In the past people who couldn’t pay money that they owed were often sent to prison. This happened throughout a long period of Hong Kong’s history and many debtors languished in cells.
Now the French government has come up with a novel way to pay off its vast one trillion euro debts – selling prisons.
The government plans to sell up to nine prisons and it hopes to raise millions in the process. Observers expect most of the prisons to be sold to hotel chains. With their distinctive architecture, interesting detailing and colourful histories, prisons can make popular boutique hotels.
In Avignon, the government is asking for four million euros for a 14th century prison in a stunning position next to a papal palace. The prison could become a four star hotel with up to 110 beds.
Modern prisons requirements don’t really fit with inner city locations so it makes practical as well as financial sense to moved to purpose-built facilities elsewhere and sell off the ancient buildings in the middle of busy streets.
The French government owns a vast amount of property which includes some 30,000 buildings, many of great historical and architectural interest. Russians and businessmen from the Middle East are already snapping up bargains.
The government sold their national printing building for 85 million euros in 2003 but had to buy it back again in 2007 for 376 million euros.
People planning the future use of the Victoria Prison in Hong Kong will, no doubt, be looking closely at the French prison sale and hotel development plans.
Thursday, 3 January 2008
Monday, 10 December 2007
Prison robbed
The colourful history of Victoria Prison contains many interesting incidents and in 1855 it was reported that the prison itself was robbed.
An old history recounted the tale:
Robberies at this period were frequent in different parts of the town, and amongst them, one had been committed on the Police-guarded premises of the Chief Police Magistrate. Now, an important one was reported as having been committed in Victoria Gaol, in consequence of which the authorities were severely taken to task, strong suspicion in this case resting upon the European prison subordinates. The Gaol was under the sole charge of a turnkey named Whelan, and on the 20th of August, Goodings, the Chief Gaoler, discovered the padlock of the store-room forced, and upwards of 90 pounds, partly belonging to prisoners, abstracted from a camphor-wood box, wherein the property of prisoners was kept, there being no safe in the gaol.
The occasion was deemed appropriate, however for noticing the small pay allowed the Gaol subordinates. The Chief Gaoler had $45 a month; his wife, acting matron, $5; McLaughlin, first turnkey, $24; and Whelan, the second turnkey, formerly a private in the 59th Regiment, $15. On these salaries all these people had to provide themselves; and it was a matter for surprise how Government imagined honesty could be maintained in men of Whelan’s class, especially on the small modicum he received. Of the money lost a sum of 30 pounds belonged to prisoners who were entitled to its return on the expiry of their sentences. The Sheriff, it appeared, had brought an iron chest for the gaoler’s use some months before, but as the Government would not allow the disbursement, it lay in the robbed store-room un-used. McLaughlin and Whelan were committed for trial for larceny on the 30th August, but the case being a weak one, they were let out on bail, the prosecution being subsequently abandoned by the Attorney-General.
A seaman named Clark, on the 7th of September, sued Goodings, the Gaoler, for 18 pounds 16 shillings and sixpence, moneys deposited by him in terms of Ordinance No. 1 of 1854, on the occasion of his being sent to gaol for refusing to do work on board ship. The defence was that the money had been stolen from the store-room in the Gaol, together with other moneys belonging to himself, the defendant, and to other prisoners. The case was dismissed, the Chief Justice holding that the Sheriff was the proper person to be sued. The Court at the same time informed the plaintiff that, unless he was prepared to prove gross negligence, the plaintiff must stand the loss himself. On the plaintiff remarking that he had lost everything he possessed in the world and for which he had worked hard, His Lordship replied “perhaps a memorial to the Governor might obtain compensation – he, the Chief Justice, was there to administer the law and could only suggest the application.”
The History of the Laws and Courts of Hong Kong, by James William Norton-Kyshe. 1898. Republished, Vetch and Lee, Hong Kong, 1971.
centralpolicestationhongkong.blogspot.com
***
An old history recounted the tale:
Robberies at this period were frequent in different parts of the town, and amongst them, one had been committed on the Police-guarded premises of the Chief Police Magistrate. Now, an important one was reported as having been committed in Victoria Gaol, in consequence of which the authorities were severely taken to task, strong suspicion in this case resting upon the European prison subordinates. The Gaol was under the sole charge of a turnkey named Whelan, and on the 20th of August, Goodings, the Chief Gaoler, discovered the padlock of the store-room forced, and upwards of 90 pounds, partly belonging to prisoners, abstracted from a camphor-wood box, wherein the property of prisoners was kept, there being no safe in the gaol.
