1930s Pottinger Street

Wed, 09/24/2014 - 21:11

Here's a view of the Pottinger Street steps, leading up from Queen's Road. The picture comes from an old photo post card, probably kept in a tourist's scrapbook as on the back is a pencil note:

This is a street that's all stair

It was a popular view for old postcards, so it must have been one of the tourist sights of the time.

I'm dating it to the 1930s, based on the old-style lamp post at the top of the road. It's certainly pre-war, as by the time Hedda Morrison took this photo in 1946, a new lampost was in place (please let me know if you see anything that narrows down the date):

1946 Pottinger St Air Raid Tunnel Entrance

Here's a recent view of the same area:

Pottinger Street

It's still a pedestrian-only, stepped street, though these days you're expected to walk up the hill under your own steam. In the days before the mid-levels escalator, anyone who didn't fancy sweating their way up the hill would have ridden in a sedan chair. You can see three of them parked along the left edge of the street.

For more on the history of Pottinger Street, please click here.

Reference: A048

Date picture taken
1930s

Comments

The main photo recently popped up. Had a re-look. I think it is a companion photo taken about the same time to this photo at: https://gwulo.com/media/12326 judging from the boxes on the steps,people in the alleyway to the right of the street, windows  etc. Unfortunately, mine is a rather poor quality shot. Yes, from the 1930s.