Former Kowloon Magistracy Explained

Old South Kowloon District Court Building
Native Name:前南九龍裁判法院
Native Name Lang:zh-hant
Building Type:Courthouse
Location:Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
Address:38 Gascoigne Road
Location Country:Hong Kong
Completion Date:1933

The former Kowloon Magistracy is a historic building and former Magistrate's and District Court in Hong Kong, located at No. 38 Gascoigne Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon.

History

Constructed under the direction of Director of Public Works Richard McNeil Henderson in 1933,[1] the building housed a court handling minor criminal cases at magistrate's level. During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, it served as the Kowloon headquarters of the Kempeitai.[2] It later served as the Kowloon District Court which was renamed in 1957 the South Kowloon District Court. After the opening of the North Kowloon Magistracy in 1960, some cases were diverted there. The South Kowloon District Court remained in use as a district court until 1986 when it became the Judiciary Central File Repository. It has served as the Lands Tribunal since 1997 and accommodates five courts.[3]

The South Kowloon Magistracy moved to a building next door (36 Gascoigne Road) where it operated until final closure in 2000.[4]

Conservation

The former Kowloon Magistracy was listed as a Grade II historic building[5] in 1992 and upgraded to Grade I in 2009.[6]

References

22.3077°N 114.1726°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 100 Years Architects in Hong Kong 1841-1941. Tony Lam Chung Wai, Director of AGC Design Ltd.. 6 October 2018. 7 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181007040329/http://heritage.hku.hk/hongkong/uploads/files/100_Years_Architects_in_Hong_Kong_1841-1.pdf. dead.
  2. Book: Wordie, Jason. Streets: Exploring Kowloon. 2007. Hong Kong University Press. 978-962-209-813-8. 76.
  3. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Monument/form/Brief_Information_on_proposed_Grade_I_Items.pdf Antiquities and Monuments Office: Brief Information on Proposed Grade I Items, pp. 240-241
  4. Web site: South Kowloon Magistracy will close down soon. 7 October 2018. 21 June 2000. HKSAR Government.
  5. http://www.amo.gov.hk/form/historical.pdf List of Graded Historic Buildings in Hong Kong (as at 18 September 2009)
  6. http://www.aab.gov.hk/form/AAB-SM-chi.pdf List of the 1,444 Historic Buildings in Building Assessment