Central praya C.1895 | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Central praya C.1895

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Central praya C.1895
Submitted by Chris Chan
Authors: 
Anonymous
Tags: 
Victoria Harbour

Hello I am new in Gwulo.com and here is my first photo to share, it is an albumen photo showing panorama view of Victoria harbour in Central back in circa 1895. The following clues I found in this photo:

- The 2nd Gen. Central market has already built(at rightmost), so this photo at least taken after 1895

- There is no clue that the reclamation of Des Voeux Road has started yet, that means it was before 1889

I would like to hear anymore clue you guys found in this photo!

FULL HD photo: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jzqiduM45zrsJna2A

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Tuesday, January 1, 1895
Gallery: 
1890s Hong Kong
Connections: 
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Comments

Submitted by Admin on Thu, 2019-09-19 21:08.

Thanks Chris, that's a good clear view.

Comparing it with this 1906 view ...

1906 View of Hong Kong from the harbour
1906 View of Hong Kong from the harbour, by David

 

... there's no sign of the Mount Austin Hotel / Barracks, which were definitely in existence by 1897. So I think your photo must have been taken very soon after the Central Market was finished.

Submitted by Klaus on Fri, 2019-09-20 00:53.
Panorama 1887-1895
Panorama 1887-1895, by Klaus

Submitted by Chris Chan on Sat, 2019-09-21 00:26.

Thank you David, I don't know this signature building before! I will purchase an extension lens by this week, so I can take a close up image of the photos to show more details.

Submitted by Chris Chan on Sun, 2019-09-22 23:39.

So I have got my lens and this is a close up of the building right hand side of the Victoria Hotel, it has a signboard writes Chinese "東昌隆", it should belong to a Chinese company named "東昌隆", anyone know what this company was selling?

Central praya C.1895 building close up
Central praya C.1895 building close up, by Chris Chan

Submitted by OldTimer on Mon, 2019-09-23 05:18.

Greetings, and another guess (always appreciate corrections ).  It is the name of an import-export company without specifying any products.  That it occupied the third level suggests it was an office not a retail shop.  東昌隆 may be translated to East thriving (and) prosperous (Company).  The second and third characters have similar meaning(s) and were arranged to give a better sound.  Interesting it was the only business with such big sign on the front.  The best lighthouse for its captains?  Regards,  Peter

Submitted by Chris Chan on Tue, 2019-09-24 01:15.

I think its sign was for ships too! Because residents could hardly view the signboard from the ground floor, it hanged at 2/F, faced outward horizontally, you just needed to look at it from the sea to have the proper angle. So I guess this company should be doing foreign trades business, selling tea etc. to foreign/selling foreign good to local.

Submitted by David on Tue, 2019-09-24 18:09.

The building survived into the 1950s. We have a page for it at https://gwulo.com/node/45620 with some later photos.