To the Honourable
F Stewart LLD
Acting Colonial Secretary

His Excellency is well aware how limited are the means and opportunities of relaxation on this tropical rock, and how greatly the health both of ladies and children are tried by the length and severity of the summer of Hong Kong.

It has long been the opinion of competent medical authorities that the acquisition of a ladies’ recreation ground would be a public boon of the greatest sanitary importance in varying the dull monotony of life and inducing ladies to take the exercise so needful in the tropics to the preservation of health, but from which unfortunately they are debarred by the absence of any suitable place.

We would point out that in Bombay and other towns of India, as also in Shanghai, small concessions of land have been graciously made by the Local Authorities to the ladies of those places for the purpose of public health and recreation, and we submit that there would be ample precedent in this Colony for a Concession such as we venture to solicit, as the present tenures of the Cricket Ground and the racecourse which are held by the gentlemen portions of the Community for the same purposes as those of which we aspire to found this Application.

If His Excellency the Administrator admitting the truth of our representations would be pleased to grant us a piece of land, the same would be planted by us with shade trees, and laid out in tennis courts and other means of recreation suitable to ladies, and the ladies of Hong Kong would undertake to maintain the ground for the purpose and object granted, entirely at their own expense and subject to such conditions as the Government might deem it necessary to impose.

Aware of the high value that attaches to level sites in this colony, we do not presume to ask for any thing but a small plot of ground on the hill side, and we trust that His Excellency may not be indisposed to concede to us, under a leasehold at a nominal rent, the small piece of ground situated above the Albany on the road to the Peak, shown on the accompanying plan. the steepness of the ground will necessitate a heavy first outlay in adapting the site for the purposes intended, but as the want of a ladies recreation ground is so generally felt we anticipate no difficulty in obtaining the necessary funds from the European Community. Awaiting the favour of an early reply, we have the hounour to remain

Sir.

Your obedient servants

(Mrs) Louisa Coxon
&
Eighteen signatures

Government House, Hong Kong
14th March 1883

To the Right Honourable
The Earl of Derby
Her Majesty’’s Principle Secretary of State for the Colonies

My Lord,

I have the hounour to submit for your Lordship's approval a grant which I have made with the advice of the Executive Council of a piece of ground, three and a quarter acres in extent, to the ladies of Hong Kong for the purpose of a recreation ground Tennis courts etc.

For some years past they have been endeavouring to find a piece of ground for this purpose but owing to the high value of all land that was suitable for building purposes they have been unable to succeed. At the suggestion of the Surveyor General they applied recently for a piece of ground outside the town, nearly half way up the hill and in a position that was not desirable for building purposes.

This ground is on a steep slope and will cost a considerable sum to lay out in terraces before it can be used. I have therefore granted it for the nominal rental of $1- per annum subject to the condition that it is not to be used for any other purposes than a recreation ground on pain of resumption by Government. I trust that your Lordship will not disapprove of this grant which will provide a place for healthy exercise much wanted.

The grantees include English, German, American, and Portuguese so that all classes are represented except Chinese who do not take any exercise.

I have the honour to be
My Lord
Your Lordships most obedient
Humble Servant

W. Marsh

Administering the Government