Kadoorie Hill | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Kadoorie Hill

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Kadoorie Hill
Submitted by fivestar

This photo was in the Kadoorie Estate site and I assume shows Kadoorie Hill before development. Can anybody advise what was the building with the large garden at the bottom of the photo at what is now the junction of Argyle/Waterloo Roads.

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Thursday, January 1, 1931
Connections: 
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Comments

Submitted by lolau on Tue, 2011-11-01 00:53.

With a large playground, would it be Diocesan Boy's School?

Submitted by fivestar on Tue, 2011-11-01 10:22.

If the road on the right side of the photo below the hill leading to the hills in the background is Waterloo Road in the direction of the New territories, then the residence I am referring to is unlikely to be DBS as it should be located near the barren hill. Strange, I also do not see the railway bridge which is near DBS. I believe DBS in its current location was completed in 1926.

If one looks at Waterloo Road at the bottom, it does not appear to have been completed?

Look at the 1924 Kowloon Map quadrant4. it shows the hill and "path". It does not show any developments in the area.

Perhaps this photo is earlier than 1924?

Submitted by bunce on Tue, 2011-11-01 11:49.

Hi - Agree with Fivestar that the road on the right is Waterloo Road (today it heads literally into Lion Rock, which is visible on the top right).

The road running across the foreground would therefore be today's Argyle Street. The residence is probably a private mansion, certainly not DBS which is on the other side of Argyle St. In other words the photo is showing the southern slope of Kadoorie Hill while DBS, being located mostly on its north side, is hidden from view.

As such, the railway bridge is also hidden behind this view of Kadoorie Hill. Comparing to today’s scenery, perhaps try to picture the CLP Power HQ at the bottom right hand bend into Waterloo Road.

Submitted by fivestar on Tue, 2011-11-01 12:57.

Bunce, looks like we are on the right track. The building in question would today be in the triangle, Argyle Street, Victory Avenue and Waterloo Road. if one looks at the history section on the following url, one can see the residence in the background in the photo of a model of the planned Kadoorie Estate.


http://www.thekadoorieestate.com/

Submitted by breskvar on Wed, 2011-11-02 01:49.

The white bit of flat land in the middle on the foreground should be where the CLP building is built later on.  I agree the railway bridge is not in view because it crosses Waterloo Road on the left of this photo. 

Submitted by fivestar on Wed, 2011-11-02 08:32.

The section of Waterloo Road through Mongkok to Kowloon Tong was constructed in 1922. Given that the photo indicates that the road was still under construction, perhaps 1922 is a better date for this photo.