Peak Hospital [1889-c.1931]

The "Peak Hospital" was founded by Dr. James Cantlie and was the second private hospital built in Hong Kong. Maude Ingall was the first matron, and Sister Annie Thompson, the second, though Dr. Cantlie did not fully approve of the way they ran the hospital. It was originally on Mt. Kellett (listed as such in 1894).  It pre-dated Matilda Hospital, by 17 years. 

In 1898 three men (Dr. William Hartigan, Frederick Osmund Stedman and
Alexander Rennie) bought the site just above the Peak Hotel from Mr. Ede (original owner of the Peak Hotel lot and Trevrbyn) and built the new "Peak Hospital"  with a very nice mansion for a doctors' residence next door, (which they named "Formosa") next door.

[Hong Kong Telegraph, September 18, 1902 - The Journal of Tropical Medicine for August 15 contains an excellent picture of the Peak Hospital with the doctor's residence adjacent.]

In the 1920s,  the "Peak Hospital Company" owners had decided to close the hospital and sell the land.  A Mr. J. E. Joseph stepped up, bought it from the "Peak Hospital Company" and offered it at a pepper-corn rent to the Government to keep the Hospital open.  It finally closed in 1932, when the War Memorial Nursing Home was opened on Mt. Kellet, and the land returned to Mr. Joseph. 

The Government lease on the property expired in 1950.

(there is actual a Hong Kong law - the J. E. JOSEPH TRUST FUND ORDINANCE - created by him for "the encouragement and improvement of agriculture in the New Territories" - and "In 1937, property below the Jewsih Recreation Club was given to the community by J.E. Joseph. Named Beit Simcha - in memory of his mother - the property was purchased to preserve the harbour view, to house the rabbi, along with a ground floor mikvah."