1961-05-01 — Page 6

Pago 6

THE CHINA MAIL,

MONDAY, MAY 1, 1961.

A LINK WITH HONGKONG'S PAST

SPLENDIDLY-preserved photographs of old Hongkong taken in 1902 by Mr A. S. Garfit, great-uncle of Mr C. Henderson of Lebel (China) Ltd, were found recently in a hollowed bamboo container at the bottom of an old trunk stored away for years.

One excellent picture of the Queen's Building at the time of its completion in 1902 was shown to Mr Vernon Roberts, interested in pro- perties of the Hongkong Land Investment Company Ltd. He borrowed the collection from Mr Henderson and had enlargements taken by Mr Francis Wu.

Two of the outstanding prints are panoramic views of Hongkong, one from the harbour facing the island and the other from mid- levels, of the harbour with Kowloon in the background,

In fine spidery hand- writing on yellowing puper are the notes accompanying the prints and compiled by

Gartit, Mr A. S.

an ok China hand, who came to Hongkong after living in Tientsin and Port Arthur. His firm of China Traders appeared to have had their offices in the original

Queen's Building only re cently demolished to make room for a modern struc- ture embodying the Queen's Hotel,

LITTLE KNOWN

IK & Shanghai Bank-harbour view

PHOTO, NEWS

Presented by

JILL DOGGETT

those days so the Bank and

Further along the six- the old City Hall alongside storeyed Hongkong Hotel on were close to the Praya, Dr the site of the present J. R. Jones explained that Gloucester Ilotel with The the Bank was built to plans Gripps where Central Build- prepared by Wilson and Bird. Bonts ready to he lowered on davits were kept on the embankment and they carried bullion sometimes required at short notice to settle international differ ences. An upturned row bout can be seen in the photographs.

The wide view of Hong kong from the harbour shows, left, the old HMS

A

The hollowed-our bamboo with the rolled-up panoramic pictures

and

ing is now, and the Jardine, Matheson & Co Building on the opposite corner of Ped-

Kellett Island footnote years later the Tung Wah of significant der-street can be seen. At remarks upon the reclaim Infectious Diseases Hos- Causeway Bay, The hulk the top of Pedder-street is ed ground property of the pital in Kennedy Town, decks were used

as go- the campanile-style clock- Hongkong and Shanghai opened its doors.

downs for storage. Oplum was sometimes stored in tower built in 1862 and de- Bank put the cost of re-

molished in 1912. Fubile clamation at "probably MORE MARKED this way. subscriptions started to be $150,000, worth perhaps raised for the "Town Clock" $200,000; laid out as as early as 1858.

dens and stands in

gur.

their

Shipping identified In the original picture a cluded a cable ship, a Bluo Peak tram is clearly seen, Funnel steamer, a Douglas but it seems surprising to ship, the old Fatshan be

in-

that the extent of develop-

and

dian Pacific Steamship Company, which was lying. out at anchor.

The Central Reclamation books at nil.” Tamar deput ship. The started in 1890 was finished The Bank undertook to realise there was then no side a sailing junk, several existing vinduct along in 1901. With the construc- lay out the eastern half Garden-road, ΠΟ Lugard three-masted sailing ships Bowen-road is clearly seen. tion of a seawall two miles of Statue Square as gar- road and the Upper and an Empress sleamer,

long enclosing land about 63 dens and, as such, they Levels and Peak develop light-coloured

with Buildings on the water acres in area, a period of have been maintained to ment appears nogligible. two funnels of the Cana- front from left to right great building activity com the present day. included

Over in Kowloon, look- Butterfield

until. and menced and lasted

harbour from 1907.

It will be clearly seen ing at the

Hongkong, the contrast to present-day development is

Already framed and in even more marked. Only NOT POSSIBLE ment in the Western area

of Hongkong

prominent positions on the was con- storehouses or godowns on walls of the offices of City siderable at the turn of the

water's edge In those days it had not the century despite

and Hotels Ltd, copies of these the various small buildings are been found possible to get outbreak

finding plaguo

photographs in discernible.

their way. into business Naval and Military sunction 1894 when Taipingsban to continue the Praya right had to be burned out Mr W. C. G. Knowles of houses and clubs in the across the dockyard area and rebuilt. Then in Butterfield and Swire said Colony. The Hongkong and and only now, in the new 1897 smallpox raged. The it

wag the custom for Shanghai Bank is ordering Harcourt-roud recently Nethersole Hospital open- traders then to put covers prints of the photographs opened has this facility ed in 1893 was inundated on old hulks and pointed taken 59 years ago by a far- been obtained,

with patients, and eight out several in the region. sighted old. China hand.

Mr Henderson said that his Kreat-uncle who These included two pic- Of great interest are the Swire, the Telegraph Oflices, probably lived harder and

harder tures of Queen's Building fine prints of the former the Cricket Club ground he- worked harder

taken from differing angles. Ilongkong and Shanghai brothers and sisters in Eng. It was amusing during the Bank building which was hind, the Hongkong Club land, outlived them all. Hoentification of the photo. opened in August 1886. The moved

from its original retired in Richmond, Sur-

from the Queen's location where the King's graphs to see how easy it view rey.

was to confuse the Prince's road side showing the main Theatre is now; the City Apart from the excellent and Queen's Buildings until entrance and famous old Hall with the Murray Bar panoramic prints, clearer it was noticed that the palm trees seemed more racks and St John's Cathe than the reproduction Prince's building had a black familiar, but the view of dral above, the Hongkong despite their age and some dome in the centre of the the side facing the harbour and Shanghai Bank, and the fading, four other photo- roof and the Queen's a type appeared to be little known. Queen's Building still sur- graphs were enclosed in the of minaret facade at the The seafront came right rounded by scaffolding, sealed section of bamboo.

top.

up to Des Voeux-road, in prior to completion.

of

¿ure

IK, Shanghai Dank-frant view

Quern's Building-From Ide Houng-street/

Queen's Muliding--From Statue Square.