Old Houses - Kadoorie Avenue Kowloon | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Old Houses - Kadoorie Avenue Kowloon

Old Houses - Kadoorie Avenue Kowloon
Submitted by Alison.

A photograph of the house in Kadoorie Avenue, Kowloon which we lived in when I was a very young child in the early 1950's - not sure of the number but the house backed onto green fields in those days. 

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Sunday, January 1, 1950
Gallery: 
1950s Hong Kong
  • Log in or register to post comments

Comments

Submitted by fivestar on Sat, 2011-06-11 16:55.

  I resided in Kadoorie Avenue/Brage Circuit from the late 70s to late 90s. Can you remember whether the house was on the main street or one of the many side streets. The style a block of two semi detached houses with seperate garages was quite common. If there were fields behind it had to be in the inner part bordering what is now St. Georges Court.

Submitted by Alison. on Sun, 2011-06-12 09:58.

I think it was on a circuit - I remember the fields well because one of my earliest memories is of my mother having afternoon tea with a friend on the verandah whilst my sister and I were playing in the garden.  Suddenly she jumped up and started shouting something like "Stop thief!" and there was a commotion - I looked over the fence to see a tall, thin Chinese man running away across the open field with the Singer sewing machine under his arm!  It was one of the old style in a round wooden case and would have been quite heavy.  Apparently it was on a table at the back of the house.  Presumably the amah was with us kids in the garden so nobody noticed this man entering the house.  I was about 5 at the time.  Funny how some things stick in your mind.  We later moved over to HK side!

Submitted by fivestar on Tue, 2011-06-14 16:52.

By open field, is there any chance you are referring to the Diocesan Boys School Playing Fields which backed on to Kadoorie Avenue?

Submitted by Alison. on Wed, 2011-06-15 13:19.

It could well have been but I honestly don't know - I do recall people playing sport there but was too young to know who they were and unfortunately my parents are no longer here to ask!

Submitted by fivestar on Wed, 2011-06-15 18:07.

It could possibly one of the semi detached houses on the road to St Georges Court, possible 89a/b.

You could always go to the Kadoorie Estate office which is located on the road leading to St. Georges Court with the photo and see if they can help. they used to be very helpful.

Submitted by Alison. on Wed, 2011-06-15 20:31.

Thank you fivestar - I will next time I am in Hong Kong.  I live in Australia now but have always regarded Hong Kong as "home" as that is where I spent all my childhood.  We do visit often.

Submitted by vanessa (not verified) on Wed, 2011-06-15 20:46.

i agree with fivestar about the location.  i lived on the campus of dbs, albeit not in the fifties and this climb backed on to the school, later separated by a fence where there were no houses.  on a quick google street tour you can see that similar houses are still standing. two of my classmates lived further down the hill at number 75, (left hand side as you walked up) dr carey hughes' kids - they had a pet monkey and i remember feeling a bit scared when seeing it.  also had friends at st george's court so went up this branch of kadoorie avenue quite a lot in the 70s - a very desirable part of town to live in :)

vanessa

 

Submitted by fivestar on Thu, 2011-06-16 08:27.

I may be in Kadoorie Avenue this weekend, if so will see if I can see anything similar to your photos. Unfortunately a number of these semi detached blocks have been demolished.

Submitted by fivestar on Mon, 2011-10-31 12:32.

An good website on the development of Kadoorie Avenue, with a couple of very interesting old photos. 5*

http://www.thekadoorieestate.com/

Submitted by lolau on Mon, 2011-10-31 14:40.

If you remember the New Kowloon Inland Lot No., you can search it from the Government's  Land Registry to identify the exact location. Most of the houses in this area still have the inland lot boundary stone at their boundary wall.

The boundary stones are better preserved than those at Yau Yat Tsuen Garden at Kowloon Tong, e.g. Marigold Rd, Magnolia St, Osmanthus Rd, Dianthus Rd, Peony Rd.

Submitted by Peter Jensen on Tue, 2012-04-10 03:32.
Hi Alison My parrents lived on Kadoorie Ave from 1954 to 1973. First in one of the houses, then at the top at St. Georges Court where I was born in 1966. Looking at the photo it seems like it on the right hand side going up the avenue. I was 7 of age when we moved back to Denmark, but i remember that my sisters when to the School KGV (King George 5th School) and going down the ave. from St. Georges Court, we could shorcut by going through some woodlike snake infested place down to the grounds or large sports field at their school. So your house could be situated on the right hand side (going up the ave) with your garden viewing this small forrest like terrain and the school behind. Hope this is somewhat helfull. Peter

Submitted by Trisha on Wed, 2014-04-30 05:32.
Hi Just found this site - I used to play with your sisters Anita and Susan and lived at 45 Kadoorie avenue - I also stayed with your family at your summer house in Denmark - you might remember me Patricia Rolfe - if you see this post could you remind me to your sister Anita - thx

Submitted by Hoyin on Thu, 2020-02-13 02:32.

Hi Alison. I've just gone through your post asking the location of the house at the Kadoorie Avenue. Then I visit Google Map and wonder if it is No. 91 Kadoorie Avenue.

When viewing your photo and the house shown at Google Map, although the iron wire has been replaced by masonry wall which blocks the view of the lower part of the building, the house at your photo and the Google Map shares some similarity: the chimney stack and the partition wall between the two houses, there are three windows at the 1/F, and the eave that goes all the way through the two houses. 

Hope this information is helpful for you. Thank you.