PG Farm [????-????] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

PG Farm [????-????]

Primary tabs

Submitted by Bails on Thu, 2011-12-22 16:42
Current condition: 
Demolished / No longer exists

Does anyone growing up in Hong Kong in the 50's and 60's remember the PG Farm? It was where the lowland part of Ocean Park is now. It had a pond (I think it is the same one that is there now), a strange collection of animals - geese, monkeys, some birds, pony rides, rabbits etc. Some nice gardens etc. Just a wonderful place for young kids.

Tags: 
PG Farm
Ocean Park
HK Country Club
Amusement park
  • Log in or register to post comments

Photos that show this place

1961
1963

Comments

Submitted by annelisec on Fri, 2011-12-23 21:32.

Here is a first hand account:

and ...

 

Law in Hong Kong: an Introduction

PG Farm (discussed below under Occupiers Liability) involving injury caused by a bear circumvented the issue of strict ...

Submitted by Bails on Fri, 2011-12-23 23:29.
Wow, what is that an excerpt from? the fishing one I mean? Hope you area well. Derek.

Submitted by aetse on Sat, 2011-12-24 10:06.

P.F. Farm was originally a nusery used by the restaurant owners of the Parisian Grill. My father purchased the nursery and renamed it New P.G.Farm under a lease from the Govt. There was a fish pond, pony ride, and many animals, including pigs at one stage. The land was resumed by the Govt. in 1971 and became the Ocean Park today. The fish pond still exists.

Yes, the bear case was quite alarming, and since that incident, my father decided to get rid of all the dnagerous animals. 

AET

Submitted by aetse on Sat, 2011-12-24 10:07.

The farm was acquired in 1953 

Submitted by moddsey on Sat, 2011-12-24 10:48.

Thanks. I had always wondered what the  "PG" in PG Farm stood for. I was aware of the the PG sign for the Parisian Grill in Central but never connected the two. See: http://gwulo.com/node/3769

Submitted by Bails on Sat, 2011-12-24 23:57.
What year was the incident involving the bear?

Submitted by aetse on Sun, 2011-12-25 17:26.

PG Farm
My father kept all sort of anilmals in PG Farm as a hobby. It wasn't a business such.  There were no entrance fees and anyone can simply walk into the compound and spend the day. I remember he kept several black bears. What happened was one of the cage that kept a bear was somhow damaged, and an small English child, without parents around tried to touch the bear and was scratched by the bear. I do not know how serious it was but ungly lawsuits and appeals followed It happend aroround the late 60's, around 68-70 period.

Submitted by Bails on Sun, 2011-12-25 23:09.
I am amazed that I never ever heard about that unfortunate incident, and I must have been taken to PG farm many many times as a child. I seem to recall a monkey that did some pretty weird things. But I loved visiting the place and was very saddened when it closed. Thanks for your reply.

Submitted by PVan on Wed, 2011-12-28 19:31.

Yes I remember it was a favourite place to go for a sunday drive - I especially remember always looking fwd to having a bottle of Greenspot lemonade - ice cold ! There was also a donkey to ride - we loved going there (mid/late 50s)  

Submitted by Bails on Tue, 2012-01-03 20:07.

Had a conversation with my Mum yesterday about PG Farm - during which I said that thanks to Gwulo, I now know what the "PG" stands for.......she (now aged 79) said to me "Parisien Grill"....!!!

I asked her how come I grew up not knowing what the "PG" stood for - her answer..." You never asked!!!".

However, she had never heard of the 'bear incident' and only has fond memories of the place!!!

Submitted by Suziepie on Thu, 2012-02-09 12:06.

 

When we lived in HK it was a favourite place to go - Dad would take me, and my two brothers - with string and bent pins - and some bread we rolled into doghy balls to put on the end of the pins.  We used to have great fun 'fishing' in the pond - and oh yes, we did catch some little fish.  (We never ate them - hmm? now I think about it, where did they go - they must have to to the ducks !)

Suzie

Submitted by Lawrence Tsui on Sat, 2012-02-11 09:22.

The PG Farm was one of our favourite place to go when we were small and living at Belcher Gardens, Pokfulam Road.  I think the kiosk there was operated by Dairy Farm. 

I do remember reading about the incident of a European boy injured by the bearnin later years and felt bad for PG Farm.  I believe the caging was not safe enough, a young boy got too close, & he was grabbed or scratched by a bear.  There was a litigation involving a lot of damages since the boy was flown by private aircraft to Switzerland for treatment (at least that is my recollection).     

But apart from that, what a wonderful thing for Mr & Mrs Tse did, opening up the garden (farm? zoo?) to the enjoyment of the public and without entrance fee too!  Perhaps AET could tell how his parents conceive the idea of the New PG Farm?

Submitted by Alison. on Sat, 2012-02-11 15:42.

I remember the PG Farm very well - we used to go there on weekends and that is where we had our first pony rides - in the 50's !  I remember falling off once and being afraid to get back on ever again.  There was also a very large tortoise there and we were told he was over 100 years old - maybe that was fabrication for us kids, but we respected and revered that animal and always went to see him.  I have several photos of those visits and they do evoke happy memories.

Submitted by nt10000 on Tue, 2012-04-10 19:07.

Yes, I remember the PG Farm too. They had a ride where you could sit in this petrol powered tiny car and be driven round a small windy track. I can't have been more than 5 or 6 (circa 1966) at the time. My dad still has some super 8s of PG farm. I should get them digitised when I next go back to UK. NT.