Chater Bungalow [????-????]
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[80sKid, I've copied your Forum post to this Place, so once we know the answer we can fill in the location. Regards, David.]
Reading the Legco accounts about Chatham Road there's a reference to Chater Bungalow being turned into a playground (at least some of it), though the answer given is somewhat unclear. I know Liz Chater mentioned it in a post about Sir Paul Chater, saying some of it was turned into a golf course. Does anyone know the location? There's only three references on google: here's the legco ref:
Item No. 21: Public Works Extraordinary:―Kowloon, Miscellaneous. Forming
Children's Playground and erecting of sheds etc., $5,500.
HON. MR. J. P. BRAGA.―Is this provision in pursuance of the Government's policy for preserving open spaces in Kowloon?
THE CHAIRMAN.―It was your wish that I should arrange for a playground out of the Chater Bungalow site. It really arises out of your representations that the Chatham Road playground was so unsatisfactory and unsafe that I have been to a great deal of trouble, or rather the Public Works Department has on my behalf, to find another site and the Kowloon Cricket Club has given up a portion of their site.
HON. MR. BRAGA.―In other words, this is a very economical solution of the difficulties which presented themselves to the Government.
THE CHAIRMAN.―Yes.
April 7 1932
Photos that show this place
 1881 |
 1904 |
 1915 |
Comments
Chater's Bungalow
Hi, Chater's Bungalow was I.L. 611. I'm attaching a plan of exactly where it was and I have drawn (very badly!) a red line around the area where the bungalow was situated.
Liz
Re; Chater's Bungalow
Hi Liz,
I have created a place for Chater's Bungalow. The Lot was later described as Kowloon Inland Lot No. 611.
Today's Hillwood Road divides the former site right down the middle. From the map that you have provided, here is a view, I think of Chater's Bungalow. It does not look like a 'bungalow' as such.
Circa 1915. Chater's Bungalow looking in a easterly direction across the grounds of the Kowloon Cricket Club. The Club's Pavilion was built in 1908. Below Chater's Bungalow is the Kowloon Bowling Green Club on Austin Road.
Today's view of Austin Road/Hillwood Road from the Kowloon Cricket Club.
Hi, thanks for the additional
Hi, thanks for the additional info. Chater's Bungalow is not in the photo, when he built it he had part of the garden flattened to make a tennis court, that was later turned into a mini golf course.ERROR: Image_assist macro refers to invalid node: 5905.
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You can see how flat he made it. The picture showing part of the grounds, you can just make out the tram lines of the tennis court. The remainder you can see there are crops growing, definitely his land but maybe he rented it out? Anyway, hope the above two pics help you.
Liz
re: Chater Bungalow
Moddsey, this is already a place, so I've set its location on the map and deleted the extra place you made.
I wonder if the building on top of the hill in the B&W photo could be the Observatory?
Regards, David
Chater's Bungalow
Thanks Liz and Moddsey for all your great work on the "bungalow" site. David, looks like you're right about the Observatory building; it's not the distinctive colonnaded side but the triangular black chimney looks similar in this photo here: http://gwulo.com/node/1608
Re: Chater's Bungalow
From Liz's photos, it would appear that Chater's Bungalow was closer to the Nathan Road side than in the 1915 photo.
Well, I guess it must be the back view of the Observatory on Mount Elgin, though it looks closer to Austin Road than I had anticipated.
Chater's Bungalow
Hi
From what I have found out, it was on the corner of Nathan Road and Austin Road and the whole property had a low wall as a boundary all round it. Sir Paul also donated part of his garden for the Vicarage of St. Andrews's to be built (which he paid for). Hope that helps to get your bearings.
Liz
Chater's Bungalow and the Observatory
Hi, if you look closely at the map I've supplied you'll see the observatory situated at the end/foot of the plot of St. Andrew's church. St. Andrew's was directly adjacent to Chater's Bungalow, so if Chater was standing in his garden with his back to his house, he would have seen the observatory on his right
Liz
Chater Bungalow
Chater Bungalow- Construction of Hillwood & Pine Tree Hill Roads
HK Telegraph 26 October 1931
Chater Bungalow property off Nathan Road originally the residence of Sir Paul Chater which subsequently passed into the hands of the Procure des Missions Etrangeres has been sold to a Chinese syndicate. The intention of the new owner is to develop the property for the construction of modern flats and dwelling houses. It is believed that blocks of flats will be erected around the property which includes the present Minimus Golf Park, from Nathan Road to Austin Avenue, while a roadway from the Nathan Road entrance is to be cut through the middle to join a continuation of Cox's Path which now ends at Austin Road after passing the Kowloon Cricket Club. Work will begin first on the Nathan Road end of the site while the Minimus Golf Course area will be taken in later. It is proposed that some 400 flats will be built.
The Bungalow was for many years occupied by the late Sir Paul Chater as a country residence. Quite recently the residence was converted into a Mission House. The grounds are very extensive and uneven.
Silver wedding soirée at Chater's Bungalow 1902
“Silver Wedding
Last night, Mr and Mrs G.J.B. Sayer celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of their wedding by entertaining a large party of friends in the Hon. C.P. Chater’s bungalow at Kowloon. The night was hardly an ideal one for dancing, but, nevertheless, dancing was kept up with unabated vigour till about midnight, when the party sat down to a recherche supper. Supper over, Mr T.H. Reid proposed the health of the host and hostess, and on behalf of those present gave expression to the hope that Mr and Mrs Sayer would have many more years of wedded bliss. Mr Sayer made a brief but appropriate response to the toast, which was drunk enthusiastically with musical honours. The toast of ‘The Ladies’ was proposed by Mr J.W.L. Oliver, and Mr J. Hooper was entrusted by the ladies with the onerous duty of replying on their behalf. A fine wedding cake, suitable decorated, was cut up by Mr Owen Ordish as the oldest friend of the family present. Mr and Mrs Sayer were made the recipients of a large number of valuable and very handsome silver presents.”
Source: The China Mail, page 6, 19th April 1902