1959 Gingles Restaurant | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

1959 Gingles Restaurant

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1959 Gingles Restaurant
Submitted by Admin. View the original image on Flickr.
Authors: 
HK Man (香港在消失ing)
Tags: 
懷舊
集體回憶
新舊對照
老香港
舊香港
香港
old
Hong Kong
HK
old Hong Kong
old HK
then and now
尖沙咀
彌敦道

Update: The date for this photo is 1959, as explained in the comments below.

The Flickr comments suggest the older photo is from 1938, but I think the decoration is more likely to be from George V's silver jubilee in 1935. Can anyone else confirm?

HKMan, the author of this post on Flickr, notes that the current corner building is named 'Cheong Hing Building', a direct descendant of the original 'Cheung Hing Store'.

If you zoom in, you can make out the advertisement for Gingle's, advertising 'Good Food, Steaks, Chops, Seafood'.

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Thursday, January 1, 1959
Gallery: 
1950s Hong Kong
Connections: 
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Comments

Submitted by tngan on Fri, 2017-05-12 09:33.

Hi there,

The modern day Cheong Hing Store used to be located at the current or folded "Marathon Sports'.  Anyway Cheong Hing's business is more on the whole sale side.  One of the decendents of the store opened up a wine/liquor store in th neighbourhood at Carnarvon Road a few years ago.

Best Regards,

T

Submitted by moddsey on Fri, 2009-08-21 14:46.

Although the chap Gingles was known to be around in Hong Kong prior to WWII, I doubt very much his restaurant was firmly established in Kowloon in the 1930s.

Back to the photo. By looking at the attire of the people on the street, the photo appears to be taken either in  the late 1940s or early 1950s. I cannot explain the presence of the crown and royal cipher.

Submitted by moddsey on Sat, 2009-10-24 19:07.

The Cheong Hing shop photo appears here in the Company's website:

http://210.17.243.203/2_bg2.html

Mention is made in Chinese of the 1940s store. Could the Flickr photo be the one that was taken in the 1940s?

If the assumption is correct, it could be that the decoration of the crown and royal cipher was erected to commemorate the Silver Jubilee Wedding of King George VI and the Queen in April 1948.

George VI Postbox Cipher

George VI Postbox Cipher

Submitted by David on Sun, 2009-10-25 21:49.

I suppose there's also a slim chance it could have been for George VI's coronation on 12 May 1937, though I agree that 1948 seems more likely.

I've seen other photos from 1937 showing lots of decoration. Do you know if there was much decoration in the streets in 1948?

Submitted by moddsey on Mon, 2009-10-26 08:14.

The Silver Wedding in 1948 was a rather tame affair in Hong Kong. Of note, was the royal salute given by HMS London in the harbour.

The 1937 Coronation of George VI  was however, very different as there were parades, floats, decorated pai laus, illuminated buidlings, fireworks in the harbour etc. However, I have not seen the George VI cipher decorated in the same way as the one seen in the Cheong Hing photo.

The closest resemblance I have seen is from this tram photo.

1937 Illuminated Tram

1937 Illuminated Tram

Submitted by moddsey on Mon, 2010-03-29 18:59.

The first mention of a Gingle's Restaurant in Kowloon at 70 Nathan Road appears in the 1941 Licensing Sessions. It was called the Gingle's Annexe.

Between 1935-1940, the Marcel Cafe operated at the same address. The photo of the Cheong Hing Store would most likely be post WWII.

Submitted by Unknown user (not verified) on Tue, 2010-03-30 05:21.

i have a business card from marcel cafe at 72 nathan road - card looks like it is from the 60s - am posting a link here which i hope you can see, if not, patiingence!

http://www.facebook.com/janette.treciokas?v=feed&story_fbid=110329808992...

Submitted by moddsey on Tue, 2010-03-30 08:27.

Thank you for sight of the Marcel Cafe business card.

It does say 'on the corner' so I assume it may have been on the corner of Humphreys and Nathan Rd where the Cheong Hing Store was located.

I was just noticing the price list in the next photo sequence on facebook. 70 cents for a T-bone steak - I wonder whether the business card may have been from the 1950s instead?

Submitted by Unknown user (not verified) on Tue, 2010-03-30 09:11.

i think the whole menu refers to sandwiches - however there is no evidence of exactly when this card was printed.  i bought this on ebay together with other 60s gems which is my sole guideline on date

vanessa

Submitted by moddsey on Tue, 2011-10-25 04:22.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Monogram as seen here: http://gwulo.com/node/9412?page=0#comment-19135

Submitted by David on Tue, 2011-10-25 21:24.

I've updated the date to 1959 to match the Duke of Edinburgh's visit.

Regards, David

Submitted by moddsey on Sat, 2016-12-10 07:27.

Junction of Nathan Road and Humphreys Avenue.