The occasion was deemed appropriate, however for noticing the small pay allowed the Gaol subordinates. The Chief Gaoler had $45 a month; his wife, acting matron, $5; McLaughlin, first turnkey, $24; and Whelan, the second turnkey, formerly a private in the 59th Regiment, $15. On these salaries all these people had to provide themselves; and it was a matter for surprise how Government imagined honesty could be maintained in men of Whelan’s class, especially on the small modicum he received. Of the money lost a sum of 30 pounds belonged to prisoners who were entitled to its return on the expiry of their sentences. The Sheriff, it appeared, had brought an iron chest for the gaoler’s use some months before, but as the Government would not allow the disbursement, it lay in the robbed store-room un-used. McLaughlin and Whelan were committed for trial for larceny on the 30th August, but the case being a weak one, they were let out on bail, the prosecution being subsequently abandoned by the Attorney-General.
A seaman named Clark, on the 7th of September, sued Goodings, the Gaoler, for 18 pounds 16 shillings and sixpence, moneys deposited by him in terms of Ordinance No. 1 of 1854, on the occasion of his being sent to gaol for refusing to do work on board ship. The defence was that the money had been stolen from the store-room in the Gaol, together with other moneys belonging to himself, the defendant, and to other prisoners. The case was dismissed, the Chief Justice holding that the Sheriff was the proper person to be sued. The Court at the same time informed the plaintiff that, unless he was prepared to prove gross negligence, the plaintiff must stand the loss himself. On the plaintiff remarking that he had lost everything he possessed in the world and for which he had worked hard, His Lordship replied “perhaps a memorial to the Governor might obtain compensation – he, the Chief Justice, was there to administer the law and could only suggest the application.”
The History of the Laws and Courts of Hong Kong, by James William Norton-Kyshe. 1898. Republished, Vetch and Lee, Hong Kong, 1971.
centralpolicestationhongkong.blogspot.com
***
Fatal cells
The cells in use in Hong Kong’s prison in 1856 were obviously hell holes.
An historian wrote:
“The long tale of Police and Prison misgovernment again came under public notice consequent upon the verdict of a Coroner’s Jury at an incident recently held. Speaking of the cells under the Police Station, Dr Dempster, the Colonial Surgeon, in his evidence at the inquest, said:
‘It is a filthy, disgusting place, badly ventilated, and altogether unfit for occupation by human beings. I was never in the cells but once to see a Policeman under delirium tremens; and so horrified was I with the dirty stinking hole, that I took it on myself to order the man out of confinement at once. It is a sink of iniquity. A man in a weak state of healthy kept in such a place twenty-four hours would receive irremediable injury to his whole system.’
“According to the evidence, the deceased had been kept in one of these cells for four nights and three days! And the following verdict of the Jury was no less startling:
“The deceased died from the effects of disease contracted prior to his arrest – death being accelerated by severe treatment at the hands of the Police, not only in his being dragged from his bed at midnight, when so sick he could hardly walk, but in being thrown into a cell described by the Colonial Surgeon as unfit for occupation by any human being, and further accelerated by the want of attention during his confinement in Gaol; and the Jury recommend that the Colonial Surgeon’s representation regarding the cells at the Police Station be brought to the especial notice of His Excellency the Governor.”
The History of the Laws and Courts of Hong Kong, by James William Norton-Kyshe. 1898. Republished, Vetch and Lee, Hong Kong, 1971.
centralpolicestationhongkong.blogspot.com
***
An historian wrote:
“The long tale of Police and Prison misgovernment again came under public notice consequent upon the verdict of a Coroner’s Jury at an incident recently held. Speaking of the cells under the Police Station, Dr Dempster, the Colonial Surgeon, in his evidence at the inquest, said:
‘It is a filthy, disgusting place, badly ventilated, and altogether unfit for occupation by human beings. I was never in the cells but once to see a Policeman under delirium tremens; and so horrified was I with the dirty stinking hole, that I took it on myself to order the man out of confinement at once. It is a sink of iniquity. A man in a weak state of healthy kept in such a place twenty-four hours would receive irremediable injury to his whole system.’
“According to the evidence, the deceased had been kept in one of these cells for four nights and three days! And the following verdict of the Jury was no less startling:
“The deceased died from the effects of disease contracted prior to his arrest – death being accelerated by severe treatment at the hands of the Police, not only in his being dragged from his bed at midnight, when so sick he could hardly walk, but in being thrown into a cell described by the Colonial Surgeon as unfit for occupation by any human being, and further accelerated by the want of attention during his confinement in Gaol; and the Jury recommend that the Colonial Surgeon’s representation regarding the cells at the Police Station be brought to the especial notice of His Excellency the Governor.”
