Hong Kong 1960s & 70s : Mike Cussans' photos
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Thanks to Mike Cussans for uploading over 100 of his photos of Hong Kong in the 1960s and 70s:
Over to Mike...
Growing up in Hong Kong
I was born in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong in 1949. My Dad was flying for Imperial Airways / BOAC on flying boats, and was based in Hong Kong. We lived in Stewart Terrace on the Peak.
We returned to England shortly after that, but my Dad was sent back to Hong Kong again in 1956 when Hong Kong Airways took delivery of 2 Viscount aircraft. We lived at La Salle road, a fantastic place with a huge garden, but sadly it is now a block of flats.
After HKG Airways folded into CPA 1959 my Dad took a position with Jardines Airways Dept. At the time I was at Kowloon Junior School, but was soon packed off to boarding school, probably not the best decision with hindsight! After LaSalle we moved to Cambridge Rd where we had a flat, but by the time my Dad was Manger of HATS (Hong Kong Air Terminal Services) and eventually Jardines Air cargo, we had been moved to St. George's Court... very nice too.
My Mother worked at the old Sea Terminal and eventually was PA to Eric Wood, CEO of the Ocean Terminal, a wonderful place to shop and wander round. Mum knew all the shop owners and retail outlets, and as a former ATS Captain, she had day to day control it seemed. So getting a table a Maxim's for lunch was no problem, or announcing that her son wanted to buy a Rolex in a jewellery shop - 43 years later its still on my wrist ...it cost me a month's salary £65, not bad!
By that time I had left school and was working at Kai Tak as a Traffic clerk, before becoming a Load Controller / Flight Dispatcher....a wonderful time but as a local employee it couldn't last when my parents retired in 1971.
My time was spent playing cricket and football, for both Jardines and KCC and popping into the USRC for a swim. Great memories of playing in the Hong trophy matches at Chater Rd and Jock's Pot Boxing Day football v Swire's, and all the wonderful characters & players I met at the KCC.
I grew up in Hong Kong during the 60s and will always have marvellous memories of the place... the food, buying my records in Diamond Music, learning to drive on Shatin Airstrip, and Lowenbrau at King's Lodge!
I returned to UK and worked for BOAC/British Airways as an aircraft Dispatcher for 37 years before retiring 2009.
The photos
Most of the photos in the early 60s were taken by Dad, as I was still young. The later ones in 60s & 70s I took as I was wandering around. The photos in the early 70s I took as I knew I was leaving Hong Kong soon and I wanted a few memories. Subsequent photos taken 1978 were done when I returned to Hong Kong leading a British Airways cricket club team to play various matches.
Views
A drive up Fei Ngo Shan was a popular viewing place to look towards Sha Tin & Kai Tak, and Sai Kung & Tai Mo Shan were the preferred picnic / bbq locations.
Kowloon Tong in those days was a lovely peaceful area to live in just wish I had taken more photos!
The views towards Kowloon Tong, DBS school, and Ho Man Tin were all taken from St. George's Court, Kadoorie Ave. My bedroom looked out across to DBS, whilst the balcony gave views towards the harbour one way and Ma Tau Kok, Kai Tak the other, Ho Man Tin in front.
More to come?
My skills with a computer / scanner are getting better but it's a steep learning curve. So far I've just done slides now I want to see if I can dig out old photographs and upload them....so there may be more to come.
Thanks for all the help and feedback that I have had from the Gwulo folks.
Best wishes, Mike
(You can click any of the photos below to see other readers' comments, and / or leave your own.)
Lion Rock
Jubilee Reservoir
On Lan Street Central-Looking towards Zetland Street
On Lan Street Central
Harbour
Kowloon Tong 1965
Central-HSBC
View of Kowloon City
View Across Kowloon from Kadoorie Ave
Resettlement Housing
Kwun Tong?
Hong Kong Harbour 1964
Cemetary-Kowloon
FeiNgoShan view 1964
Sai Kung Peninsular
Shatin Valley
Tao Fung Shan Christian Centre
Sai Kung?
TaiLamChung
Tao Fung Shan Christian Centre
The Border 1961
Lantau Island
Murray Building near Peak Tram
HoManTin-Before
HoManTin-After
Kwun Tong Resettlement
Taikoo Docks
Sek Kong
Fishing Boat
SanPoKong
Hillside Grave
Law Courts?
