Buxey Lodge (2nd Generation) - Conduit Road [1907-1959] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Buxey Lodge (2nd Generation) - Conduit Road [1907-1959]

Current condition: 
Demolished / No longer exists
Date Place completed: 
1907-01-01
Date Place demolished: 
1959-01-01

photo on eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/H-J-Moody-BUXEY-LODGE-HONG-KONG-ANTIQUE-PHOTOGRAPH_W...

The original name of this home was"New Lands".  In 1909 it was bought at auction by Sir. H. Mody, however he died there just two years later at the age of 73.

His widow, (his second wife), left it to the Zoroastrian Anjuman.

During the Japanese occupation, the Japanese Commader in Chief took over the house for his own residence.

Zoroastrians Diaspora: Religion and Migration -  By John R. Hinnells

It appears that since the finances after the war were in dire straits, the Anjuman sold the building to the Govenment. 

"Buxey Lodge in Conduit Road. The building on this site is used as
a hostel for unattached Government officers and has been held under requisition since it was vacated by the Navy."

LegCo 1954

Then, in about 1960, the Govenment tore it down and replaced it with 60 flats.

Photos that show this place

1910
1926
1935

Comments

Liz Chater has written more about this, the second building named Buxey Lodge, over on the entry for the first Buxey Lodge.

I cannot find the original sources for the conflicting information that Buxey Lodge was

  1. Left to Government, with Lady Mody allowed to live there until 1926
  2. That there were two wives - one Parsee, one not
  3. What Govenment did with the builiding between 1926 - and the Japanese occupation.
  4. That the building was left to a religious group after the Japanese Occupation.  Zoroastrians Diaspora: Religion and Migration By John R. Hinnells

Liz, were there any restriction on the use of the property by Government, perhaps community use only? any tips ?

Barbara Anslow writes:

Buxey Lodge was used as a hostel for Government servants after the war when accommodation was in short supply until more gov't flats were built.

Moddsey found this confirming the 1959 demolition date:

China Mail November 28 1958

The large old house on Conduit Road used as a hostel for single male government officers was to be pulled down in early 1959 to make way for an 11 storey government block comprising of 60 flats.

[Admin note: I've moved this comment here from the page for the first Buxey Lodge.]

according to legco records: the govt bought the second buxey lodge in 1954, though it's not clear who from.

One other item of interest is the provision of $300,000 for purchase of the property known as Buxey Lodge in Conduit Road. The building on this site is used as a hostel for unattached Government officers and has been held under requisition since it was vacated by the Navy. In view of the still acute accommodation problem, the opportunity was taken to purchase this property, which at some future date may be further developed.

http://www.legco.gov.hk/1954/h540922.pdf