Barbara Anslow's diary has several mentions of a Charles Pike, RAMC, Sham Shui Po camp.

does anyone know anything of this man?  Was he by chance a son of Alfred Charles Septimus Pike, who died at Stanley Camp in 1942?

Thank you.

Jenny Bell

Hi all, 

I am interested in anything to do with the Royal Artillery in Hong Kong and Singapore from 1940 through to the Fall of Singapore in February 1942..

Literally anything, which units (were stationed  there and their history/diaries).  did any of the RA stationed At Hong kong get moved to Singapore after hong Kong was overrun. Nominal rolls would be good too.  I am especialy interested in the names Casey, Burt/Burke born and signed up in Glasgow.  Chrisitian names are a little difficult as Dad may have signed upp under his brother or his cousin's birth certificates (1914-1824).

Any suggestions how to proceed gratefully recieved!

Did any of the soldiers at Hong Kong desert, go awol or were mistakenly declared dead?

Are there any comprehensive and lists of these men?  Where could I find them?

TIA

I came across a list of doners from the Hong Kong Muslim community to the above fund dated 23^rd October 1916.

I am trying to find out what the event was.

In the China Mail 23^rd October 1916 page 4

https://mmis.hkpl.gov.hk/coverpage/-/coverpage/view?_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_actual_q=%28%20dc.publicationdate_dt%3A%28%5B1916-10-23T00%3A00%3A00Z+TO+1916-10-24T23%3A59%3A59Z%5D%29%20%29&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_sort_field=dc.publicationdate_bsort&p_r_p_-1078056564_c=QF757YsWv59VIEI8XZM1x0kDyKxOZJcC&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_o=0&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_sort_order=asc

There seemed to have been various community events/fairs/raffles/films/plays/dances etc raising money to what appeared to be the Allied cause for World War I, including an auction of roses.

Who was Lady May? (Governor’s wife?)

What exactly was ‘Our Day’ all about? What was the symbolism of roses all about?

Who organised “The Fund” and who benefited from the donations from different sections of the community of Hong Kong?  

If anyone comes across any photos, pictures, postcards, social history material etc related to the event please post them here.

In 1960  I  bought a 36x24 inch oil painting of what I thought was a Chinese girl (she had an uncanny likeness to my new girlfriend and present wife!) though the owner on the shop on Observatory Road near Gun Club Barracks  told me the title was 'The Student' and the subject a Russian.

About ten years later an Artist named Pang was interviewed by the China Mail and that is how I discovered  the  pre 1949 Shanghai connection. If anyone has information on the artist I will  post a copy of my paintng for their information.

Nick Wilson

Hi, there,

I'm a writer who is looking for a local Hong Kong expert to provide a quote and/or information and/or cultural insight for an article I'm writing for an Internet site. I can't provide payment but I can tell you it's a very respected, well-known site. I can provide further details but it has to do with the funeral supply stores in the Sheung Wan area. If anyone happens to be in the funeral industry in HK that would be incredible. 

Just let me know how I can reach you and I will! Again, I'm looking for a Chinese person for this as all my sources so far have been European, American, etc. and I would really like a local perspective on this. 

Thank you so much!
Courtney

I recently bought a 1932 Austin Seven AG tourer which at one time was registered in Hong Kong AP 9057 (1970/71from the Tax disc)

A brief history of the car is that it got out to Hong Kong somehow by 1970., where it was owned (allegedly) by a British ex-pat Hong Kong policeman who sold it at auction (when returning to UK) to an American (Gerald R Stockton) who was working in HK at that time. Subsequently he took it to California , registered it as "Chitty!" kept it for a number of years until selling it in 1982 to a friend in Ohio where it was sold on again until it languished in a rodent filled barn until I rescued it last year & shipped it to the UK!.

I am keen to find out anything about the car in HK, I know it was Blue & Black and was competantly modified from standard into a (relatively!) sporting little car. For those who know Sevens it has a "Nippy" cylinder head & manifolds, a 4 speed "sports" gearbox, a Hardy Spicer prop shat, Morris Minor Hydraulic brakes and 17" wheels! All these are "period" modifications & were probably done in the UK before the car went out....but not necessarily!

