Ewart on Middle Road.

Andrew Suddaby
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Ewart on Middle Road.

This photograph ties in with several others taken at various times on or very close to this spot. Ewart stands on Middle Road near the crossing with Hankow Road.  Note that in 1952, the Peninsula hotel's walls were still covered in camouflage.   The long, single storey and rather crudely finished building at middle centre was the subject of some debate a few years ago.  We came to the conclusion that it was of war-time construction, probably Japanese, and that it might have been either some sort of command post or more likely stabling associated with the Peninsula being used by the japanese as their headquarters. In 1952, service personnel invariably wore uniforms when in town.  By 1957 we were encouraged to wear civilian clothes.  (Andrew S)

Date picture taken
1953
Tags
Rickshaw
50s rickshaw
cast iron street sign
Author(s)
Ewart Hunt
Gallery
Hunt, Ewart (1952-53)
Shows place(s)
Junction of Hankow and Middle Roads [????- ]
The Peninsula Hotel [1927- ]

Comments

Some time ago there was a discussion about the single-storey building on the right of this photograph. It was speculated that it could have been stabling for the horses of the Japanese officers.

However, I am now re-reading Gwen Dew's excellent book, 'Prisoner of the Japs', written in December 1942 after her repatriation to New York.  On page 104, amongst other things, she describes that building's use in 1942.  For about a month in early 1942, the Japanese held her in the old Kowloon Hotel, which stood immediately behind the Peninsula Hotel.  Gwen Dew had a second storey corner room overlooking the crossroads of the Hankow and Middle roads. She mentions seeing the Russian restaurant which must have been Tchenko's at 3 Hankow Road, as well as 'what had been British military buildings at the end of the street'. That fits with the Whitfield Barracks.

Another quote, 'There were two brick sheds at the opening of the wall, and here the soldiers had set up a scrubbing-room.  I could see huge tubs of water, rising steam from the sheds, and soldiers arriving with towels.  Chinese girl barbers would come in with their equipment in small bags, and keep the soldiers' heads clean-shaven.'  On the same page, 'On the corner across the street was the large Y.M.C.A. building with a fine swimming pool and recreation rooms.  This was filled with soldiers and I could see them on the roofs, sunbathing.' 

A few photographs, pinned on the Gwulo map, show the other side of the same low building, and Gwen Dew describes there beng a yard full of what she describes as American trucks (more likely British) parked in a yard that must have been at the rear of the Y.M.C.A..

The section of wall with small openings in Ewart's photo was located at the rear of the Y.M.C.A in the building's courtyard. There are a couple of photos on Gwulo which show a long "shed-like" structure in the courtyard as seen below.

1956 Hankow Road, by moddsey
1950s Hankow Road, by moddsey

In Ewart's photo, the Kowloon Hotel is out of sight on his left on the northeast corner of Hankow and Middle Roads. The Kowloon Hotel with main entrance on Hankow Road would have directly faced Cecilia Beauty Salon and Tkachenko's (Russian Restaurant), 3 Hankow Road.

Thanks Moddsey.  The gnarled tree on Ewart's photograph appears on both these two. I travelled on the half-deck BOAC buses (luggage in a huge boot at the rear) on several occasions in the mid-fifties and one, as used by the RAF in the UK, is now on display at the Yorkshire Air Museum.