An Aged Tenement Revived at Yu Lok Lane
I was just strolling in Sai Ying Pun and stumbled upon a hidden gem amidst its crisscrossing uphill grids. No. 9 and No. 10 Yu Lok Lane are classified as the shophouse type of tenement houses. A lot of the traditional Hong Kong tenements are stores with residential quarters in the back or upstairs. Their social and historic values are expressed in the roles that they have played in the lives of people with humble roots.
Yu Lok Lane in Sai Ying Pun
Yu Lok Lane is a small street running the east-west direction between Centre Street and High Street. The tenements that are preserved are built along this very small alleyway, on a raised terrace supported by retaining walls.
No. 9 and 10 of Yu Lok Lane in Sai Ying Pun consist of two tenement houses abutting each other. The layout of the buildings is typical of the tenement houses of the same era — during the early 20th century.
In this area of Hong Kong Island, Sai Ying Pun developed as a Chinese community on the edge of the City of Victoria after 1850. There were rows of seaside houses in this area. What used to be a mountainous terrain was turned into habitable neighborhoods. And in Yu Lok Lane, the houses that stood were pretty much the same as the two tenement houses that were preserved.
Circa the 1870s, the owner of the Yu Lok Lane tenement rented out the property to relatively poor working-class tenants, such as coolies and blacksmiths. They likely worked at the freight pier nearby in Sai Ying Pun. The records of the Basel Mission (which established the Kau Yan Church nearby on High Street), show that most residents were of Hakka origin.
In around 1918, records show that No. 1-12 Yu Lok Lane had completed a redevelopment with 34 tenement houses built. It is likely that No. 9 and 10 tenement houses belonged to this era of redevelopment.
During World War II, this area of Sai Ying Pun was designated “Sea Water District” by the Japanese. Severe bombing has resulted in the destruction of all other tenement buildings, save for No. 9 and 10, which remained relatively intact. In 1949, No. 11 underwent restoration.
Due to redevelopment, all other such tenement houses have been pulled down. No. 9 and 10 Yu Lok Lane remained the only witness to the lives that once lived here.
Architectural Features of No. 9 and 10 Yu Lok Lane
What caught my eye at Yu Lok Lane is the beautiful timber French doors and windows. At first glance, it was a surprise to me that these were Chinese tenement buildings. It evoked western and colonial vibes due to its gabled roof and extended vertial columns.
According to the Antiquities Advisory Board’s historic building appraisal, the two houses “have narrow frontages and are paired with a shared staircase. The front façades are rendered and painted and originally probably had projecting open balconies at first floor level, but these have now been enclosed with folding wooden casement windows. Original wooden doors and windows still exist to the ground floor.”
The original tiled floor of the tenement is largely preserved.
A Tour of the Tenement at Yu Lok Lane
A Tour of the Tenement at Yu Lok Lane takes just about 15 minutes and it’s worth it to read the captions in some detail. The petite exhibition discusses the social aspect of the tenements.
In the old days, there were wide space outside the tenement houses. The residents would congregate in this area (the lane) to relax and socialize. This has enabled the lane to become a place of community.
No. 9 and 10 Yu Lok Lane are Grade 3 Historic Building.
Sources
Descriptions on site at Yu Lok Lane.
Antiques Advisory Board, Historic Building Appraisal, No. 9 and 10 Yu Lok Lane, Number 1078.