Kwanti Race Course [c.1926-c.1941]
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Submitted by David on Tue, 2012-05-08 18:25
Current condition:
Demolished / No longer exists
Date Place completed:
c.1926-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)
Date Place demolished:
c.1941-12-31 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)
The location of the racecourse is shown on 'Map 1945' at http://www.hkmaps.hk/mapviewer.html
The earliest mention of the racecourse I've found in the newspapers is from 1926. Then it appears regularly through the 1930s until 1941 and the outbreak of war, as the newspapers reported races at the track. I don't see it mentioned again after the war though, and by the early 1950s the British Army had taken over the old racecourse site to use for a new barracks. I'll estimate the racecourse was in used from 1926-1941.
It is named after the Kwan Ti village, which is a short distance away to the east. (On modern maps the village name is spelled Kwan Tei.)
Photos that show this place
 1926 |
 1932 |
 1932 |
Comments
Photos of the racecourse and hunting
For those interested, the HKU Libraries Image Database has many photos of the Kwanti/Fanling racecourse, searchable under 'Fanling Hunt Club', as well as some outlines of the course and its location, for example here: http://digital.lib.hku.hk/hkimage/collections?PID=77209&search=san%20wai
Kwanti Racecourse
With reservations, Kwanti racecourse and Fanling Golf course were considered usable as a landing ground as an option to Kai Tak. From the Defence Plan issued in 1936 (actually the 1935 Plan, but they had just got around to publishing it): 'Landing ground at Kwanti Racecourse near Fanling has been used both by large and small aircraft, but at present too small to be safe, a landing if urgently necessary could also be made at Fanling Golf Course, but it would be a difficult undertaking. The construction of an additional aerodrome at Pat Heung is nearing completion'.
Presumably Pat Heung is what is now known as Shek Kong airfield.