Clik here to view.
2014-10 Winner of Heritage Preservation Award
Last night I was very happy to receive the Heritage Preservation Award, one of the SCMP's "The Spirit of Hong Kong Awards" for 2014.Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, by AdminWe were asked to say a few words,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
1897 Hong Kong
Thank you to Janet Hayes for these photos taken in Hong Kong in 1897 (click any photo to see a larger copy and more information):Procession to the thanksgiving service Queen's Road Central, Native...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hong Kong photos from the 1940s and 50s
Thanks to Siobhan Daiko for sending in these photos. She writes:I have been sorting through my late mother's photo albums and have found some pics that might be of interest to you.Happy ValleyBefore...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The people & planes of the HKAAF, 1949-53
Thanks to Gordon Randall for sharing these photos with us. They were taken while he was serving with the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (HKAAF) between 1949 and 1953.Col Ride InspectingHE Arrives...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ancient Trail Walk on the 29th November - all welcome
I hope you'll join me for two of my favourite things: a walk in the countryside, and a chance to learn something new about Hong Kong's history.This ancient trail is reckoned to be one of the oldest...
View ArticleClik here to view.
1901. The King's birthday salute.
When: A note pencilled on the back of the photo explains:Hongkong. King Edward's birthday 1901. Men of war firing a salute at noon.His birthday was the 9th of November, so this photo is exactly 113...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Squatter village below Mount Davis
What: "Tin shacks" in English or "muk uk" (wood house) in Chinese, huts like these sprouted on many of Hong Kong's hillsides in the years after the second world war.They were dangerous places to live....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Meet the children who saved Lt. Kerr
Last weekend I met some of the men and women who, as boys and girls, had helped American pilot Lieutenant Kerr [1] escape from the Japanese. He was shot down over Kai Tak on 11th February 1944 and,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
73 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries
December, 1941.73Â years ago tensions were high as war with Japan seemed inevitable. On December 8th, those fears were confirmed when Japanese planes attacked Kai Tak, and Japanese soldiers crossed the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
1927 - "Coolies wearing Chinese raincoats"
Who: "Coolies wearing Chinese raincoats" is written in pencil on the back of the photo.They're loading the boat / barge on the left of the photo. We can just make out another man working down in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
c.1901 - "The Naval Department Buildings, Queen's Road"
When: This photo is one of set taken by R C Hurley [1] around 1901-1902, and published as a collection titled "Views of Hong Kong".Where: The photo shows the stretch of Queen's Road that we call...
View ArticleGwulo in 2015
It's time for a quick review of last year, and a look forward to the plans for 2015.Before that let me say thank you for reading Gwulo over the last twelve months, offer special thanks to everyone who...
View ArticleClik here to view.
1950s Central
Where: There's a street sign on the left:Duddell Street, so we're looking west along Queen's Road Central from near the junction with Ice House Street.What: Here are the buildings in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
c.1901 Queen's Road East
What: The two banners are very eye-catching:They're advertising the services of a couple of tattoers, HORI and MORRI. The design on each is very similar. Is it a dragon and a phoenix?From their names...
View ArticleClik here to view.
BAAG names and code-numbers
Elizabeth Ride has kindly sent a list of additional British Army Aid Group (BAAG) numbers, and the people they refer to.In most cases these people were BAAG agents, working for the British in Hong Kong...
View ArticleClik here to view.
c.1925 Central Praya
This week's view is from an old postcard titled "Central Praya".Where: We're looking west along the old seafront, or "Praya". It's today's Connaught Road. There's a patch of open land in the foreground...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A lady's impressions of Hong Kong
Book / Document: Mary Unsworth's memoirs of life in Hong KongDate(s) of events described: Sat, 30 Jun 1900This speech was gven to the Manchester Geographical Society at Finchwood, Marple, on Saturday,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hong Kong 1920s-60s: Geoff Wellstead's photos
Kung hei fat choy!The first post for the Year of the Sheep is an interesting set of photos from Geoff's family albums. Several are group photos, so please leave a comment if you can put a name to any...
View ArticleClik here to view.
c.1955 Pok Fu Lam Road
Where: The road heading downhill with its distinctive curve is Pokfulam Road. The road on the right is High Street, and Water Street leads away from the bottom left corner. The layout is still the same...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Early photos of Central District
Thank you to Martyn Gregory for sharing these old photos of Central with us. The newest was taken in 1902, with all the others taken in the late 1800s.You can click on any photo to visit its page....
View Article