Remains of Dairy Farm
DAIRY FARMING: ITS HISTORY AND FUTURE
The Dairy Farm Co. Ltd was founded by a Scottish surgeon Sir Patrick Manson, and five local and foreign businessmen. During his practice in Hong Kong, Manson found that local people did not have access to hygienic fresh milk. Having a belief that fresh milk is essential for public health, he saw the commercial potential of dairy farming. Dairy Farm was established in 1886 that strived “to improve the health of Hong Kong people by supplying clean and uncontaminated cows’ milk”. Eighty heads of cattle were imported from Britain to Pokfulam for dairy farming. Pasteurisation began in 1902.
The farms scattered along Pokfulam Road, Sassoon Road and Victoria Road. Pokfulam was selected for its reliable water sources and geographical location - a hillside facing ocean with sufficient sunlight and winds during summer. Since Dairy Farm was acquired by Hongkong Land in the 1970s, Pokfulam’s landscape had experienced tremendous changes as the farmlands were transformed into residential districts. At Pokfulam there are still some remains of the dairy farming facilities, Graded historic buildings include Old Dairy Farm Senior Staff Quarters (Grade 1), the Main Office Building (Grade 2) and the Cowsheds (Grade 2).
Reminders:
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The remains of Dairy Farm scatter around Pokfulam. This map shows the more easily accessible ones around Pokfulam Village only.
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Some remains such as grass silo and paddocks near Chi Fu Fa Yuen do not have pedestrian pathways and are inaccessible to the physically challenged individuals. Avoid visit during bad weather. Children are not advised to visit.
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The Senior Staff Quarters at Braemar is now under restoration. It is expected to reopen in 2019.
1972
Dairy Farm was acquired by Hongkong Land. Part of the farmland was then developed into Chi Fu Fa Yuen.
1983
Dairy Farm ceased dairy farming and sold all its cows at pokfulam.
Dairy Farm
At its peak, Dairy Farm built a 300-hectare farmland at Pokfulam and kept over 3,000 cows.
Sir Patrick Manson
Sir Patrick Manson made important contribution to parasitology and tropical medicine. He was one of the founders of the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese (the predecessor of the Faculty of Medicine of The University of Hong Kong).
Click on the buttons on the map to access point of interests:
CHI FU VALLEY
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Issues
Dairy Farming in Hong Kong
In the last few decades Hong Kong quickly developed as the world’s manufacturing and then financial centre. The economic contribution of primary sector becomes less and less visible. However, dairy farming was important to local economy. Two years after it began operation, Dairy Farm recorded profit in 1888. The business plan of Sir Patrick Manson was proved successful in the 1900s when Dairy Farm expanded to supply eggs, pork and poultry and import butter and frozen meat from Australia. Since the 1960s, Dairy Farm began to retreat from its agriculture business in Hong Kong, and expanded its retail service. Its brand name and licenses were acquired by Nestlé in 1992. Dairy Farm is no longer involved in the production and management of the dairy products. Kowloon Dairy, another major milk producer in Hong Kong, moved the farm to Guangzhou in 1984. Nowadays, most dairy products in Hong Kong are imported from Mainland China or overseas.
Sir Patrick Manson
Dairy Farm and Pokfulam
Dairy Farm at Pokfulam in 1951.
The geographical location of Pokfulam is perfect for agricultural activities. There are many streams leading from the hillside to the shore, where the dairy farms were built along. Its proximity to the City of Victoria at northern part of Hong Kong Island was another advantage. In 1892, Dairy Farm opened a central depot at Lower Albert Road (now occupied by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club and the Hong Kong Fringe Club). Pokfulam is only about four miles away from this depot. Dairy Farm brought many changes to the landscape and local community of Pokfulam, e.g., provided thousands of jobs to people there. Together with Béthanie and University Hall, the remains of Dairy Farm are the tangible records of British and other foreign communities’ contributions at Pokfulam during the early days of colonisation. However, most facilities of Dairy Farm had been demolished for property development since the 1970s (e.g., Baguio Villa). In 2013, Vocational Training Council put forward the construction plan of International Culinary College (surrounded by Main Office Building, SSQ and Wellcome Theatre), and a regular heritage walk was proposed to highlight the contribution of Dairy Farm in face of the potential property development at Chi Fu Valley, the Chi Fu Fa Yuen Residents’ Association suggests developing an ecological-heritage park there. The proposed park is named after Patrick Manson, so as to commemorate the contribution of Manson and Dairy Farm to Pokfulam and Hong Kong in general.
Heritage Revitalisation
The demolition of historic buildings like Star Ferry Pier and Queen’s Pier in 2007 raised public concern over heritage preservation and local history. In response, the government launched the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme to balance the need of heritage preservation and economic returns. The Old Dairy Farm Senior Staff Quarters is included in Batch IV of the Scheme. Caritas- Hong Kong, the organisation in charge of this project, plans to create 37 jobs during construction stage, 3 full-time and 4 part-time positions after its completion in 2019. Beyond this Scheme, the ex-Victoria Road Detention Centre at Mount Davis is to be converted to the campus of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. However, many privately- owned historic buildings are still under the threat of demolition. Jessville, a mansion next to Queen Mary Hospital at Pokfulam with over 85 years of history, was once planned to be reconstructed. An agreement between the landlord and the government was then reached in 2008: Jessville (now listed as Grade 3 historic building) will be preserved, and two new residential buildings will be constructed nearby.
The demolition of historic buildings like Star Ferry Pier and Queen’s Pier in 2007 raised public concern over heritage preservation and local history. In response, the government launched the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme to balance the need of heritage preservation and economic returns. The Old Dairy Farm Senior Staff Quarters is included in Batch IV of the Scheme. Caritas- Hong Kong, the organisation in charge of this project, plans to create 37 jobs during construction stage, 3 full-time and 4 part-time positions after its completion in 2019. Beyond this Scheme, the ex-Victoria Road Detention Centre at Mount Davis is to be converted to the campus of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. However, many privately- owned historic buildings are still under the threat of demolition. Jessville, a mansion next to Queen Mary Hospital at Pokfulam with over 85 years of history, was once planned to be reconstructed. An agreement between the landlord and the government was then reached in 2008: Jessville (now listed as Grade 3 historic building) will be preserved, and two new residential buildings will be constructed nearby.
The high-rise buildings at the back are the abandoned workers' dormitories.
Pokfulam facing Lamma Island between 1946 and 1947. On the slopes of the hill are the cattle pads and stone wall paddocks. Victoria Road cuts across the hill to the right. At the centre are the building facilities of Dairy Farm like cowsheds ad manure pits. The hill is now where Residence Bel-Air located. Most dairy farming facilities have been demolished.
1. Grass silo (Middle Top)
2. Stone wall (Right)
3. Stone wall with cowboy crossover steps (Middle Bottom)
4. Entrance pillar (Left)
There are still remains of dairy farming facilities at Pokfulam including stone walls, silo, entrance pillars and piggeries, but most are without proper conservation. These photos were taken at Chi Fu valley in 2015.
Piggeries