Kowloon 1958

Given the single tram track and the previous series of photos, probably Causeway Bay/Wanchai area.

Hi there,

I wonder if it was Tin Lok Lane.  Percival Street didn't seem to have such shophouses back then.  At least not in the 1960's.

Best Regards,

T

If we can find the address of 恆安堂藥行，we know the name of the street.

Hi there,

I could think of these locations based on the single Tram track:

1.   Percival Street (unlikely as it used to be under Jardines Matheson and then Hysen Lee.  Very few Shophouses like that in the area;

2.   Section of Leighton Road between Percival Street and Wong Nei Chung Road.   The width of the street seemed to match, but the direction of the vehicle in the foreground seemed to be pointing to the wrong direction.  Or traffic on Leight Road was all the way going eastward at the time;

3.    Tin Lok Lane.  However the width of the street back then doesn't seem to match;

4.    Morrison Hill Road.  Width of the street seemed to match.  But no further clues.  I do not have any recollection of this section of it.....

5.    Canal Road East.  The Russell Street Depot wasn't there until 1957..... thus the period likely match up.  However the section of Canal Road East would be very short, probably between Sharp Street East and Leighton Road.  I could not match up the width of the street..........

Any suggestions welcomed.

Thanks & Best Regards,

T

Hi there,

The License Plate of the two visible vehicles could also tell, the one in the foreground.  The forward license plage is of a dark background on white characters.  This would mean it is a commercial vehicle.  The half moon plate above it looked very much like showing the number of passenger allowed (like modern day Taxi), which is 4.  I am unable to see any TAXI Flags in the windscreen nor was there any Taxi lights.

On the other hand, the vehicle parked at the other side has a white plate with black characters.  This means it is a private vehicle.

Comments and corrections welcomed.

Thanks & Best Regards,

T

This photo was taken near the junction of Russell Street and Percival Street looking at north-easternly direction.  Hennessy Road is at the far left not visible from the photo.

Hysan Development Co.(owner of Lee Garden and Lee Theatre Plaza) is currently holding an exhibition showing the development history of Causeway Bay from 1840s onward.  There is a big aerial photo (circa early 1950, I think) displayed on ground floor of the Lee Garden Office Building on Hysan Avenue,  This aerial photo shows a bird-eye's view of Causeway Bay district bounded by Canal Road, Leighton Road , and Hennessy Road.   The old open balcony type buildings on the eastern side of Percival Street looked very similar to those shown on this photo.