Victoria Harbour and Kowloon 1897-98 | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Victoria Harbour and Kowloon 1897-98

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Victoria Harbour and Kowloon 1897-98
Submitted by cmshun
Tags: 
Pedder's Wharf
Central Reclamation
Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Friday, January 1, 1897
Connections: 
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Submitted by cmshun on Thu, 2012-12-06 23:00.

This photo was dated 1890 by the seller, and I think it shows the post-1886 Pedder's Wharf.  To the East of the Wharf is a construction site, probably for the Hong Kong Hotel (North Wing)?  

If this is indeed the case, would a date of 1890 be about right?

CM Shun

Submitted by cmshun on Thu, 2012-12-06 23:14.

Comparing this zoom-in with the one at: http://gwulo.com/node/14028, there was north-south oriented building to the immediate SW of the TST Water Police Station in this photo (dated 1890) which did not exist in the latter photo (dated 1896-97).  Anybody knows what this building was?

CM Shun

Victoria Harbour and Kowloon 1890s (Zoom-in)

Submitted by David on Fri, 2012-12-07 11:04.

This is an interesting photo, probably taken mid-late 1890s. Thanks for posting it.

On the far right is the cupola for Queen Victoria's statue, unveiled in 1896. If you blow it up, can you see if the statue is in place yet?

So the construction site is Queen's Building, finished in 1899.

And I think that's HMS Tamar in the harbour, which arrived in 1897.

So somewhere around 1897-8.

That would make the light-coloured strip in the centre of the photo Ice House Street. I'm surprised that there is sea to the west of it, as I thought that part of the reclamation was finished earlier. A little way to the west in the sea is what looks like large blocks. Any chance we can see a zoom in on that please, to see if it is the new sea wall under construction?

Regards, David

Submitted by cmshun on Sat, 2012-12-08 09:18.

Hi David,

Thank you for your advice.  I have zoomed in the portions on the cupola and on the reclamation.  It looks like that the statue was already in place, even though the enlarged picture is not too clear (something dark can be seen inside the cupola).

Further observations welcome!

CM Shun

 

Blow-up of Cupola for Queen Victoria's Statue (1890s)
Central Reclamation (1890s)



Submitted by cmshun on Sat, 2012-12-08 09:17.

Hi David again,

If the light-coloured strip was Ice House Street, would the pier at its end the Kowloon Ferry Pier, instead of the Peddar's Wharf?  But I cannot see any signs on the little hut of the pier, nor the ferry clearly reveals the stars on its funnel. 

CM

 


Kowloon Ferry Pier?

Submitted by David on Sat, 2012-12-08 15:38.

Yes, I think it's the site of the Kowloon Ferry pier. Though I'm not sure when the Star Ferry moved to this location - it might be mentioned in the Annual Reports for the Public Works Department.

Thanks for the other blown-up sections. Great to see the sea-wall under construction.

Regards, David.

Submitted by 80sKid on Sat, 2012-12-08 16:10.

from a different discussion about Pedder's wharf I think Moddsey nailed it two years ago:

In November 1892, a contract was signed for the construction of a temporary pier opposite Ice House St for the purposes of accommodating ferry and other traffic plying from Pedder's Wharf and constructing Section No. 7 of the praya reclamation works.

On 27 June 1894, the temporary timber wharf opposite Ice House St was opened to traffic and the wharf known as Pedder's Wharf was closed.

In 1900 the Ice House Street Wharf was leased to the Star Ferry Co. on the completion of Blake Pier.

(from discussion here: http://gwulo.com/node/7000)

here's a photo of the area to the east of Queen's building in 1903 - you can see the reclamation works continuing on the right - http://www.flickr.com/photos/27480193@N05/3047212391/sizes/o/in/photostream/

lengthy legco discussions about the piers to be lost through reclamation here from feb 28 1898 here:  http://www.legco.gov.hk/1897-98/h980228.pdf

Submitted by David on Sun, 2012-12-09 18:08.

Thanks 80skid (& Moddsey), that clears it up. I've added a place for the temporary pier: http://gwulo.com/node/14218

Regards, David

Submitted by stephenD on Tue, 2021-01-05 14:02.

My hunch - the zoom doesn't really allow much better - is that this is between late summer 1897 through possibly to March 1898 but MAY be later.

The reasons are that the Tamar's conversion is complete and she's in lovely new paintwork. However, from what I can discern (the detail problem) she is NOT flying the commodore's broad pennant on the foremast head and she may also NOT be flying her commissioning pennant from the mainmast head.

Although the ship was commissioned on 1st October 1897 she did not become THE base depot ship until 16th March 1898, when Commodore Holland shifted his flag from the Victor Emmanuel. The reason for the delay was the leak I have mentioned in another post and the need to deal with it and other problems - plus, no doubt, Commodore Holland's reluctance to quit the spacious and comfortable quarters of the VE for the less commodious accommodation on the Tamar (which was a fair bit smaller).

If a higher zoom reveals the commodore's broad pennant flying from the truck (top) of the foremast, then the image will be post-March 1898. If there is no pennant, then between October 1897 and March 1898. If the zoom shows no commissioning pennant at the mainmast head, then the date is pushed back further to pre-1.10.1897, since although in bright new livery, the ship would not have been in commission. However, the general appearance of the completion of the conversion would argue that the date is unlikely to be before July 1897.

StephenD