1940s Garden Road | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

1940s Garden Road

1940s Garden Road

Photo courtesy of reader 'moddsey': "An aerial picture postcard from the 1940s showing the Mid Levels, the turn up Garden Rd with Murray Building on the left (now relocated at Stanley), open area of Murray Parade Ground in the centre (now the site of the Cheng Kong Centre, formerly the Hilton) and St. John's Cathedral and French Mission Building (now the Court of Final Appeal) on the right.".

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Monday, January 1, 1940
Connections: 

Comments

The date of the picture is c1933 rather than 1940. Kennedy Terrace looks brand new (Completed late 1932/early 1933) and the pre Estoril Court building are still standing (Demolished c1934), although one looks surrounded by scaffolding 

The uphill turn on the lower left side of the photo resembles today's Cotton Tree Drive. Was Cotton Tree Dr renamed from Garden Road before? that also makes the Murray Parade Ground today's Bank of China Building.

It is Garden Road. Cotton Tree Drive was only built in the 60s and would be out of site to the left of the photo. The two Murray Barrack blocks, just above the Garden Road junction, were demolished in 1962 with Cotton Tree Drive constructed a few years later

I knew the trees along there as kapok trees. I was very surprised when they named the road "Cotton Tree" drive.

Hi Annelisec!

Do you know since when there are kapok trees there (or since in forever?). Does anyone has photos of these kapok trees? I would love to know about the history of Kapok Trees there in Cotton Tree Drive.

Thanks!

I don’t personally remember the coral-red flowering trees there, but they were imported  to Hong Kong in the early 20th Century for commercial growing. 

Please see here

Hello!

Anyone know the name of the building to the west (right) of the Parade Ground? Many thanks. Best, Robert

The building with the dome is the French Mission Building.

Thanks again Moddsey for your kind help! Best, Robert