1940s HK Telephone Building

the top of this building, aka the penthouse, was living quarters for a school friend of mine in the 60-70s.  as kids the boys (plus nameless other juvies in crime) used to lob eggs, tomatoes and other rotting fruit across the road to target the corrugated tin roof of the shack (in plain view) which sold refreshments in kowloon park.  at ground floor level there was whiteaway's department store - one of two places mothers could (unfortunately) buy clark's school shoes for their children. one of the features of the store was an overhead pulley system for the assistant to send payment to the cashier sat on high presiding in a wooden pulpit affair....bizarre

this system was used in most stationery shops and some emporiums in different ways - coin transactions were done over the counter, some only pegged notes on to the wire which made a 'ding ding' sound before disappearing back stage....  the one in whiteaways was spectacular however, like a victorian court scene dark and intimidating - only missing the robes and wig on the cashier.  pity we didn't use to take photos of daily ocurrences in those days

Wasn't the basement bookshop called the British Bookshop for a long time opposite the old Wing On department store? It was there in 1966 and is still there today, but I must admit not looking at its name these days. There was a big stationary store further down towards the present Sincere/Wing On stores of the type reminiscent of the one still at the lower end of Stanley Street. ie full to the brim of goods creating a cave inside and overflowing into the street. IDJ

i seem to recall swindon's being a kowloon monopoly with the main lock road store, branch in ocean terminal and stationery store in mirador mansions.  (they even had a permanent stock of adopted school books in the kgv school shop/tuck shop)  the basement bookshop that i remember on des voeux road was the hong kong book centre - good for those cliff's study notes that swindon's didn't stock - apparently dissuaded by the schools

very interesting to see that those businesses have now joined forces - in the 70s they were very different companies.  kelly and walsh was the 'new kid on the block' with a shop in princes building (or one of those with the recently inaugurated walkways in central).  i was published in the star newspaper (phone interview in 73 after a letter to the editor) when questioning the price-differences on imported books - the ymca was the least expensive place in town but had a lighter selection.  in those days i wrote to the papers almost every week, hoping to become a famous journalist!! i later worked in publishing - sales and marketing -  for 20 years (albeit not in asia)  and now know so much more about the 'book pound' and pricing issues so as to be far more prudent when making statements!  will source the clip and upload - it's hilarious!!

thanks for posting that annelisec  - i do, however, recall going to the inauguration of this 'new' bookshop in  very early 70s with my dad - crossed the star ferry and all.  perhaps a new strand to their bow of  existing endeavours?  was bought a paperback every friday for years but don't think dad and i went back to kelly and walsh together after that one go but then we were just kowloonies......