DBS Sports Field-Stonecutters Beyond
DBS School
Kowloon City&KaiTak
View towards Hebe Haven
Bun Festival
USS Coral Sea in Hong Kong
SCAA stadium
Local Biker
Macau Hydrofoil
Junk-Causeway Bay Shelter
Shatin Pagoda
ShingMunRedoubt
Family gathering-LokMaChau
SaiKung
Resettlement Housing
Cheung Chau-Festival
Bun Festival
Argyle Street
Typhoon Shelter
Taikoo Dock
Boat People-Medical centre
Fishing Fleet
Cheung Chau-Festival
Harbour
Coral Sea
Onboard Coral Sea
More Buns
Roof of Ocean Terminal
P&O Chusan
View Towards Stonecutters
Dusk-Looking towards DBS school
View Beyond DBS School
Sunset At The Border
Fountain Roundabout KCR
Tiger Balm Gardens
Tiger Balm Gardens
Shatin
Iron Gate...KamTin
Royal Boat at KaiTak
Chinese NewYear 1971
Central at Night
Waterloo road..Kowloon Tong
Inside La Salle Road Flat
Hotel In Macau
Macau..Portuguese Style Hotel
Kowloon Tong 1965 (flipped)
Halloween party..KJS 1957.jpg
KJS 1957 Nov ..Lady Grantham visit.jpg
Lady grantham at KJS 1957.jpg
Prince Philip visits HK
Land's end.jpg
Prince Philip at Kai Tak
Bank of China
Xmas Lights-HSBC
Nathan road Xmas Lights
Castle Walls KamTin
View From Peak Station
Peak Tram
Rickshaw Pullers
Repulse Bay Hotel
Market Place
Lion Rock from the Sea
LaSalle Road
Flat at La Salle Road
Living in Kowloon Tong
View of 27LaSalle Road
Landslide..Kowloon Tong
Typhoon Damage
Typhoon Mary damage
Typhoon Damage
Local Cowboy
Governor's House..Macau
Lovely Macau
HKSB Advert
Water Front...Macau
Church...Macau
Sun Yat Sen Statue...Macau
Esplanade...Macau
National Chinese Flags - Tiger Balm Gardens
Approaching Macau
Looking into China-The Border
KamTin
Countryside....NT
Pottinger Street
Old Cannons..TungChunFort Lantau
Junk Building
Pokfulam Reservoir
Tai Pak Restaurant...Aberdeen
Castle Peak Hotel
Temple 10,000 Buddhas
Boat Painting
Lok Ma Chau
The Border Road
South China Sea
Castle Peak Way
KaiTak...Towards Lion Rock
Boy Scout
Junk off the Coast
Sharp Island
Taikoo Dockyard
Kowloon Tong..Waiting for the Bus
NT..Tree in Colour
Sharp Island?
Park
Ride on Star Ferry
Repulse Bay 1960s
MongKok Lights
Causeway Bay 1960s
KiaTak
Village Life
Junk in the Harbour
Luk Yuen Hotel...NT
Dragon Inn....NT
Hakka Woman...LokMaChau
4th Kowloon Cub Pack
Clearwater Bay Area?
Cape Collinson Lighthouse
North Point
Beach
Stanley
Clearwater Bay Area?
Clearwater Bay Road
Stanley beach
Waterloo road
Funeral ..Kowloon Tong
Paddy Fields
Clearwater Bay View
Small Pagoda...Peak Area
Peak Living
Kai Tak Departure
La Salle Road
The Garden at La Salle Road
Jubilee Resevoir
Onboard CPA DC6
Enroute to Japan
Family Swim
Miramar Restaurant Kai Tak
Taipan leaves HK
Beach
TaoFungShan...Shatin
TaoFungShan
The Monastry at Shatin
Shop Opening...Waterloo Road
Swimming pool !
