Seeing boats touring by means of Victoria Harbour is a typical sight when strolling alongside the coastal promenade of Hong Kong Island. Stroll far sufficient east, nevertheless, and you will come throughout an previous fireboat, completely berthed on the central concourse at Quarry Bay Park.
Named after Alexander Grantham, the British colonial governor of Hong Kong from 1947 to 1957, the vessel was constructed by the Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Firm and went into service in 1953. It served because the flagship of the Hong Kong Hearth Providers Division's fireboat staff all through its operational life, conducting rescue operations across the metropolis's waters and shoreline. Noteworthy incidents involving the fireboat embrace the 1972 Seawise College hearth (the previous RMS Queen Elizabeth) and the 1971 Jumbo floating restaurant hearth.
After being decommissioned in 2002, the Alexander Grantham was acquired by the Hong Kong Museum of Historical past, turning into the town's first preserved historic vessel and the most important merchandise within the museum's assortment. Following in depth structural reinforcement, it was lifted out of the water in 2006 and relocated to its present place. It was then transformed to turn into a part of an exhibition gallery, which opened to the general public in 2007.
The gallery homes quite a lot of firefighting gear, storyboards that chronicle the fireboat's historical past, and interactive displays. The boat itself options info plaques detailing the roles of onboard gear, whereas the workers workplace, casualty room, and prime deck are accessible to guests. From the primary and prime decks, there are unbelievable views of the harbor that the Alexander Grantham patrolled and guarded for practically 50 years.