The History of the Laws and Courts of Hong Kong, by James William Norton-Kyshe. 1898. Republished, Vetch and Lee, Hong Kong, 1971.
centralpolicestationhongkong.blogspot.com
***
Jockey Club opens exhibition on Central Police Station
10 December 2007
Fulfilling its promise to stage a comprehensive, six-month public consultation exercise on its HK$1.8 billion plan to conserve and revitalise the historic Central Police Station Compound, The Hong Kong Jockey Club tomorrow (11 December) will launch the first of a series of initiatives to explain the proposal in more detail: an exhibition at the Hong Kong Racing Museum entitled Conservation & Revitalisation - the Central Police Station Compound.
Through a series of photographs, videos, architectural plans, and site and process models, the exhibition takes visitors through the fascinating history of the compound - parts of which are more than 160 years old - before showing the present status of the buildings and how the Club plans to restore and inject new life into them for the public's enjoyment. The exhibition is aimed at bringing the proposal to life and giving local residents a feeling of the ambience and atmosphere that will be created by the revitalisation.
Speaking at today's opening ceremony, the Club's Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges observed that although the Club's proposal had attracted a huge amount of media interest, the public had only had a limited opportunity so far to see the plans in detail and to understand the rationale behind them. "Furthermore, we are keen to hear the public's views on this important project so that we can ensure it best meets the needs and expectations of the people of Hong Kong," he said. "We hope that as many local residents as possible will visit this exhibition and then let us have their comments."
The Club believes that Hong Kong, as an international city blessed with a unique history and rich 'East meets West' cultural influences, has the opportunity to make its own mark in global heritage conservation. "We hope that our proposal will not only bring a positive outcome for conserving and revitalising the Central Police Station Compound, but also spark wider community discussions on how Hong Kong could make best use of its heritage assets," Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges commented.
The Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, said at the ceremony that the Club's revitalisation proposal for the Central Police Station Compound came most timely as the Government was committed to pressing ahead with sustainable and innovative heritage conservation work in Hong Kong. "The cluster of historic buildings in the Central Police Station Compound contains rich heritage value and has great potential to become a cultural landmark for the enjoyment of local people and overseas visitors," she said.
Mrs Lam thanked The Hong Kong Jockey Club for its commitment to conserve and revitalise this historic compound and welcomed the exhibition as an effective way to gauge public opinion on the details of the proposal. She hoped the public could render their support to the project and offered constructive comments to the Club for further refining the proposal.
Also joining today's ceremony were architects Pierre de Meuron and Ascan Mergenthaler, whose firm Herzog & de Meuron have conceptualised the Central Police Station revitalisation plan. Herzog & de Meuron has also been responsible for several other acclaimed heritage projects overseas including the Tate Modern in London, formerly a power station.
The Club also launched today a new website, http://www.centralpolicestation.org.hk/, which will allow the public to understand the project in further detail. Members of the public can leave their comments on a feedback form provided on this website, or submit their views by completing a questionnaire at the exhibition and dropping it into a suggestions box. A roving exhibition featuring the proposal will also be launched in early 2008.
Conservation & Revitalisation - the Central Police Station Compound will be open to the public from now until early May 2008, shortly after the consultation period ends on 10 April 2008. Admission is free. The Hong Kong Racing Museum is located on the second floor of the Happy Valley Stand at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wong Nai Chung Road (opposite the end of Queen's Road East), and is open on Tuesdays to Sundays and most Public Holidays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. During day race meetings at Happy Valley, it opens from 10:00 am until 12:30 pm only. For enquiries, please contact the Racing Museum on (852) 2966 8065.
***
Fulfilling its promise to stage a comprehensive, six-month public consultation exercise on its HK$1.8 billion plan to conserve and revitalise the historic Central Police Station Compound, The Hong Kong Jockey Club tomorrow (11 December) will launch the first of a series of initiatives to explain the proposal in more detail: an exhibition at the Hong Kong Racing Museum entitled Conservation & Revitalisation - the Central Police Station Compound.
Through a series of photographs, videos, architectural plans, and site and process models, the exhibition takes visitors through the fascinating history of the compound - parts of which are more than 160 years old - before showing the present status of the buildings and how the Club plans to restore and inject new life into them for the public's enjoyment. The exhibition is aimed at bringing the proposal to life and giving local residents a feeling of the ambience and atmosphere that will be created by the revitalisation.
