Views along the tram line in the 1920s | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Views along the tram line in the 1920s

1926 Praya East

Join us on a tram ride through 1920s Hong Kong, keeping an eye out for these along the way:

  • Typhoon damage: Several photos show trams damaged in a strong typhoon that hit Hong Kong in August 1923
  • Industrial action: One photo shows a tram with a banner, “Tramways volunteers apply here”. The photo was taken during the strike and boycott of 1925-26. 
  • The trams' changing appearance: At the start of the 1920s, the upper decks on trams had a canvas roof, but open sides. The canvas roof was later replaced with a solid roof, and by the end of the decade all trams had enclosed upper decks, looking similar to the trams we see today. It took time for changes to work their way through the whole fleet, so you'll see some photos show two different generations of tram.

Now on with the photos:



c.1925 Pedder Street:

Des Voeux Road:

Hong Kong Central 1920's:

1925-6 Tram:

c.1922 The best hotel in Hong Kong:

c.1920 Des Voeux Road, Central:

Tram:

Alexandra Building, Hong Kong, 1920's:

Des Voeux Rd Central, c. 1925:

1920s Ice House Street:

Des Voeux Rd near old Law Courts:

1920s Naval Yard Building Main Entrance - Rickshaw Rank:

1920s Cable Car over Queensway:

Typhoon 1923:

1923 Typhoon Tram Damage:

1926 Queen's Road East:

1920s Arsenal Street:

Tram Damages along Johnston Road, Wanchai (Different View):

1926 Praya East:

1925 Praya East:

1928 Praya East tram line:

1920s Praya East:

Wanchai Police Station:

1920s No. 2 (Wanchai) Police Station:

c.1925 Happy Valley :

1920s Praya East at Tin Lok Lane:

1920s Bowrington Canal:

1920s Causeway Bay:

Street_scene_with_trolley_Hong_Kong_China_ca1920:

Tram terminus at Causeway road:

Old Hong Kong Xmas Card:

1920's Causeway Bay Tram:

1920s North Point Beach:

Taikoo:

Shau Kei Wan & Aldrich Bay:

You can click on any of the photos above to visit that photo's page. Many have larger copies of the photo, and additional information about the scene.

Thank you to everyone who uploaded these photos for us to enjoy. If you have any other views along the tramline from the 1920s, please can you upload them for us to see? We're especially short of views taken west of Central, or east of Causeway Bay. Click here to learn how to upload a photo to Gwulo.

Regards, David

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"Rickshaws and trams coming from races"
"Rickshaws and trams coming from races", by Chinarail

( Above and below) Two additional photographs of Hong Kong's early tramways. Both taken in Queens Road (now Queensway)  in the vicinity of Victoria Barracks. The second picture is obviously on a special occasion with decorative flags festooning the buildings and Indian Sikh troops  also out on parade .  Perhaps this occasion was to mark the occasion of the arrival of Hong Kong's new Governor, Sir Matthew Nathan in late July 1904 or the birthday celebrations for King Edward VII in November 1904. ( UPDATE: Upon close examination of a repeat copy of the second picture, it appears that the lower photograph might be later than the suggested 1904. There is a very faint pencil inscription in the album margin with the word "coronation" so it is perhaps more likely that this photo was taken  in  June 1911 during a ceremony to mark the coronation of George V. )

Note the two diffrent types of tramcars, fully enclosed cars for 1st Class passengers and open-sided cars for those taking 3rd Class. No close up  mixing of Hong Kong's elite with sweaty "coolies" in those days.......

( Photos are from an album belonging to an NCO of the Bombay Sappers and Miners, courtesy of the Royal Engineers Archives)

HK-Trams-Queens-Rd
HK-Trams-Queens-Rd, by Chinarail