1940s Wanchai & Admiralty | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

1940s Wanchai & Admiralty

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1940s Wanchai & Admiralty
Submitted by moddsey
Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Wednesday, January 1, 1947
Gallery: 
1940s Hong Kong
Connections: 
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Submitted by 80sKid on Mon, 2010-04-12 14:16.

The prominent white mansion was the home of the Lee family of Hysan fame; it was redeveloped into Bamboo Grove. You can see what a great position it had before the office blocks started going up

Submitted by tngan on Mon, 2010-04-12 15:03.

Hi there,

The previous version of Luk Kwok Hotel is visible at the water front in the middle.  It was built in 1933 (I think).

I think the shape of the Naval Dockyard could also be used to verify the time frame.  The one shown in this photo is already the same as in the 1960-1970's.

Best Regards,

T

Submitted by David on Mon, 2010-04-12 22:03.

Could this photo have been taken sometime shortly after WW2?

I don't see any sign of the white-hulled HMS Tamar in the harbour, and in front of the Luk Kwok hotel there appear to be a couple of masts of a sunken vessel poking out of the water.

Submitted by moddsey on Tue, 2010-04-13 06:21.

I may be wrong but the open space at the bottom right of Hospital Hill, I think is where the second generation Wanchai Market was located. Any confirmation?

Submitted by 80sKid on Tue, 2010-04-13 08:56.

Hi moddsey, pretty sure you're right. you can see the building here, as you previously indicated: http://gwulo.com/node/1188. Also that does look like a sunken ship so post-war makes sense

Submitted by David on Tue, 2010-04-13 17:04.

I think the white triangle we can see in the lower right corner is the roof of the completed 2nd generation market. If you zoom right in you can just see  the walls below the roof.

In front of it, on the opposite side of Wanchai Road is an empty space, looking as though it's in use as a car park. That would be the empty site where the previous market building stood.

A couple of Hedda Morrison's photos look similar:

  • This one also shows masts sticking out of the sea, roughly in front of the Luk Kwok
  • And this one shows the same dark, blocky ship in the harbour in front of the Naval dockyard area. The Morrison photo gives a close-up. It looks like a floating dry-dock, which would have been a good thing to have around while the land-based dry-docks were under repair.

Submitted by 80sKid on Tue, 2010-04-13 17:31.

also good view of it from this 1945 shot by Life:

http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=hong+kong+1945+source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhong%2Bkong%2B1945%2Bsource:life%26start%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1&imgurl=d051b3978d3e6ddb

Submitted by moddsey on Tue, 2010-04-13 18:28.

Thank you all. Will amend the date to read 1947.

Submitted by Mark (not verified) on Sun, 2010-08-08 07:52.

Hi there, wondering whether you have a picture of the original Luk Kwok Hotel?  Greatly appreciat eyour help.  Many thanks.  Mark.

Submitted by moddsey on Sun, 2010-08-08 09:19.

I think this is the original Luk Kwok Hotel from the 1930s

http://gwulo.com/node/6828

Submitted by SylviaM on Thu, 2018-06-28 16:33.
The path running up the hillside at bottom-left heads up to Bowen Road then on Wanchai Gap. Heading uphill, from right to left, you'd pass by the Hysan Lee family home, the garden and the apartments also owned by the Lee family. Nestled above the greenery was the colonial style family home of Fok To Kai, built in 1914. The house was taken over during the Japanese Occupation. Fok was a well respected government contractor who won the contract to construct the Yaumatei Typhoon Shelter under Governor May. Fok was also a major donor of the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital.