Victoria Gap - Findlay Path

Mon, 09/22/2014 - 20:51
Date picture taken
1920s

Comments

Re the date of the image: I found the postcard on the Smithsonian Institute site (which indicates no date) at:

http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=all&source=~!siarchives&uri=full=3100001~!58533~!0#focus

This particular postcard was listed on the Smithsonian website with the subsequent accession number to this similar postcard:

http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=all&source=~!siarchives&uri=full=3100001~!58532~!0#focus

It would appear the latter photograph was taken in 1911 at the time of the coronation of King George V, given the clear "God Save the King" display across the funicular track. I assumed, perhaps erroneously, that the two scenes may have been photographed at a similar time, and used that assumption to suggest the date "circa 1911".

I am quite happy to be proven incorrect if someone is able to do so.

Regards, Graham aka ole_vet

P.S. if anyone is interested this is the specific search for photographs of Hong Kong available online that I used to find the two postcards and several others...

http://collections.si.edu/search/results.htm?q=Hong+Kong+&dsort=&view=&date.slider=&fq=online_media_type%3A%22Images%22&fq=object_type%3A%22Photographs%22&fq=online_visual_material%3Atrue&start=40

I found a similar view from the same time period on Flickr and uploaded it to gwulo.

1910s Peak view
1920s Peak view, by Eternal1966

In front of Glenshiel is a pavillion, and behind a building (usually invisible due to a more narrow angle). Any ideas? 

This photo also appears at https://gwulo.com/media/45508 .

First the names of the buildings queried above. The big white building behind No.6 Police Station was Quarndon. The building behind Glenshiel was the second Chair Coolie Quarters.

The date the photo was taken can be pushed back as it shows the earliest version of the bridge taking the Peak Tram over Barker/Plantation Road. Construction of the new bridge started in late 1918, so the pic was taken earlier than that.

The title of the photo mentions Findlay Path, but I can't see it in the photo. It ran from the Peak Tram Upper Terminal above and behind Ligoniel (large house in top left corner of pic). It may be there but can't be seen due to the photographer being at a lower level and Ligoniel obstructing the view.

A contour path running from Victoria Gap to the right edge of the photo can be seen. This is the route of Lugard Road, but I can't be sure if we are looking at Lugard Road or the footpath that preceded its construction in 1913/14. I can't see any of the fencing or lighting I'd expect to see on Lugard Road, but these old coloured photos tend to lack detail so I'm hesitant to draw a definite conclusion.

The buildings in the photo were all built in the 1800's or very early 1900's. As such, the photo can only be dated to sometime between very early 1900's and late 1918.