'Maureen, Denny & Sheila with Amahs, Suffolk Road' | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

'Maureen, Denny & Sheila with Amahs, Suffolk Road'

'Maureen, Denny & Sheila with Amahs, Suffolk Road'
Submitted by debcoxon
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Amah

captioned 'Maureen, Denny & Sheila with Amahs, Suffolk Road'.  Sheila (Staple) my mother is smallest child on left, Maureen and Denny's surname was Maclean - I'd dearly love to date when they moved to this house in Suffolk Road (from Braemar Terrace I presume) and if it was before or after my grandfather Ken Staple was killed (16 Nov, 1931). I have no picture of him at the house but photos which may or may not bear his writing. I think the building hoarding says Baxter Construction but hard to tell as the photo is so faded.  The Macleans, including father 'Mac' Maclean, crop up in other pics but don't know the name of their mum. Looking at Google, can't decide if the houses are still hidden away behind Suffolk Road or long gone.   

Gallery: 
1920s-30s Staple family's photos
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Comments

Submitted by David on Wed, 2016-04-20 12:46.

You can still find some of these old houses in Kowloon Tong, the district that Suffolk Road is part of. Unfortunately the house whose garden they're standing in was on the south side of the road (the hills in the background are to the north), and that side has been re-developed:

Submitted by debcoxon on Thu, 2016-04-21 00:27.

thanks, as I feared.  Presumably on the side that is now big concrete transport hub by the look of it on Google.  I wonder if the primary school is still on the same site.

Submitted by David on Thu, 2016-04-21 12:30.

Looking at a couple of maps of the area (1934 & 1956), only the north side of Suffolk Road had houses on.

I suppose the foreground could have been a park, but it looks like the driveway to someone's house. If it's a house in the foreground, the photo wouldn't have been taken on Suffolk Road.

Submitted by debcoxon on Thu, 2016-04-21 15:46.

I will post a couple more pics - several have writing on back - usually my gran's - that this was their house at Suffolk Road ... perhaps another shot might help ... also one or two captioned 'taken on our lawn' - the plot thickens, pardon the pun ... 

Submitted by LizB on Sat, 2016-04-23 22:17.

Just wondering if the house in the old photo could have been on the northern side of the corner of Suffolk and Waterloo Roads, as Google streetview seems to show quite a similar outlook with Lion Rock in the right position and even a similar style of building (very new looking though) - however, Lion Rock seems much closer in the old photo, and doubtful whether the old place is on a corner block. I can't figure out how to put a streetview  screen grab into this message, I'm sorry.

Submitted by debcoxon on Sat, 2016-04-23 23:51.

thank you - I have already looked at  street view so will study again using your thoughts - also with the otheer pics I have that haven't had time to post yet - unfortunately they do seem to show it wasn't on a corner plot ...

Submitted by debcoxon on Mon, 2016-04-25 05:21.

I have 3 more pics of Suffolk Road House which may or may not help dating - also one of my mother, Sheila Staple, aged one, at Braemar Terrace - do I add these to Staple family gallery (can't see where I add them) or to this thread? 

Submitted by David on Mon, 2016-04-25 10:05.

Please upload the photos as you did before, but on the screen where you fill in title, notes, etc, look for Gallery and choose "1920s-30s Staple family's photos" from the list. Then when you click "Finish" the new photo is added to your gallery.

Once the photos are uploaded you have the option to add them into a comment. Here's how: http://gwulo.com/node/1929

Let me know if you run into any problems,

Regards, David

Submitted by LizB on Sat, 2016-04-30 19:17.

Having thought about it some more, looked at maps and walked by today, it has finally twigged that the house across the road in this photo should be 2 Dorset Crescent, as it is directly opposite the Macleans' house at 3 Dorset, and the 1950s map confirms this. I also think it is a different house from the other photo taken from the Macleans' front garden (which is taken on an angle). I will put my comment regarding that one, together with the relevant photo.

Submitted by LizB on Sat, 2016-04-30 19:27.

....but there were security cameras everywhere and there was nothing to see but a massive (modern) wall and gate. I'm sure you would see the same thing on streetview anyway.

Submitted by debcoxon on Sat, 2016-04-30 21:16.

Hi Liz, blown away that all seems to have clicked into place - what a lucky break for me to have found you 'on the ground' , plus the help of Philk, Moddsey, David etc, all of which has come together step by step.  Thrilled! thanks all.   No worries abou the pic, I wouldn' t want to brave those security cameras and not worthwhile. Will look at the street view.   Look out for a pic of Mac and the girls which rather sweet and another building that might interest you.