Rickshaw Pullers

Were these rickshaws already just a tourist attraction by this time, or were they still in use?

Hi there,

As far as I could recall ther were still rickshaws in the 1960's, still in service.  But that decade saw their last decline before the remaining few become tourists' attractions in specific landmarks like the Star Ferry Piers, the Peak, etc.

Best Regards,

T

This particular group are outside Star House if I remember the La Bamba bar  in the background location correctly

by 1967 the location of the stand was on the pavement outside the ding how store in star house.  about half a dozen would wait there for a tourist to book the guy for a  photo shot or go on a pull around the block just for fun.  they charged ten dollars for the privilege so it was not used for transporting locals by then.  

as horrible insensitive teens we would rub the old fellows up the wrong way just to hear them swear at us in inimitable colourful canto vernacular, that would definitely have been in early 70s!

i do remember seeing them around mongkok market and shanghai street areas on occasion, pulling goods around in the late 60s

http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/china/hongkong_3404ph04.html

http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/china/hongkong_3404ph04.html

I definitely saw them in 1972,around the Star Ferry Terminal, and around in Wanchai. They would approach likely-looking types (like me,at the time), and offer to take them to some  den of depravity. I , in the company of two sailors, took a driver up on his offer, and he took us to a place nearby on Fenwick,I think. I can't remember if any one of us actually rode in the Rickshaw-I think we just walked along beside him. He took us up 3 flights of stairs, past dark places where sailors were smoking something or other, to the brothel, and got his payment from someone there. We sat around for a while (as everyone was occupied at the time), and left.

Another view of the same area here and here