KING GEORGE CORONATION (contd.)
598
and was later sent to His Majesty. The Masons of the Colony also despatched an address to the King.
The various local schools held special gatherings, at each of which an address from the Governor, on the significance of the occasion, was read to the children.
On June 23, the many illuminations and other decorations were greatly admired: all sections of the Colony's citizens strove to show their loyalty to the Crown, and the result was an almost unprecedented series of manifestations. Even as late as June 24, following their efforts on the two previous days, the Chinese organised a colourful procession of lanterns through the streets after dark, which brought the memorable proceedings to a close.
The S.C.M. Post of June 24 headed its leading article "Bravo, Hongkong!", and claimed that: "In no part of the King's vast dominions, outside of London itself, has Coronation Day been more loyally observed than in Hongkong. The Colony has risen most admirably to the occasion, and honoured the historic event in a manner exceeding the most sanguine anticipations. Thanks are due to the Coronation Committee for the admirable arrangements made; but this cosmopolitan community, where all nationalities combine in harmonious acknowledgment of the prosperity, peace and contentment which prevail under the British flag, had never been known to lag in loyalty on such occasions. It is therefore due to the enthusiasm and hearty co-operation of the community as a body that the celebrations have been so conspicuously successful."
Judging from the reports in the paper of the different functions, and the lists of names of leading men who formed the various committees (some of them still happily in our midst), it is evident that this praise was well merited.
KOWLOON.
To-day I make a start with reproducing old photographs of Hongkong, which have been placed at my disposal by courtesy of a local reader.
Some time ago Messrs. Mee Cheung reproduced a small collection of these photos. The one given to-day shows Kowloon waterfront as it was towards the latter part of last century, with a wide, curving beach in Hunghom Bay. Where the seawater is shown at the left-hand side of the picture, now stands the Peninsula Hotel, on reclaimed land. The high ground at the back is the ridge running then across where Nathan Road now is, and forming the present Observatory Hill and Whitfield Barracks.
The building seen in the left-hand background is understood to be the Indian mosque at Whitfield, forming one of the few old structures in Kowloon still standing to-day. The low-lying land in the far background towards the right is where Yaumati now lies. The photo appears to have been taken from the hill behind Salisbury Road where the time ball now stands, with the camera facing northwest. Later, the row of houses known as Victoria View, standing behind the Kowloon hotel (and a few years ago replaced by modern flats) was built along the far end of the sea beach shown in the foreground of this old photo. The land was reclaimed for the railway, and the whole area now embracing Holt's Wharf, and the buildings up to the seaward end of Ashley Road, stand on reclaimed land. The old beach followed a line roughly from the present Water Police Station in towards King's Road, along to the area between Mody Road and Middle Road, and round Blackhead Point (where the time ball is), again curving in slightly up to the high land known nowadays as Gun Club Hill; then on to Hunghom. The stream shown in this photo now goes underground, through a nullah opening into the harbour near the railway Station.
I had my doubts about the identity of that building (28.6.33) in the left-hand background of the Old Kowloon photograph pointed out to me as the Indian Mosque and it is now certain, from further study of the site, that the building stood where the Water Police Station has since arisen. This makes the beach shown in the photo the one running approximately where Middle Road and the Kowloon Hotel now stand.
Rev. G. T. Waldegrave: "I have in my possession a photograph of the same set as that which you are reproducing, which clearly shows that the rising ground in
KING GEORGE CORONATION (contd.)
598
and was later sent to His Majesty. The Masons of the Colony also despatched an address to the King.
The various local schools held special gatherings, at each of which an address from the Governor, on the significance of the occasion, was read to the children.
*.*
* *
On June 23, the many illuminations and other decorations were greatly ad- nired: all sections of the Colony's citizens strove to show their loyalty to the Crown, and the result was an almost unprecedented series of manifestations. Sven as late as June 24, following their efforts on the two previous days, the Chinese organised a colourful procession of lanterns through the streets after dark, which brought the memorable proceedings to a close.
*..
The S.C.M. Fost of June 24 headed its leading article "Bravo, Hongkong!", and claimed that: "In no part of the King's vast dominions, outside of London itself, has Coronation Day been more loyally observed than in Hongkong The Colony has risen most admirably to the occasion, and honoured the historic event in a manner exceeding the most sanquine anticipations. Thanks are due to the Coronation Committee for the admirable arrangements made; but this cosmo- politan community, where all nationalities combine in harmonious acknowledg-
ent of the prosperity, peace and contentment which prevail under the British
ag, had never been known to lag in loyalty on such occasions. It is the reføre ...e to the enthusiasm and hearty co-operation of the community as a body that
e celebrations have been so conspicuously successful."
Judging from the reports in the paper of the different functions, and the sts of names of leading men who formed the various committees (some of them svill happily in our midst), it is evident thatthis praise was well merited.
*******
KOWLOON.
To-day I make a start with reproducing old photographs of Hongkong, which have been placed at my disposal by courtesy of a local reader.
Some time ago Messrs. Mee Cheung reproduced a small collection of these photos. The one given to-day shows Kowloon waterfront as it was towards the latter part of last century, with a wide, curving beach in Hunghom Bay. Where the seawater is shown at the left-hand side of the picture, now stands the Peninsula Hotel, on reclaimed land. The high ground at the back is the ridge running then across where Nathan Road now is, and forming the present Observatory Hill and Whitfield Barracks.
The building seen in the left-hand background is understood to be the Indian mosque at Whitfield, forming one of the few old structures in Kowloon still standing to-day. The low-lying land in the far background towards the right is where Yaumati now lies. The photo appears to have been taken from the hill behind Salisbury Road where the time ball now stands, with the camera facing north west. Later, the row of houses known as Victoria View, standing behind the Kowloon hotel (and a few years ago replaced by modern flats) was built along the far end of the sea beach shown in the foreground of this old ph to. The land was reclaim- ed for the railway, and the whole area now embracing Holt's Wharf, and the build- ings up to the seaward end of Ashley Road, stand on reclaimed land. The old beach followed a line roughly from the present Water Police Station in towards
ing Road, along to the area between Mody Road and Middle Road, and round Black- d Point (where the time ball is), again curving in slightly up to the high and known nowadays as Gun Club Hill; then on to Hunghom. The stream shown in this
oto now goes underground, through a nullah opening into the harbour near the milway Station.
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I had my doubts about the identity of that building (28.6.33) in the left- nd background of the Old Kowloon photograph pointed out to me as the Indian Losque and it is now certain, from further study of the site, that the build- ing stood where the Water Police Station has since arisen. This makes the beach shown in the photo the one running approximately where Middle Road and the Kowloon I am indebted to the writer of the following notes for definite- ly clearing up the doubt which existed.
Hotel now stand.
*******
Rev. G. T. Waldegrave: "I have in my possession a photograph of the same set
as that which you are reproducing, which clearly shows that the rising ground in
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