-06-20 21:10.

Isobel's daughter lives in the UK.   I'm in touch with her now and then.