Victoria Battery, Central [1890-c.1920]

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Submitted by Rob on Mon, 2012-03-19 21:43

Current condition:

Demolished / No longer exists

Date Place completed:

1890-10-01

Date Place demolished:

c.1920-01-01 (Year is approximate)

Year completed is: Accurate
Condition at last visit: Demolished
Date of last visit: Apr-1998
Ref: ROB-00167
Other:

Timeline:

1888: Construction commenced in August, estimated cost £3,000. (WO 78/5363).
1890: Construction completed in October, actual cost £4,079. (WO 78/5363).
1890: Initial Armament: 1 x 9.2" BL Mk IV gun on RCD mounting. (WO 78/5363).
1894: 1 x 9.2" BL gun. (CAB 11/57).
1897: 1 x 9.2" BL gun. (CAB 11/57).
1900: 1 x 9.2" BL gun. (CAB 11/57).
1901: 1 x 9.2" BL gun. (CAB 11/57).
1903: 1 x 9.2" BL gun. (CAB 11/57).
1904: 1 x 9.2" BL gun. (CAB 11/57).
1905: 1 x 9.2" BL gun. (CAB 11/57).
1906: 1 x 9.2" BL gun. (CAB 11/57).
1907: 1 x 9.2" BL gun, to be reduced. (CAB 11/57).
1909: Not listed.
1920: Land transferred to the Colonial Government. (WO 78/6009)

For a background to these notes, and a glossary of terms used, please see: http://gwulo.com/node/24630

Tags:

battery

Harbour Defence Battery

Photos that show this place

1889

1890

1930

See more photos of this place

Comments

Re: Victoria Battery

Permalink Submitted by tngan on Wed, 2013-01-02 17:55.

Hi there,

I have a faint impression that the location of this battery now sits the resident of the University Lodge. I remember reading from some newspapers that there is an old canon on display in there somewhere.

Best Regards,

re: Victoria Battery

Permalink Submitted by David on Wed, 2013-01-02 18:19.

Hi Thomas, you're right - I walked up there this morning and passed the gun. Here's the note from the Guns & Gunners of Hong Kong book:

About 1965 a house for the Vice Chancellor of the Hong Kong University was built upon the site. The builiders were hampered by the fact that the old 10 inch gun barrel was still there. ((Earlier in the notes he describes the gun as a '9.2 inch BL Mark IV' model.)) The University authorities tried to get the army to move it but with no success. Eventually it was decided to incorporate it into the garden and it is mounted on a stone plinth and has an explanatory plaque attached to it. No signs of the battery buildings can be found or the gun pit but it is certain that it was quite close to where the gun is now.

Regards, David