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Barker Road () is a road located on
The following houses are there today (1/2019):
Odd numbers are uphill of Barker Road, even numbers downhill.
The most prominent building on Barker Road was Victoria Hospital. It was located at 15-17, Barker Road. It opened in 1903. In 1923, a maternity ward was added, this is today’s Victoria Flats – the only about 100 years old building on Barker Road. During World War II, the hospital was damaged and looted afterwards. In 1947, the hospital was demolished as it was beyond repair.HK Sunday Herald 26 October 1947, https://gwulo.com/comment/34948#comment-34948 On this place, Victoria House was built in 1951.
Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak is a hill on the western half of Hong Kong Island. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak only generally. With an elevation of , it is the highest hill on Hong Kong Island, ranked 29 in terms of elevation in Ho ...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta ...
at an altitude of approximately 350 metres (1150 ft) above sea level with a length of about 1,7 km (1,1 mi). It starts from the Old Peak Road
Old Peak Road is a road in the Mid-Levels on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is the most direct path from Victoria Gap and Victoria Peak to Central on Hong Kong Island. The highest altitude is about 350 meters, the highest altitude of the driv ...
(below the Peak Tram Upper Terminus) and ends at Magazine Gap on Peak Road
Peak Road is a road in The Peak on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is the only road to travel from Victoria Gap to Wan Chai Gap on Hong Kong Island. The Peak Road is a two-lane two-way traffic, which can take buses, minibuses and other vehi ...
.
Name
The road was named afterGeorge Digby Barker
General Sir George Digby Barker (Chinese Translated Name: ç™½åŠ ; 9 October 1833 – 15 April 1914) was a British soldier and colonial administrator.
Military career
Barker was commissioned into the 78th Regiment of Foot in 1853. He served i ...
, a former military commander and acting administrator of Hong Kong between May and December 1891.
History
The road opened in 1898. The Public Works Department reported in its Annual Report for 1898 ''The Barker Road leading from Plantation Road to Magazine Gap was also completed in the year and opened for traffic, the total cost being $26,880.00. The length of this road is 5,660 feet and the ruling gradient 2 in 40, while the steepest gradients being 1 in 20 make it available for rickshaw traffic. ��' ''Long before completion, the road became a favourite evening walk and already three large building sites have been sold, and the erection of one European residence is well advanced.'' From this report it can be seen that Barker Road originally started at Plantation Road close to the Barker Road station (then Plantation Road station). Later the part from the station to the (Old) Peak Road was renamed from Plantation to Barker Road.Peak Tram Stop
On the western end of Barker Road theBarker Road stop
Barker Road () is an intermediate station on the Peak Tram funicular railway line, and is located on Barker Road in the Peak, Central and Western District, Hong Kong, above sea level. The station opened in 1888 along with the tramline. At this ti ...
of the Peak Tram is located. The tram runs over Barker Road on a bridge creating a narrow tunnel.
Houses
Barker Road is located on the steep slopes of Mount Gough. From all lots residents have an undisturbed view ontoVictoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour in Hong Kong separating Hong Kong Island in the south from the Kowloon Peninsula to the north. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on South China Sea were instrumental i ...
making it a very expensive location. For that reason and due to the difficult terrain not too many houses have been built there. Most houses have been renewed since the first one was built on one lot, so today’s houses mainly are second or third generation.
The following houses are there today (1/2019):
Odd numbers are uphill of Barker Road, even numbers downhill.
Victoria Hospital
The most prominent building on Barker Road was Victoria Hospital. It was located at 15-17, Barker Road. It opened in 1903. In 1923, a maternity ward was added, this is today’s Victoria Flats – the only about 100 years old building on Barker Road. During World War II, the hospital was damaged and looted afterwards. In 1947, the hospital was demolished as it was beyond repair.HK Sunday Herald 26 October 1947, https://gwulo.com/comment/34948#comment-34948 On this place, Victoria House was built in 1951.
References
{{Commons category, Barker Road, Hong Kong Victoria Peak Roads on Hong Kong Island