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The North Block and West Block of St. Joseph's College at 7 Kennedy Road, Hong Kong were gazetted as historical buildings under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (Cap. 53) today (August 18).

St. Joseph's College is one of the missionary schools which has contributed significantly to local education over a hundred years.

Prior to the cession of Hong Kong in 1841, school education had long been provided to locals in villages and in accordance with Confucian beliefs. No significant changes were made until the second half of the nineteenth century when Western-style education was introduced into the territory.

The work of missionaries flourished after the signing of Treaty of Tianjin in 1858. Many schools were established by missionaries, which played an important role in promoting education based on religious faith, particularly after the introduction of the grant-in-aid scheme in 1873. Under the scheme, government aid was extended to schools established by missionaries and voluntary institutions.

St. Saviour's College (the forerunner of St. Joseph's College) was opened at Wellington Street in 1864 by the Roman Catholic Church. In 1875, six La Salle Brothers took over the school and renamed it as St. Joseph's College.

In 1876, the college expanded and the number of students increased to 165. In the same year, it moved to 9 Caine Road which was known as Buxey Lodge. By 1881, owing to the lack of space, the college moved again and this time to Glenealy below Robinson Road. The trowel used to lay the foundation stone of the college in 1881 is still kept by the college.

A year later, the college was opened with a total enrolment of 336 pupils. In 1913, the first Hong Kong scout group was formed in the college.

Unfortunately the earthquake in 1918 caused severe damage to the premises and the college had to move again to the present site, that is 7 Kennedy Road, which had been the Club Germania. In 1920, the Classroom Block, that is the present North Block, was opened. The number of students at that time was about 650.

In 1925, the Science Block or the Chapel Block, that is the present West Block, comprising the chapel, science rooms and the hall, was opened. During World War II, the college was taken over by the Japanese and was used as hospital stores. It was re-opened after the war in 1946.

In 1963, the old Main Block, that is the old Club Germania, was demolished and replaced by the new Administration Main Block, which was officially opened by Sir Robert Black, the then Governor of Hong Kong. In 1968, the primary section of the college was transferred to an independent establishment at 48 Wood Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong in order to cater for its expansion.

The North Block and West Block are currently the only existing pre-war buildings of the college. The former is a four-storey building flanked by two clock towers at both ends and has verandahs on one side whereas the latter is also a four-storey structure with a turret on top.

End/Friday, August 18, 2000

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