East Point......jpg

Tue, 06/30/2020 - 09:32

Could that be East Point in the early stage ?

Date picture taken
unknown

Comments

Interesting setting. There is sand, a short pier built in masonry, a wooden pier and several matshed huts. And a small (ferry?) boat with a canvas roof. The same photo is on Flickr, its title is: c. 1920 Wanchai pier

In the back, Blue Buildings can be spotted and the Naval Dockyard. Possibly an early version of the Wanchai Ferry Pier at the end of Tonnochy Road (which wasn't built yet). The location is possibly visible on this photo from mid-1920s:

East Point
East Point, by Admin

It could be at the rectangular reclaimed area.

In the 1925 Public Works Report under 183 ii the following is reported:

.... Two sets of boat-landing steps were built, and 1,241 lin. feet of coping set. Pending the completion of reinforced concrete pier No. 2, a temporary bamboo pier was built and maintained for the purpose of supplying water to the Waterboat Companies.

Any further comments are appreciated.

Daniel, do you have any information about when the photo was taken, or other photos from the same album that would help identify the date?

Behind the pier I can see several small western-style sailing boats, which makes me think the photo was taken near the Ah-King slipway. Here's a view of that area:

Wanchai's seafront in 1902
Wanchai's seafront in 1902, by r c hurley

Share the same view as David as to the location of the photo. The flag pole may be related to the Corinthian Yacht Club which was next to Ah-King Slipway. Photo taken prior to the Praya East Reclamation. I have seen a copy of the same photo dated to 1911.

David and Moddsey, that sounds better than my proposal I made earlier. The date could be early 1910s (the 20t crane at the Royal Naval Dockyard built around 1905/07 is visible in the back). Looked at hkmaps.hk and found a map from 1913:

Wanchai map_1913
Wanchai map_1913, by hkmaps.hk

It looks as if a small scale reclamation started there early opposite the No. 2 Police Station to create ML 1756. Piers are shown there, these could be the one shown on the photo.

Here is a clearer version of Moddsey's photo:

1910s Looking East (Wanchai)
1910s Looking East (Wanchai), by Eternal1966

This one allows to look more at details of the reclaimed area where a steam launch can be spotted. We had launsches on a couple of photos we discussed recently. I've cropped and compiled them:

Launches Wanchai early 1900s
Launches Wanchai early 1900s, by Klaus

 They are from the 1910s, only the third one is from 1902. 

Possibly not the same ship on all 4 photos (top funnel is white), but it looks as if they are of the same type. Possibly all related to Ah King Boatyard.

Think this photo shows the location of Daniel's photo on the reclaimed area:

Wanchai
Wanchai, by Admin

In the bend of the praya, just in front of the No. 2 Police Station, the Ah King slipway should be visible.