It could be a pre -war survivor, modified by an enthusiast in HK.

It is quite possible that the unknown policeman was a member of the Hong Kong Motor Sprts Club (still going!)

Does ANYONE have any memories of the car?  I have pictures of it in a sad state in Ohio, but nothing from HK...if I can find out how to put them here

Best wishes

David

I am trying to contact anyone who was in Hong Kong in the early 1960's who knew of St Christopher's Orphanage and/or my adoptive parents, Captain Alan Roderick Williamson (Roddy) and his wife Patricia Anne Williamson (Pat). I would like to receive any photos of them and/or with me as a baby. Sadly they have both passed on. They both had very fond memories of their posting in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaya and the friends they made. I am putting together a photo album as a memento to those early years for my own use (not publication).

A look at what's been added / updated at Gwulo.com. Please click on the photos or the blue links for more information - and please leave a comment if you can add any new details.

Places

• Does anyone recognise the building from the 1950s-60s in the upper centre of the photo below? It was in TST on the south side of Salisbury Road, across the road from the YMCA, and in front of the KCR terminus. I think it housed the Post Office's Kowloon sorting office, and may also have housed a postal facility for the British Armed Forces, but I don't have any firm proof. If you have any information about it, or can point me to any photos with a clearer view of it, please let me know.
  • HE Arrives Outside Peninsula Hotel, by Gordon Randall
• R.A.F. Kong Wei, listening post [c.1952-????]
• Kai Pak Ling [????- ]
• Nam Koo Terrace南固台 #55 Ship Street (IL 2140) [c.1918- ]
• Miu Keng Terrace妙鏡台, #53 Ship Street, 1-5 Schooner Street (IL 2093 RP & IL 2093 S.A RP) [????- ]
• A Hing photographic studio [c.1909-c.1935]
• Streets: Cornwall Avenue, Lun Fat Street

People

Looking for information about:

• Sharon is looking for anyone who knew her adoptive parents Captain Alan Roderick Williamson (Roddy) and Patricia Anne Williamson (Pat). Roddy was in Hong Kong with the army in the early 1960s.
• Charles PIKE, RAMC then POW at Sham Shui Po
• Helena CASTRO (née FOEGAL, aka Nellie) [c.1890-????]

Memories of:

• Yuen-Cheung WONG (aka Stephen Wong / 黃源章) [c.1928-1993] - photos of him meeting governors and other dignitaries.
• Jean Edouard TERNEL [c.1884-1948]
• Arrigo FOA [c.1900-1981], musician, conductor, and teacher
• Kwok-wing CHENG [1914-????], and George Henry WHITE [????-????], BAAG members
• Dorothy Elizabeth DARKIN (née DAVIES) [1931-1972]
• Governors Trench & Maclehose
• Stanley Camp internees:
  •  Roland Maitland ALDERTON [1902-1991]
  • Herbert Louis N ASCOUGH [1897-1981]
  • Lancelot Alexander BARTON (aka Lance) [1894-1966]
  • Esther Maria BARTON (née XAVIER) [1895-1983]
    • Terence St John BARTON [c.1925-2000]
  • Reginald Charles BUTLER [1904-1994]
  • John William DEAKIN [c.1885-????]
  • Francis Daniel LEONARD [1884-1968]
  • Samuel LILLICRAP [1887-1942]
  • Anton MUNZE (aka Canaker Dick) [c.1884-1942]
  • Charles MEDLEY [1913-1995]
  • Eileen MEDLEY (née DONALD) [1911-2003]
  • Percy NETTLE [c.1886-1964]
  • Doris Nellie SHIELDS (née MITCHELL) [1909-1962]
  • John Rutherford SPENCE [1880-1976]
  • Harry Alan TAYLOR [1888-1972]
  • Beatrice Rose TWIDALE (née CULLEN, aka Betty) [1916-1971]
    • Rose Marie TWIDALE [1936- ]
  • John Richard Morris Burney WALL [1910-????], policeman
  • William Francis WEBB (aka Bill) [1903-????]
  • William Edward WEBBER [1894-1966]
  • Brinley WILLIAMS [c.1908-c.1991]

