Mountain Lodge - The First Mountain Lodge

The First Mountain Lodge

Governor MacDonnell (1866–1872), in 1867, obtained the site from the military and arrangements were made for a bungalow to be built for the Governor's use. He had noted that the temperature was 14°F less than Central District in the summer.

There were three main buildings at the first Mountain Lodge. The Lodge itself, faced toward Pok Fu Lam on one side, and the lawn on the other. Two smaller buildings, rather like large European style cabins, and faced the lawn with their backs to the hillside.

A strong typhoon damaged Mountain Lodge in 1874 and James Russell (judge), Chief Justice of the Hong Kong supreme court, applied for a lease on the property in 1875, but it was not granted.

Governor Hennessy (1877–1882) engaged in an umbrella fight with a judge at Mountain Lodge, and lost. Photos of two of three buildings on the site are at this reference.

Sir William H. Marsh was Colonial Secretary and then the acting Governor, from 1879 - 1886. His wife, Mrs. Marsh advertised "at homes" at Mountain Lodge.

In 1892, another typhoon did some damage. You can see photos of both the first and second incarnations of Mountain Lodge at this reference.

A second "Mountain Lodge" was designed in 1892 by Francis Cooper, the Director of Public Works. In 1892, the Gate Lodge was built is in Renaissance style. However, when Sir Henry Arthur Blake became Governor, he did not like the proposals.