Bottles once crowned its outer walls. Welcome to Victoria Prison. Glass shards were embedded in concrete. This deterred escapes.
Victoria Prison was Hong Kong’s first prison. It operated for over 160 years. The prison opened in 1841. It closed in 2006. It is located on Old Bailey Street. This is in Central Hong Kong Island.
Originally named Victoria Gaol it became Victoria Prison in 1899. The name honored Queen Victoria. Today, it’s part of Tai Kwun. Tai Kwun is a center for heritage and arts. It includes the former Central Police Station and Magistracy. All three are declared monuments.
The earliest Victoria Gaol held debtors. It also housed prisoners awaiting trial. Some awaited transportation. As Hong Kong grew, so did the prison population. Overcrowding became a constant problem.
British colonial rule dictated prison management. Prisoners were separated. This separation was based on sex, age, and offense. The length and type of punishment also mattered. Insufficient space caused problems. Alterations were frequently needed.
Initially, the Chief Magistrate of the Police ran Victoria Gaol. In 1858, a “Governor of the Gaol” was appointed. From 1863, the head was called the “Superintendent”. This person was appointed from England.
In 1920, the Prison Department formed. It removed prison duties from the Police. The Superintendent of Victoria Gaol became its head. In 1938, the title changed. It became Commissioner of Prisons.
After Hong Kong Prison opened in 1937, Victoria Prison closed. That closure happened on September 26, 1937. Prisoners moved to Stanley. Overcrowding caused a section to reopen. This occurred on October 16, 1939. It became Victoria Remand Prison.
World War II damaged the prison. The Japanese occupied it in 1941. Repairs were made after the war. Part of the prison reopened in July 1946. Further rebuilding allowed it to function fully.
In 1965, it was renamed Victoria Reception Centre. Adult male prisoners were received here. They were classified before being sent to other institutions. In 1977, a new reception center opened. It was at Lai Chi Kok. Victoria Reception Centre became Victoria Prison again. It operated as a medium security prison.
The Prisons Department became the Correctional Services Department in 1982. This reflected a focus on rehabilitation.
In 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region. Victoria Prison housed Vietnamese migrants. They awaited repatriation. This was after the last Closed Centre shut down in 1998.
In 2001, sections converted to house female prisoners. Victoria Prison served various roles. It was a prison. It was a detention center. It housed illegal immigrants and those awaiting deportation.
In 2005, the CSD took over Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre. Illegal immigrants transferred there. Victoria Prison returned to its original role. It housed male and female sentenced prisoners.
Victoria Prison has three-story, two-story and single-story buildings. These buildings held cells, dormitories, and a hospital. There was also a kitchen, laundry, and exercise yard.
Ho Chi Minh was imprisoned here from 1931 to 1933.
The granite and brick facade is Victorian. The prison is a tangible piece of Hong Kong’s history. Its walls have witnessed countless stories. It now serves as a reminder. It stands as a monument to the past. It is reborn as a center for arts and culture.