Did you know Wah Yan College Kowloon boasts one of the largest campuses among Hong Kong secondary schools? This impressive site on Waterloo Road wasn’t always so grand.
Wah Yan College Kowloon a prestigious Catholic boys’ school stands before you. It’s a testament to the vision of Peter Tsui Yan Sau. He founded the school on December 1 1924 as a branch of Wah Yan College Hong Kong. Tsui a devout Catholic and former teacher at St Joseph’s College recognized a need for spiritual guidance. He gradually handed over administration to the Jesuits. The Jesuits’ plans for a Catholic university were preempted by the University of Hong Kong. Instead they established Ricci Hall a Catholic hostel for male students. Tsui himself left Hong Kong finding success as a rubber planter and hotelier in Sabah Malaysia. He passed away in Hong Kong in 1981.
The early years of Wah Yan College Kowloon were marked by several moves. It began on Portland Street before relocating to Nelson Street in 1928. Government subsidies allowed for expansion. A satellite campus even opened on Austin Road to accommodate senior students. This later became Tak Sun Primary School. A 1928 South China Morning Post article declared WYK the largest school in Hong Kong with 500 students. Despite its size senior students still had to travel across Victoria Harbour for laboratory work at the Hong Kong campus.
The Japanese occupation during World War II interrupted the school’s operations. The Jesuits helped evacuate Kowloon civilians. The Japanese occupation forced the closure of the school. The Nelson Street campus was extensively looted. Principal Chow Ching-nam salvaged only a few documents. Students even brought their own chairs when classes resumed.
Post-war growth led to the search for a new campus. A site on Ho Man Tin Hill Road was rejected. Eventually the school secured a plot of former paddy fields. In 1952 Wah Yan College Kowloon moved to its current Waterloo Road location. This large campus opened officially in 1953 by Governor Sir Alexander Grantham. In 2005 a new annex was added including science labs a music room and a student activity area. The campus also includes the St Ignatius Chapel under the parish of St Teresa’s Church.
Wah Yan College Kowloon’s legacy extends beyond its impressive facilities. It has produced remarkable alumni including politicians such as Lee Martin Chu-ming and Lee John Ka-Chiu and prominent figures in law business and academia. The school’s hymn Our Captain and Our King thought to originate from 18th century Northern England reflects its enduring spirit. This long history and the school’s achievements are a source of pride for its students past and present. Wah Yan College Kowloon continues to shape the future leaders of Hong Kong.