Other

• Thanks to everyone who helped identify the photos in the previous newsletter:
  • The "lance corporal" wasn't an NCO at all. He was a private with a good conduct stripe.
  • The sergeant (who was also a marksman) and the three segeants were in the Northamptonshire Regiment.
  • The sailor was a second class petty officer with two stripes for good conduct.
• David.h is hoping to hear from anyone who knew his recently acquired 1932 Austin Seven AG tourer, which was registered in Hong Kong as AP 9057 in the 1970s, and believed to have been owned by a British ex-pat Hong Kong policeman.
• Looking for information about the Royal Artillery in Hong Kong & Singapore, 1940-42.
• I've been asked a couple of times about publishing a book, so I've started jotting down some notes. If you've published a book and can add any tips, they'll be very welcome.
• Looking for an expert who can talk about the funeral supply stores in the Sheung Wan area.
• Looking for any photos or material about the “Our Day” event in 1916

Photos

Hong Kong Electric Laundry(Wanchai)2., by Peter Keeley

Hong Kong Electric Laundry (Wanchai)., by Peter Keeley

Hong Kong, street view, ca. 1900, by Charles in Shanghai

c.1916 Thomas Cecil Glendinning, by Sandra Trimble

Stanley battery, by Derek Lo

Battys k., by Peter Keeley

Battys i., by Peter Keeley

Battys c., by Peter Keeley

Loading cargo by hand at Ocean Terminal TST 1960s, by Michael J. Neuman

The sign has been re-erected, by laicwk24

Kong Wei turn off Castle Peak road., by Gordon Innes

Filling station between Sek Kong and Kong Wei., by Gordon Innes

Capitol Cinema., by Albert Hunt

Click to see all recently added photos.

Marie.jpeg, by Rebecca Butterworth

Alex Butterworth.jpeg, by Rebecca Butterworth

Hello, 

I'm searching for my husband's half brother, Alex Butterworth.  Alex was born in Hong Kong in 1966, father John Butterworth,  mother Marie (Maria?).  We do not know his mother's maiden name unfortunately.   Any information or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, 

Rebecca

Hong Kong Chinese sent to Australia as convicts

I was wondering if there is much known about Hong Kong Chinese who were sent to Australia as convicts? I am currently taking a course through Oxford Online on the British Empire and I came across a small mention in one of the course readings, from the Australian Government website, that Hong Kong Chinese were sent to Australia as convicts. I also wondered too if any British citizens in Hong Kong were also sent to Australia as convicts?

"While the vast majority of the convicts to Australia were English and Welsh (70%), Irish (24%) or Scottish (5%), the convict population had a multicultural flavour. Some convicts had been sent from various British outposts such as India and Canada. There were also Maoris from New Zealand, Chinese from Hong Kong and slaves from the Caribbean." - 'Convicts and the British colonies in Australia' from the Australian Government website

Here is the link to the article  -

https://web.archive.org/web/20170217234838/http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/convicts-and-the-british-colonies

John Thomson's China - 1

John Thomson's China - 3 Illustration of China & its people, vol.1 (London 1873)

MIT Visualizing Cultures

I am a professional photo restorer and colourizer who works, for the most part, on antique sports images. But I have a great love of old Hong Kong images as well and have done a number of them. 

Here is a link to my most recent work on one of John Thomson's 1869 Victoria images. 150 Years Ago! A limited number of matted prints of this image will be on sale at the Maritime Museum gift shop at the Central Star Ferry pier from the middle of March, 2019. Proceeds to the Museum.
But for those not in Hong Kong you may also purchase prints online here. (You can toggle the original photos here also)

Color references for the buildings in this image are from contemporary, or near contemporary oil paintings. 

A Before & After image of this restoration can be found here. The original file is of a very high resolution, unlike this example. 

I have done more, and will post here soon.

