Aberdeen Market | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Aberdeen Market

Aberdeen Market
Authors: 

As far as I can remember this market was close to the waterfront.

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Tuesday, July 28, 1981

Comments

Hi there,

This is likely Tung Sing Road in Aberdeen.  The wet market had moved indoors and a bit north-west to Chengdu Road.

T

It's possible, but my memory is that we didn't go very far at all from the watefront area. Andrew

Hi there,

Much had been reclaimed in Aberdeen.  Please see this Google Map.  Please try to locate the Bus Terminus, which is a triangular shape space next to the flow over.  That was on reclaimed land.  If you were in town in the 1950's that would be part of the Typhoon Shelter.  I could not recall when was the reclaimation completed with the Bus Terminus built,  Some of the taller buildings north of the bus terminus might as well be on reclaimed land, or at least, at the edge.  Like the On-Tai building.  Moving in started in  February 1984 (according to Centadata)

T

Hi Thomas.

That has given me a lot to think about.  I've had a close look at the Google Map and, following what you have just written, I wonder whether I am a long way out in describing the locations of my1958 photographs (and also some of the 1981 ones) in relation to present times.  For instance in 1958 I am fairly certain that there had not been very much in the way of land reclamation in Aberdeen.  It would have been the Aberdeen Main Road on which we arrived and its pronounced curve shown on the Google Map would almost certainly have followed the old coastline and, of course, the Main Aberdeen Road.  Where the Old Main street Aberdeen runs North to South was quite probably the location of most of my 1958 photograph and also the 1981 ones showing the slaughtered pigs, etc.  Is that where you said the Wet Market used to be?  The part of the harbour where all the sampans were in 1958 would therefore have been roughly where the Chengtu Road crosses the Nam Ning Street. If this is correct the floating restaurants would have been moored somewhere between the Wind Tower on Ap Lei Chau island and the Aberdeen promenade as shown on the Google map. So, my suggestions, on several photrographs, that the sites of my 1958 and 1981 photographs are where the marina now is are quite incorrect.  If you follow my reasoning and agree, I'll go through the appropriate photographs from 1958 and also 1981 and alter titles and descriptions where appropriate.  It's good to have somebody with such excellent knowledge as you have to correct my faulty memories! Best wishes  Andrew

Hi Andrew,

I found this 1958 map of Aberdeen, which should help with locations:

1958 map of Aberdeen

Regards, David

Thanks David.  I have added comments re this map to another of my1958 photographs - the Aberdeen one showing two pals looking at the camera and one with his back to me.  I think that I was probably in1958 and also 1981 in the area on and also to the West of the Aberdeen Island Road (as I think it is named on this map) with the waterfront ones somewhere near Hu Nan Street?  I hope that other photograph will help to locate things. Andrew