"Small Village known as Aberdeen on the Island of Victoria, Hongkong" | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

"Small Village known as Aberdeen on the Island of Victoria, Hongkong"

"Small Village known as Aberdeen on the Island of Victoria, Hongkong"

Photo from a family album.

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Hi Mandy,

Thanks for posting this interesting photo.

I've been trying to date it more specifically than the 1920-40 range you've quoted. It's definately from before 1931 as that was when the Holy Spirit Seminary ( www.gwulo.com/node/3844 ) opened. It's situated on the low headland behind Old Aberdeen Police Station, but the site is vacant in your photo.

Judging from the terracing in the foreground, your photo was probably taken from the Chinese Permanent Cemetery (www.gwulo.com/node/6497 ) after the terraces had been laid out but were not yet occupied by graves. The earliest parts of the Cemetery were constructed from 1914-16. I don't know if the section of Cemetery in your photo is the oldest part of the Cemetery, but it's a possibility as a pair of gate posts in the perimeter wall are still under construction.

Is it possible that your photo is from slightly earlier than the 1920-40 date range you selected?

Hi GW,

I'd made the gallery name, and set it to 1920s based on their house being built in 1922. But looking more carefully, Mr Hills was already in HK by 1910, see http://gwulo.com/node/17110. I've updated the gallery name.

Mandy, please can you let us know if there is any date marked on the album these photos came from?

Regards, David

There is no date unfortunately in the book of photographs, but it was given and put together by my grandmother, for her father-in-law, Edward Hills. I'm not sure when my great grandfather Edward Hills died, but the photographs were obviously taken before that!