There is a Clark Gable film called Soldier of Fortune. The film includes some spectacular scenes of 1955 Hong Kong, including trams running along the waterfront and street scenes of Western and Tsim Sha Tsui. But what attracted me, being a former Marine Police officer, were the shots of the old Marine Police Headquarters (minus the Noonday Gun) and the 'action' scenes of Police Launch 15, upon which I served, or at least sailed. Still shots from the film here:

Marine Police Headquarters, by Les Bird

Marine Police Headquarters, by Les Bird

Police launch 15, by Les Bird

The other star of the Soldier of Fortune, Police Launch 15 (name Cormorant) had an interesting life, as did her sister, Police Launch 16. Like the other ten Harbour Patrol Launches (we had a dozen of these vessels, PLs 5 to 16) they were 45ft, wooden hull, habour tug boats. Built in 1946 for the Admiralty in Australia, they served in the Hong Kong Police from 1946 to as late as 1988.

I have attached a couple of photos of them in Hong Kong. The first photo is of PL 5 (c. 1950) in her original configuration.

Police launch 5, by Les Bird

The second photo is of PL 10 at work in Victoria Harbour, mid-1960s. You will see the addition of a swish canvas flying bridge.

Police Launch 10, by Les Bird

Whilst most of these twelve tugs saw their entire service in Victoria Harbour, PLs 15 and 16 were redeployed to Chueng Chau in the early 1960s. PL 15 became the Cheung Chau station launch, whilst PL 16 policed the small but busy harbour. In 1967 PL 16 was sunk by a terrorist bomb whilst alongside Cheung Chau pier. She was later raised, repaired and returned to service.

PL 15s claim to fame came in 1972 when she attended the scene of a fire on board the Seawise University (formerly RMS Queen Elizabeth) at anchor west of Stonecutters Island. PL 15, positioned under the stern of the burning Seawise University, evacuated the ship before it burnt out and sank at its mooring. At one point this small harbour tug had 150 survivors on board. The total number of persons normally permitted was 15.

Les Bird

PS Soldier of Fortune is available to watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w38jwdbz9Y

A group of four medals,( 39_45 STAR,PACIFIC STAR ,WAR MEDAL with MID,plus RN Dockyard Long  Service medal to A.B.Allan, up for auction in U.K.,see The Saleroom,Police Medals.He is mentioned in Barbara Anslows Diary 1945 and in Banham's Garrison List.

I have found a colonial film archive with a database of over 6,000 colonial films. Here's the link - http://www.colonialfilm.org.uk/

There's an extensive list of films on Hong Kong for example this film from 1958 - http://www.colonialfilm.org.uk/node/4438

Construction of Harcourt Road

After the end of WW2, the military and naval premises were repaired from war damages and used further on. Mainly on Hong Kong Island, these areas were situated right in the centre of the developing city. Any expansion to the east was impeded by these areas, mainly in the aspect of traffic (i.e. motor vehicles).

In March 1958, an agreement was reached between the Military and the HK Government to take over Murray Barracks, Murray Parade Ground and the Detention Barracks. (OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS. Meeting of 6th March, 1958, p.45).

This was an important achievement for the further development of the city, new areas were ready for sale and construction of buildings. This didn’t help with the traffic problem. All of the traffic between the central district and Wanchai had to go through Queen’s Road East (Queensway). Not a wide road, and it had to be shared with the trams, a time consuming adventure during rush hours.

Queen's Road East @ 1950's, by Dennis WahChan

The general situation during the 1950’s can be seen on this photo from mid to end of the 1950’s.

1950s Central Waterfront Reclamation and Harbour View, by m20wc51

 On this photo Queen’s Road East/Queensway runs in front of the banks on the left, then around the cricket ground, turning right passing the Naval Dockyard buildings, then left again along Wellington Barracks to make a right turn at the junction of Arsenal Street and Hennessy Road.

