Alex. Ross & Co. garage / TST Post Office (3rd location) [c.1929-????] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Alex. Ross & Co. garage / TST Post Office (3rd location) [c.1929-????]

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Submitted by David on Sat, 2010-02-27 22:30
Current condition: 
Demolished / No longer exists
Date Place completed: 
c.1929-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)

This was on Salisbury Road, next to the KCR terminus and opposite the old Marine Police HQ.

Initially it was built as a garage. Notes from Moddsey:

The typhoon of 20 August 1927 brought down the HK and Kowloon Taxicab Company's Garage on Salisbury Road near the KCR Terminus. About 20 cars and half a dozen motor cycles were in the garage at the time of the disaster.Extensive damage was caused. HK Telegraph 22 August 1927 refers.

In 1928, foundation work for a new motor garage for Alex. Ross & Co. Ltd had begun on the same site.  HK Daily Press 2 July 1928 refers. The one storey building would be completed around 1929.

In 1934, it became the TST Post Office. Moddsey again:

The move [from its first location] across Salisbury Road to larger premises was completed in November 1934 when a showroom and garage formerly occupied by Messrs. Alex. Ross & Co. on KCR property was converted into a Post Office with a large public hall with fitted counters, sorting room and records office.

The move into the new premises was intended to be temporary one until a larger administration building housing other government departments and post office could be built. Owing to the economic depression that Hong Kong was facing in the 1930s, construction of a new Post Office in Kowloon prior to WWII never materialised.

Tags: 
post office
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Comments

Submitted by whitto on Thu, 2010-06-17 09:55.

Moddsey - what was the source of your information regarding this post office and the description ??

Thanks in advance

Submitted by moddsey on Thu, 2010-06-17 22:02.

Well it has been some time now but I think it was a combination of the KCR, Public Works Department and Legco archives for that year.

Submitted by whitto on Fri, 2010-06-18 13:52.

It was the Public Works Report for 1934 - the new (temporary) Kowloon Post Office opened at the beginning of November 1934.

Submitted by moddsey on Sat, 2016-02-13 17:32.

China Mail 30 October 1934

The new Kowloon Post Office formerly occupied by Messrs Alex. Ross & Co, Ltd., opposite the Fire Station will be opened on 1 November 1934. (Typo in the year in write-up under place).

Submitted by Bails on Thu, 2016-03-03 12:08.

I recall a quaint little brick and stone building in this vicinity which sold handmade cotton goods, dolls, table cloths etc. It was called the Welfare Handicrafts shop - I wonder if it might have occupied the old Post Office building? It was tucked under the hill in front of the Maritime Police HQ in between the YMCA and Star House, facing what was the railway terminal?

Outside the shop, sitting on a low wall just to the west of it, there was often a man selling the most amazing objects from a basket,  All the things he sold were made from course grass and leaves. He made very beautiful grasshoppers and crickets as well as curled horns which made a screaching noise when blown!   I wonder if anyone else can recall this chap?

I have just located a photo of this building on a website called www.hkmemory.hk if you search Welfare Handicrafts Centre...

Submitted by David on Fri, 2016-03-04 17:50.

There were three buildings along this section of Salisbury Road. On the west was the Welfare Handicrafts Shop, in the middle was the fire station, and on the east was this building, the old Post Office. Only the fire station remains today.

Regards, David