Riot Police patrolling Wang Tak College

Sat, 04/20/2024 - 09:51

Riot Police patrolling Wang Tak College

Date picture taken
11 Oct 1956 (day is approximate)
Author(s)

Comments

Looks like Robinson Road where the Chinese provision store used to be prior to the junction of Seymour Road. Cannot make out the name of the college though. 

A higher resolution scan of the plaque by the entrance may help.

The Chinese name looks like X徳書院, the X has the shape of 和. If it is a 4-letter word _ANG in English, the only words that fit are probably DANG 但 and HANG 恒, HANG 恒 is the more likely choice.

Wang Tak College has been identified in the magnified photo. However, a google search of Wang Tak College has yielded no positive responses regarding its location.

That said,  a search of the Chinese provision store "Charn Kee" on Robinson Road came up with a photo here on the public archive "Hong Kong Memory". "Charn Kee" (or its predecessor) and the building next to it on the right side of the road in the main photo were located on 49 Robinson Road.

The photo on Hong Kong Memory shows the window arrangement and the old and "new" road signs of Robinson Road on the building next to the grocery store which can also be seen in the main photo from 1956. These buildings have since been demolished.

Opposite "Charn Kee" was another grocery store called "So Kee". Perhaps the one seen in the main photo but on the left side of the road. Before supermarkets became popular, our family used to purchase daily necessities, bread, tinned food etc from "So Kee" on a signed chit basis. Outstanding bills were paid off on a monthly basis. 

Located on I. L. No. 27, the buildings on the left side of the road had a street address of 54-62 Robinson Road. I think Wang Tak College may have occupied 60-62 Robinson Road. 

 

 

In the "Hong Kong Memory" photo, the store was subdivided into 2 shops. The ~2 feet (stairwell) on the right was a shop called Four Kee that specialized in repairing miscellaneous items. It may also be true in the other photo as the rightmost 2 feet looked different.

At the magnified photo it is also found that there is name of another school on the building's wall, adjacent to Wang Tak College. The name in four Chinese characters is "仿林中學" (Fong Lam Middle School). Here is the photo with the four characters circled in red.

Name of Fong Lam Middle School circled in red
Name of Fong Lam Middle School circled in red, by Hoyin

From the Chinese Wikipedia, after the WWII Fong Lam Middle School was reopened with campus at No. 7 Seymour Road, and Nos. 58, 60 and 87 Robinson Road (Wikipedia: 仿林中學). The main photo shows the location at Nos. 58 and 60 Robinson Road, and the adjacent Wang Tak College is No. 62 Robinson Road.