In the mid-1950’s, it turned out that the Royal Navy had to be restructured. This included ships, crews, and naval facilities like docks. This was an excellent opportunity to start negotiations between the Admiralty and the HK Government to hand over premises including docks. Hand over meant sale for ￡7,000,000 sterling (see the HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REPORT from 7. October, 1959 in a separate comment below)! After long negotiations, an agreement was reached in October, 1959 to strt the hand over on November 30^th, 1959 and to finish on January 1^st, 1962 latest.

To overcome the traffic limitations on Queen’s Road East, a new road was needed which would run across the old Naval Dockyard. This new road would start at Connaught Road (junction with Murray Road) and end at Gloucester Road (junction with Arsenal Street).

The following map shows the “New Road Reserve”. It’s from the OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS. Meeting of 7th October, 1959. Unfortunately, the map is shown only for the western part, so the eastern one is added from the 1957 Gwulo map (including a hand-drawn estimated road course).

Harcourt road_proposal, by Klaus

 To build this road, reclamation work was necessary. In the western part, the Dry Dock needed to be filled, in the eastern part the same had to be done for the Boat Pool/Camber. In front of Wanchai Police Headquarters a further small reclamation was necessary to widen the existing Gloucester Road. The necessity can be seen from this photo (showing Gloucester Road with Caine House built at the waterfront):

Wan Chai. Gloucester Road quay, China Fleet Club.JPG, by Andrew Suddaby

 The next photo shows the reclamation work near the Boat Pool/Caine house (although attributed to 1968. my estimate is late 1960)

1960's Admiralty dock, by Eternal1966

 No detailed information is available for the start of the works, but quite likely in early 1960. The next photo from (quite likely early 1960) shows the demolition work of the dockyard workshops and houses at the tidal basin as well as (rock) filling of the dry dock while the Quarters (including Nissen huts) and Stores are still standing.

1961 Central view, by Eternal1966

 The next photo from end of 1960/early 1961 shows the construction of the road. The reclamation of a part of the Boal Pool has been finished, the same applies to Gloucester Road behind the Wanchai Police Headquarters. The new wall around the area that the Admiralty will still use has been built already.

1961 Admiralty view, by eternal1966e

 The connection of the new road to Connaught Road can be seen here:

Central looking East., by David Green

Looks almost finished, but the new road still not accessible.

The construction must have been done “high-speed” as the new road was opened in 1961 (Hong Kong Annual Report 1961). Wikipedia reports that on April, 7th, the road was named after Admiral Cecil Harcourt (1892-1959), the head of a provisional military government in Hong Kong from September 1945 to April 1946. This possibly was the day of the opening for motor vehicles.

The finished road is on the next two photos from 1962 and about 1962-64.

Harcourt Road 1962.jpg, by Jenny Bywater

Central and Wanchai - 1960's, by tanuki_green

In 1966, the Harcourt Road Flyover was opened to connect Harcourt Road with Cotton Tree Drive.

In Cheng Po Hung's book, Hong Kong during the Japanese Occupation, he notes that trains started running again on the KCR line in February 1942, but that by 1944 trains only ran once every two days due to fuel shortages. (I guess that train services would have stopped completely by mid-1945 - has anyone seen this confirmed?)

So when the British returned, one of their jobs was to get the trains running again. They didn't waste any time, and the first train ran on the Sep 29, 1945 ... straight into a brick wall!

A film of the day's events has these notes with it: 

[...] The train pulls slowly out of the station and a few RAF men dash along beside it. View from the train as it pulls away from the platform. View from the footplate. A man in a topee surveys the scenery. The train, derailed, with Chinese civilians milling about. The locomotive with its nose buried in the ground. [...]

[...] Dopesheet notes that this was the first train to run since the British reoccupation of Hong Kong, and that the derailment was caused by a failure (unattributed to any particular person) to check the points. This sent the locomotive into a siding and crashing through a brick wall. [...]

When was the Pokfulam Reservoir Road been built. The one which leads up to the peak ? The Pokfulam Reservoir is the oldest Reservoir in Hong Kong, so that Road must be quite old.

Morover, when walking up that road there are bunkers on the right side. Are they from the Second World War ?

Thanks for your help. Kind regards, Daniel