Kenlis, 195 The Peak, RBL 117 [????-c.1970]

Patricia Penn, whose family lived in this house for many years, writes:

We never used the term 'Kenlis' in those days:  it was just '195'.    I certainly never heard of Kenlis before the War or  until relatively very recently.

It was a lovely house.   2 storey.    With the high ceilings and huge verandahs as was common (and effectively cool) in those days.    Originally had a peaked roof in the quite usual  black tiling of that era.   This roof was badly damaged in the 1937 typhoon and replaced with a much less attractive flat roof that year.     It belonged not to us but to the  Bank Line Ltd of which my father was Manager from 1934 until the early 60s - the HK branch of the London Shipping firm  Andrew Weir and Co.     (Except of course during the Japanese occupation when as a Volunteer he was in Shamshuipo and Argyle St camps).

195 was sold and 'developed' - that is to say replaced! -  on the site by the present  (if THEY haven't already torn them down and erected yet another inappropriate high rise!) TWO modern characterless buildings/houses when the Bank Line office closed in the late 60s/early 70s.   

If you come across any photos of 195 in its original form I wd love to have one - excellent view of it and the whole of Mt Mt Kellett from Mt Gough.     Before the War Mt Kellett had its original peak  - they lopped it off probably sometime in the 60s.