Speaking at today's opening ceremony, the Club's Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges observed that although the Club's proposal had attracted a huge amount of media interest, the public had only had a limited opportunity so far to see the plans in detail and to understand the rationale behind them. "Furthermore, we are keen to hear the public's views on this important project so that we can ensure it best meets the needs and expectations of the people of Hong Kong," he said. "We hope that as many local residents as possible will visit this exhibition and then let us have their comments."
The Club believes that Hong Kong, as an international city blessed with a unique history and rich 'East meets West' cultural influences, has the opportunity to make its own mark in global heritage conservation. "We hope that our proposal will not only bring a positive outcome for conserving and revitalising the Central Police Station Compound, but also spark wider community discussions on how Hong Kong could make best use of its heritage assets," Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges commented.
The Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, said at the ceremony that the Club's revitalisation proposal for the Central Police Station Compound came most timely as the Government was committed to pressing ahead with sustainable and innovative heritage conservation work in Hong Kong. "The cluster of historic buildings in the Central Police Station Compound contains rich heritage value and has great potential to become a cultural landmark for the enjoyment of local people and overseas visitors," she said.
Mrs Lam thanked The Hong Kong Jockey Club for its commitment to conserve and revitalise this historic compound and welcomed the exhibition as an effective way to gauge public opinion on the details of the proposal. She hoped the public could render their support to the project and offered constructive comments to the Club for further refining the proposal.
Also joining today's ceremony were architects Pierre de Meuron and Ascan Mergenthaler, whose firm Herzog & de Meuron have conceptualised the Central Police Station revitalisation plan. Herzog & de Meuron has also been responsible for several other acclaimed heritage projects overseas including the Tate Modern in London, formerly a power station.
The Club also launched today a new website, http://www.centralpolicestation.org.hk/, which will allow the public to understand the project in further detail. Members of the public can leave their comments on a feedback form provided on this website, or submit their views by completing a questionnaire at the exhibition and dropping it into a suggestions box. A roving exhibition featuring the proposal will also be launched in early 2008.
Conservation & Revitalisation - the Central Police Station Compound will be open to the public from now until early May 2008, shortly after the consultation period ends on 10 April 2008. Admission is free. The Hong Kong Racing Museum is located on the second floor of the Happy Valley Stand at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wong Nai Chung Road (opposite the end of Queen's Road East), and is open on Tuesdays to Sundays and most Public Holidays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. During day race meetings at Happy Valley, it opens from 10:00 am until 12:30 pm only. For enquiries, please contact the Racing Museum on (852) 2966 8065.
***
New website on Central Police Station project
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has introduced an interesting new website describing the thinking on the Central Police Station project and inviting public comments.
The website can be found at http://www.centralpolicestation.org.hk/.
***
The website can be found at http://www.centralpolicestation.org.hk/.
***
Language confusion
In the 1960s there were numerous police officers who had been recruited from the northern province of Shandong.
As their form of Chinese was very different from Cantonese, problems could arise, as recalled by Chris Fraser.
There was a Cantonese maneuvering a three-ton truck and he was being guided by a Shandong man who was at the rear on foot.
The truck was going backwards and forwards to turn around. The Shandong man was tapping on the back to indicate that the driver should continue reversing. “Lai, Lai,” (“Come on, come on,” in Mandarin), he said, until the truck was about to hit a wall.
Then the Shandong guy said: “Hao.” (which means “enough” or “stop” in Mandarin.
The Cantonese driver, though, hearing “Hao,” thought that he had heard “Hau” (Cantonese for “reverse.”) and continued - hitting the wall and breaking the tail lights.
The Cantonese leapt from the truck and made allegations about the Shandong man’s mother. The Shandong man then assaulted the Cantonese.
centralpolicestationhongkong.blogspot.com
***
As their form of Chinese was very different from Cantonese, problems could arise, as recalled by Chris Fraser.
There was a Cantonese maneuvering a three-ton truck and he was being guided by a Shandong man who was at the rear on foot.
The truck was going backwards and forwards to turn around. The Shandong man was tapping on the back to indicate that the driver should continue reversing. “Lai, Lai,” (“Come on, come on,” in Mandarin), he said, until the truck was about to hit a wall.
Then the Shandong guy said: “Hao.” (which means “enough” or “stop” in Mandarin.
The Cantonese driver, though, hearing “Hao,” thought that he had heard “Hau” (Cantonese for “reverse.”) and continued - hitting the wall and breaking the tail lights.
The Cantonese leapt from the truck and made allegations about the Shandong man’s mother. The Shandong man then assaulted the Cantonese.
centralpolicestationhongkong.blogspot.com
***
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