Sunday, February 15, 2015

10 Photographs at a Time: Photos 31-40 (Hong Kong 1969, Part 2)

HSBC Bank Lion - Hong Kong 1969
My Uncle Bill in front of the HSBC Bank

These are the last of the photos from my Uncle's slides of his trip to Hong Kong in 1969 while on leave from the war in Vietnam.

Check out the first set of 1960s Hong Kong photos.

His adventures take us from primitive boat dwellings, to the then 80 year old Hong Kong Peak Tram, to a modern school surrounded by barbed wire. They are a snapshot in time of the people of Hong Kong going about their daily lives.

I love that every time I look at these photos I see details that I missed upon first glance. I only wish there were more, but unfortunately this is the last of the roll. The next photos (which I hope to post soon) are of Vietnam.

  

Victoria Harbour - Hong Kong 1969
Originally called Hong Kong Harbour it was renamed Victoria Harbour after Queen Victoria.

Tanka "on-water people" junks - Hong Kong 1969
Boat dwellings (also called junks) of "on-water people"or "Nam Hoi Yan"formerly called Tanka but that is now considered a derogatory term.

Families on junks in Victoria Harbour - Tanka  - Hong Kong 1969
Close up of the picture above. I looked at this photo dozens of times before seeing the families on the boats going about their daily lives. It's been described that the "on-water people" have lived on junks in Hong Kong "since time unknown."

Hong Kong Peak Tram - Hong Kong 1969
The Hong Kong Peak Tram has been around for 125 years. “You can’t say you've visited Hong Kong if you haven’t been up the Peak, and a journey up Victoria Peak without the Peak Tram is simply incomplete.” 
RIce Paddies - Hong Kong 1969
Rice paddies. Maybe viewed from the tram? UPDATE: This picture has been identified in blog comments as Lok Ma Chau, the Hong Kong/China border.

Prints for sale on the side of the road - Hong Kong 1969
Paintings for sale by the side of the road, I wonder if Mr. Brown Pants buys one or is just posing for the camera. UPDATE: This picture has been identified in blog comments as Lok Ma Chau, the Hong Kong/China border.

Busy Hong Kong Market - Hong Kong 1969
Busy Hong Kong market.

Busy Hong Kong street Mercedes and Double Decker buses Hitachi - Hong Kong 1969
Mercedes & green double-decker buses bearing Hitachi tv ads. Bus transport in Hong Kong was started in the 1920s. 

Busy Hong Kong Street, Mercedes Cabs and bicycles -  Hong Kong 1969
In the 60s European cars were used as taxis in Hong Kong. I think what's pictured here are Mercedes W120 Pontons. 

Hilton Custom Taylor Hong Kong - Hong Kong 1969
Tailor Tailor Tailor. 

School children behind barbed wire - Hong Kong 1969
It must have been odd for my uncle who grew up on a farm with no fences to see school children behind barbed wire.


11 comments:

Y.T.Tang said...

at last, thank you

Tai_Fung said...

Woot! I was so happy to see more were added. Great set!

Katy said...

Thank you both!

Unknown said...

Rice Paddies and the one selling paintings should be at Lok Ma Chau, the HK/China border.
https://www.google.com.hk/maps/@22.5107939,114.0798263,3a,75y,295.11h,59.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shLsPSylRI_qy7xMEJPGWkQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

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Klaus said...

More information about your uncle's photos:

The school is Victoria Junior School inside Victoria Barracks near the lower Peak Tram Terminus. It was a military enclosed area, that's why there is barbed wire.

The green double-decker bus is a double-decker tram! Trams operate since 1904.

Klaus said...

more infos (all photos were taken close to each other):
No. 9
Johnson Road near the junction with Thomson Road. Today on street view:
https://www.google.com/maps/@22.276963,114.1705864,3a,75y,108.25h,89.67t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGl9qt7nWBoDQ6COrwpPl_A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en
The white building on the right in the corner (with the square windows) is "The Pawn", still exists, but renovated and used as apartment house.

No. 10
Same spot as No. 9, but taken more in left left direction.

No. 11
The tailors were on Fenwick Street, the photographer stood on Hennessy Road. The building on the left still stands, all other including the view on Bowen Road and Mt. Cameron is blocked by high-rises. Today on street view:
https://www.google.com/maps/@22.2775828,114.1703231,3a,75y,192.5h,99.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6hIvnNj69MAx4-8bFpxjEg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

Unknown said...

i was born in Hong Kong in 1969 and lived there for 12 years, just made a quick search for photos in that year and came across your blog. beautiful photos from your uncle, very nostalgic to see these and makes my heart beat a little warmer. thank you for sharing them.