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Buxey Lodge

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Submitted by lizchater on Fri, 2010-01-01 23:58

yesterday, I was browsing your photos and I noticed there was a pic of Buxey Lodge, unfortunately it wasn't tagged as such, it was in your "then and now" section.  I have looked and looked but I cannot find it.

 

I believe it is the first Buxey Lodge in Caine Road.

I'm attaching photos of the name marker of Buxey Lodge in Conduit Road.  Would be nice if I could find the first Buxey Lodge again!ERROR: Image_assist macro refers to invalid node: 4915. ERROR: Image_assist macro refers to invalid node: 4916.

More on Buxey Lodge Conduit Road

Friday 15th January 1909

 

“Newlands” Sold.  Fine residential property obtained cheap. 

The valuable leasehold property known and registered in the Land Office as Inland Lots nos. 1544 and 1712 with the premises thereon now known as “Newlands”, Conduit Road, was sold in one lot at Messrs. Hughes and Hough’s auction rooms at noon today.  The property, which was erected about two years ago on a commanding site, consisted of all those pieces or parcels of ground situated at Victoria in the Colony of Hongkong and registered in the Land Office as Inland Lots nos. 1544 and 1712.  The property is held under and subject to the agreements and conditions of sale under which the same were purchased from the Crown at public auction.  The purchaser will be entitled to apply for and obtain Crown leases of the lots for terms of 75 years each, subject to the payments of the Crown rents payable and to the performance of the conditions and agreements performable in respect thereof. 

Approximate area of Inland Lot 1544:- 49,246 square feet.  Approximate annual crown rent $359.42. Approximate area of Inland Lot 1712:- 13,872 square feet.  Approximate annual Crown rent $95. 

There were a number of people present interested in landed property.  Bidding was not very keen.  The property was put up for $40,000.  Mr. H.N. Mody was the first to raise the price by $1,000 by which amount the bidding rose to $45,000 was reached, when the property was knocked down to the original bidder (Mr. H.N. Mody) for the very low sum of $45,000.  At this figure the cost per square foot of leveled land, with a fine mansion on it, and the very costly retaining wall, together with the well laid out “approach” to the house, works out at 71.29 cents.[1] 

 

A significant purchase by Mr. Mody – “Newlands” was the site of Mody’s new “Buxey Lodge”.


[1] The Hongkong Telegraph 15th January 1909 p.4

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Submitted by moddsey on Sat, 2010-01-02 06:48.

The original Buxey Lodge was located at No. 99 Caine Road. There is a photo of it on Pg 33 of Hong Kong Going and Gone published by the Hong Kong Btanch of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1980. This is the caption to the photo:

"Buxey Lodge is an example of the large mansions that were found on Caine Road in the 1870s. It was built for the wealthy Parsee merchant, Hormusjee Mody. Adjoining it was Forrest Lodge, a similar building, erected by his business associate, Paul Chater. Today the building is in poor condition. The cupolas are supported by wooden shoring and the plaster ornamentation has disintegrated in many places. But, surrounded as it is by modern high-rise buildings, it is an impressive reminder of the grandiose architecture of many of old Hong Kong's private mansions."

The publication does not have a photo of the second Buxey Lodge at 37 Conduit Road

Submitted by David on Sat, 2010-01-02 09:20.

Maybe there's a photo in AETse's set of old mid-levels buildings?

Submitted by lizchater on Sun, 2010-01-03 14:17.

27th November 1902

 

Mr. H.N. Mody Consul for Siam, entertained the Commander and officers of the Royal yacht Maha Chakrikri  to a Banquet at Buxey Lodge, in Caine Road  this evening.  The band of the yacht was in attendance and toasts to H.M. The King and Crown Prince were heartily responded to. The party are the guests of Mr. Mody  and have been favoured with an invitation to the Ball tomorrow evening where they will be escorted by Mr. Mody.

Submitted by lizchater on Sun, 2010-01-03 14:26.

Here is an extract of my research into the properties of Chater and Mody.

Around 1869 Chater’s first home of his own was in Caine Road, living at working from number 17. It was the first of his spacious homes.  It was here that his nephew Paul Jordan., along with Paul’s wife, Helen and their children resided for a time, whilst Jordan was carving out his financial career. 
 
It was at No. 17 that Dr. Gregory Jordan  and his new bride Helen had their wedding breakfast enjoyed by a large throng of family and friends numbering around 200.  Chater is recorded as living and running his brokering business from No. 17 between 1873 and 1892.  Sometime around 1880 he built his house in Kowloon and it is thought that he spent his working week in Caine Road and his weekends at the Bungalow which was referred to as his “recreational” house.
 
Seven houses away on the same side of the road was Mr. Mody’s house, Buxey Lodge  at number 31 which he occupied from at least 1894 as it first appears in the Rates Collection Books for that year.
 
Between 1903-1908 the house number for Buxey Lodge   changed from No. 31 to No. 47.  Also the Rates Books indicate that it was sometimes erroneously named “Busey Lodge” or “Busey Cottage”.
 
In 1912 the name of the building remained unchanged but the owner was changed to Pun Young Wo, presumably sold after the death of Mody in 1911.  It was recorded in the Collection Books as Buxey Lodge  up to 1914, after which time it was not referred to by any name.
 
On 14th April 1913 a Crown Lease in respect of IL 1544 (37 Conduit Road) was issued to Lady M.H. Mody.  The residence then standing on that Lot was called “New Lands”, but in 1916 it was recorded as “Busey Lodge”,  This was evidently a mis-spelling of “Buxey”.
 
In 1934 the number of  47 Caine Road  changed to 99 Caine Road.
 
Next door to Mr. Mody.  in Caine Road at number 29 was the home (in 1886) of Joseph Theo Chater, Sir Paul’s brother and on the other side of Mody was No. 35 Forest Lodge the home (in 1901) of Dr. Gregory Jordan  , Sir Paul’s nephew.  It is thought that Forest Lodge was the house that Paul Chater first built and certainly the architectural and style of it was very similar to Buxey Lodge (see photograph). It was at Forest Lodge that Dr. Jordan’s brother, Paul Jordan died.  In the late 1890’s and early 1900’s, it may have been called Caine Road, but perhaps it should have been called Chater Road.  The whole family was centrally situated and perfectly placed to see and hear what was happening in the Colony.
 
Around 1903 the house numbers in Caine Road changed.  Number 33 became No. 49, Number 31 became No. 47, number 29 became No.  45, and number 17 became No. 33.
 
The numbering changed again in 1934 and it is known that No. 47 Caine Road then became No. 99 Caine Road.

Submitted by annelisec on Wed, 2010-03-17 20:02.

Liz,

Sean thinks his great-grandfather lived in Forest Lodge - 33 Caine Rd.  Do you have a photo you can post?

Submitted by lizchater on Sun, 2010-03-21 01:07.

Sorry Annelisec I don't have any photos.  Wish I did! :) By the way, don't forget the house numbering in Caine Road changed several times.....won't affect houses that were named, but those with just numbers will have more a problem identifying the house they're really after.

 

liz

Submitted by richardwonghk on Fri, 2017-12-01 00:36.

Submitted by richardwonghk on Sun, 2018-02-18 02:50.

Submitted by Admin on Wed, 2018-02-21 15:23.

Hi Richard, great photos! It'll be good if you can upload a copy to Gwulo (like this https://gwulo.com/node/2076), then we can use Gwulo's features like Zoom, link photos to buildings, etc.

Regards, David