British Military Hospital, Hong Kong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids British Military Hospital |
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| British garrison, British Army | |
Millbank House, British Military Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong, c. 1994
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 Location in Hong Kong
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| Geography | |
| Location | Wylie Road, King's Park, Hong Kong |
| Coordinates | 22°18′38″N 114°10′35″E / 22.3106°N 114.1764°E |
| Organisation | |
| Hospital type | Military |
| History | |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Closed | 1996 |
The British Military Hospital was a special hospital in Hong Kong for the British Army and their families. It was built a long time ago, between 1903 and 1906. The hospital officially opened its doors on July 1, 1907.
The hospital had two main locations over the years. The first one was on Borrett Road, and the second was in the King's Park area. This hospital was very important for looking after the health of soldiers and their families in Hong Kong.
Contents
The First Hospital: Bowen Road
The first British Military Hospital was located at 10–12 Borrett Road. People often called it the Bowen Road Hospital. It was a large building made of red bricks. This hospital had 150 beds for patients.
The building had two main parts, each with three floors. These floors had wards for patients and a central area for managing the hospital. From the hospital, you could see amazing views of Victoria Harbour.
During the time when Japan occupied Hong Kong, some parts of the hospital were used to care for soldiers who were captured. The hospital kept helping people until 1967. After that, the government took over the building. The hospital then moved to a new location in Kowloon.
What Happened to the Old Hospital Buildings?
After the hospital moved out in 1967, the buildings on Borrett Road found new uses. From 1967 to 1972, the new Island School used the site temporarily. They rented it from the government for five years.
Today, the east part of the old hospital is home to the Carmel School. The Canadian International School also used the west part of the building from 1994 to 1999. They later moved to a new place.
Other buildings nearby, which were part of the hospital and became empty in 1969, were used by the Chinese International School in the 1980s. From 1991 to 1994, the 10 Borrett Road site became the first home for the West Island School.
Protecting the Historic Buildings
In 2001, the government decided to protect these old hospital buildings. This was to make sure they would be saved for the future. The Main Block and the Annex Block of the Old British Military Hospital are now considered Grade I historic buildings since 2009. This means they are very important historical sites.
Today, several groups use the old hospital buildings. These include:
- Carmel School
- Chung Ying Theatre Company
- Small World Christian Kindergarten
- Watchdog Early Education Centre
The New Hospital: King's Park
In 1967, a brand new British Military Hospital opened. It was a tall, 15-story building on Wylie Road in the King's Park area. This new hospital was built next to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. It replaced the older hospital on Bowen Road.
This new hospital provided medical care for soldiers, their families, and soldiers returning from places like Vietnam. The area also had places for officers and other soldiers to relax. There were also homes for soldiers' families in three buildings: Millbank House, Worcester Heights, and Canterbury Court.
Why Did the Hospital Close?
In the 1970s, the number of British soldiers in Hong Kong became smaller. Because of this, there was talk about using the military hospital to help the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which sometimes had too many patients. However, this idea was very expensive.
Eventually, it was decided that the British Military Hospital would close. It officially shut down on June 30, 1996. This happened because the number of British soldiers in Hong Kong was greatly reduced before 1997.
What Happened After It Closed?
After the hospital closed in 1996, it was used for a short time by the Philippine Consulate-General. They used it as a safe place for domestic workers who had lost their jobs.
The land where the hospital stood was very valuable. Today, this area is a private housing estate called Parc Palais.
Images for kids
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Millbank House, British Military Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong, c. 1994
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The Bowen Road Hospital, c. 1925