Waterloo Road
Swimming at Castle Peak
Ambassador Hotel
Aerial View Kai Tak
Lufthansa 707
Ambassador Hotel Advert
Royal Air Laos DC6
Victoria Harbour
View Over Victoria
The Peninsula Hotel
Sampans
City Hall
Hilton By Night
Street Scene
HSBC Xmas Lights
Eastern Hong Kong
Happy Valley
KCR Clock Tower
Stanley Village
Junk At Sunset
Tiger Balm Gardens
Pagoda
Red Pagoda
Shatin Floating Restaurant
Village Life
Macau...SunYat Sen House
Macau
Mandarin Hotel Advert 1963.jpg
Watson's Advert 1963.jpg
Whiteaway's Advert 1963.jpg
CostPlus Advert 1963.jpg
KaiTak from Kowloon Peak 1964
KaiTak Apron 1964
CityHall & Mandarin Hotel
The Governor at Kai Tak
New Territories-Amah Rock
Central
WongTaiSin
KaiTak Runway
Looking over HK Air Copter KaiTak
Kowloon Tong 1965
View Towards KaiTak
WongTaiSin
Star Ferry - USN Carrier 1966
End of Clearwater Bay Road
Walking at Clearwater Bay
Sunset
Fountain at Night
Jordan Road Lights
Lok Ma Chau
View Towards Argyle Street
HoManTin Hill-View From Kadoorie Avenue
HK WaterTours
HoManTin Hill-View From Kadoorie Avenue
Argyle Street-CLP building
Mandarin Hotel
"Model Village" in Kowloon Tong (模範村)
Ambassador Hotel 1968
Tsim-Sha-Tsui Bristol Avenue
Nathan Road 1968
Tsim-Sha-Tsui Peking Road
Star Ferry-Kowloon
KCR Clock Tower-Star Ferry
Sampan-Victoria harbour
Shek Kong Airstrip
Nairn House-China Light&Power
Cathay Convair880 KaiTak
Overlooking Kowloon
Kowloon Canton Railway Terminal 1969
Sai Kung
View towards Hebe Haven
Rickshaw-Kowloon
Island View from Kadoorie Avenue
Kowloon Tong-View to Boundary Street
Star Ferry-Hong Kong Hotel
View across Kowloon to Island
Kadoorie Ave...View down from St.George's Court
View towards Kowloon Tong
Lau Fau Shan Police Station
Nathan road Lights
HK at Night
Night View
Night View towards Kaitak
Night View towards Harbour
HKG DRIVING LICENCE.jpg
New Year 1970
ShuiHing Store
Sha Ha...Near SaiKung
Thanks again to Mike for showing us his photos. If you have any photos of old Hong Kong you'd like to share on Gwulo.com, please click here for details of how to upload them: http://gwulo.com/node/2076
Comments
a world gone forever
Thank you so much Mike for your photos! No images anywhere else have come close to capturing the Hong Kong that I knew as a child. Many of the places in your pictures were also part of my growing up.
I was born in 1963 at St Teresa’s Hospital, Kowloon City. For most of my childhood, I lived in a flat near St Teresa’s Parish, and went to a primary school adjacent to the church. My first memory of Waterloo Road was with that nullah running down the middle, just like in one of your photos.
Often Mom would take us kids to a bakery/restaurant called Coffee House, at the intersection of Waterloo and Prince Edward Road, to buy pastries for tea. The air-conditioning inside was always welcome relief on a hot day.
Sometimes, we would go on a longer walk, past Maryknoll Convent School to Oxford Road. A Dairy Lane used to be there, between Moray and Selkirk Roads, where one afternoon Mom bought us soft ice cream in a cone, and we ate it in the little park just behind the store. That was special, because ice cream for me usually came in Dairy Farm paper cups.
Going to Ocean Terminal was always a treat. I remember Maxim’s on the upper deck – my favourite dish was chicken à la king – and I loved the Swindon bookstore, with its shelves stuffed to overflowing. Then there were the big ocean liners; I dreamed of getting on one of them someday.
Thanks, Mike, for the opportunity to relive some of our shared memories.
Changed World
Dan.....thank you for your kind comments,I'm glad the photos brought back memories.
I was very lucky to have l been able to have lived there from the 50s to 70s,such wonderful times.
Regards
Mike
Mike Cussan's Photo's
Mike,
Thank you for sharing these wonderful photo's. Having worked for JATS/JASL at CLK i was enjoying the historical insight. I then realised my father Chris and yourself must have worked together at BOAC/ BA T3 Dispatch/ Load Control. I will get him to have a look! All the best - Nick
Airport pictures
Hi Nick,
Your old man has just phoned me....guess it was Gwulo that you had looked at.
I remember you at BA in PSU and then as a Duty Manager.
Chris and I had some good memories of those days and glad to hear he's recovering from illness.
Regards Mike
Mike Cussan's Photo's
Mike - yes, you're right we also knew each other. My years at Jardine Aviation were less regimented than your father's but his looked good fun as well. I understand the old man got in touch yesterday - how wonderful and all credit to Gwulo!
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