Now, if you have eyes for Mable Hall, you really have to let me know before Chater dies, so that I can make the deal with him and save you from deep regret. Being one of the most generous philanthropists in Hong Kong, Chater had the belief that his wealth belongs to the Hong Kong society and he was used to donate magnanimously to the government and the people. It was stated in his will that Marble Hall and the “Chater collection”, as well as many other assets of him, were to be given, unconditionally, to the Hong Kong government. After receiving Mable Hall, the government turned it into Admiralty House, the residence of the Naval Commander-in-Chief, in 1935. It was later damaged during the Second World War, and was demolished in 1953. The site was then replaced by an ordinary government quarters called “Chater Hall”.
So we are talking about a figure who owned first-rate architecture like the Hongkong Hotel, the Prince’s Building, the Queen’s Building and the Alexandra Building. Such a man wouldn’t, of course, be casual about his own residence. In 1869, a colossal mansion was built at No.1 Conduit Road. Chater named it Marble Hall, with its walls, pillars and stairs all made by marble imported from Italy. Inside was arrayed the owner’s private art collection, including the renowned “Chater collection of paintings”; outside, there was a garden of two acres, planted with all kinds of tropical botany like a private botanical garden. Extravagant as it was, Marble Hall was just one of the mansions of Chater; as a matter of fact he lived mostly in the less splendid mansions at Caine Road and in Kowloon. It was not until 1925, one year before his death, that he decided to make Mable Hall a real home.
