Kai Tak Departure

Mon, 09/22/2014 - 19:16

Boarding a BOAC Comet4...my parents and I seen off by Jardine's/BOAC staff

Date picture taken
1 Jun 1961

Comments

Hi Mike - I don't think we ever met, but I was living in Nairn House, at the junction of Argyle Street and Waterloo Road in the early 1960's - amazingly, the two blockas are still there, as I visited them in 2011, and still occupied by Govt servants..!

My dad (Desmond Wake) was in the HK Customs, and based for some time at Kai Tak. He went over there from the UK in 1949 and worked for HAECO, and met my mum who was a stewardess for BOAC on Flying boats - Melba da Cruz was her name..! I went to KJS until I too went to boarding school in 1965..there were a lot of us who did..! Things have come full circle as my son is now a pilot with Emirates and one of his best friends flies for Cathay Pacific...! Woild love to hear from anyone who knows me, as they say..! 

Regards.

Brian Wake

Brian....glad you liked the photos of Nairn House and hope you have seen the other pictures and HK Airways articles on Gwulo.Hope you have some pictures you can add to the site.

My parents had very good friends, Jack & Ena Reid, who worked for HAECO, for many years, did you know them?

Mike

Hello Brian Wake  I was JARDINES MANAGER AT kAI tAK AND KNEW DES WAKE VERY WELL FOR MANY YEARS. Great Fellow !  Hope you are well

Bill McCall

I was stationed at Shamshuipo in the late 1960s and did two jobs at Kai Tak , the first one was when a Boeing (707?) ran of the concrete and was stuck in the grass area and the second one was when a RAF   Canberra ran off the side of the runway and ended up with it's nose in the sea.

Was the Northwest Orient manager at Kai Tak late 60’s - 70’s. Jack and Ena were good friends. Jardines was our cargo handler and Bill McCall the Manager. Did a great job with the introduction of our 747 service. 
 

Sam Esayian 

Hi Sam Esayian

So gret to hear from you after all these years. I used to keep contact with Gunter Holtorf when he was travelling in his van around the world, but he has gone quiet. I am 87 y/o now retired 45 years ago. How are you?

 

Bill

Hi Bill,

Doing well. Thank you. Am 88 and still moving.
Sorry to advise that Gunther passed away in Oct 21. No details other than in Germany and in his sleep. Had kept in touch via email. He and his wife spent a couple of days with us in SEA when they were driving from Alaska to South America. All the best.

Sam

I WORKED AT KAI TAK A/PORT FOR MANY YEARS . THIS IS MY FIRST ATTEMPT TO GET ONTO THE COMMENTS PAGE SO I HOPE IT WORKS !!, I WORKED FOR JARDINE AIRWAYS AS A TEAM LEADER IN THE EARLY 60S UP UNTIL THE 70S . MY MANAGERS WERE MR PARTRIDGE, BILL McCALL, I ALSP KNEW ENA REED WHO AT THAT TIME LOOKED AFTER OUR VIPS , MANY HAPPY MEMORIES , I STILL KEEP IN TOUCH WITH SOME OF THE GIRLS I WORKED WITH. HOPE SOMEONE REPLIES. WOULD LOVE TO.KNOW HOW THEY ALL ARE. MY NAME AT THAT TIME WAS LIZA FATHERS.  LOVELY TO READ EMAILS FROM OLD WORKMATES

LIZA BEAUCHAMP 

Seeing your photo Mike I was reminded of how over Kai Tak was.

I worked as  ground hostess for Cathay from 1964-66, but arrived here on a  Comet 4 that I used to be a hostess on for BOAC. form 1959-61

Wonderful aircraft and take off almost straight up. I loved it wonderful take off, and lovely working on it, it helps 20 passengers up front and 69 passengers in the back.

So many lovely memories. married a Cathay pilot for a couple of years!

 

Carol Rance  (then White)

 

Hi Liz, Boy time flies. I retired in 1978 after having had a STROKE which the medics said would be dangerous if I ccontinued, So migrated to Australia\ and few years later I Joined Malaysian Airlinrd in Sydney and did 20 years with them finishing as Deputy to Regional Director Aust/NZ . Still here but aged  a bit 87 this year and another stroke in 2010 sent me "over the hill"  We live up on Lake MacQuarrie at Bonnells Bay. Lovely to hear your story after all these years and I trust you are well   Lizaoz does that mean you are here too?

 

Bill McC 

HI BILL..GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU..SORRY RE YOUR HEALTH PROB, I'M LUCKY , GETTING A BIT LONG IN THE TOOTH NOW BUT LUCKILY PRETTY HEALTHY. I'M LIVING UP THE ROAD FROM YOU IN PORT MACQUARIE,  STRANGE THAT WE ARE BOTH ON THE NORTH COAST.  WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A NATTER RE OLD TIMES.  HOPE YOU AND FAMILY ARE KEEPING WELL

REGARDS

LIZA B. ( NEE FATHERS )

Still trying to contact my ex manager of Jardine airways at kai tak during the 60s till 70s...he replied to my text on Gwulo but not being text savy dont know how to contact him

Liza Beauchamp ..nee fathers