Views along the tram line in the 1950s

Submitted by David on Thu, 02/26/2009 - 09:00

In chapter 9 of Martin Booth's book, he describes a tram ride from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan.

Here are the photos we've been sent that show the views he'd have seen along that route.

Many thanks to the people who have shared their photographs with us.

(You can click any of the photos below to see other readers' comments, and / or leave your own.)

Des Voeux Road West

Wanchai trams.


Des Voeux Road West

Des Voeux Road West


western market

western market


1950s Junction of Morrison St & Des Voeux Rd Central

1950s Junction of Morrison St & Des Voeux Rd Central


1950s Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan

1950s Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan


1950s Des Voeux Rd C, looking east towards Wing On

1950s Des Voeux Rd C, looking east towards Wing On


1950s Wing On Dept Store, Des Voeux Rd C.

1950s Wing On Dept Store, Des Voeux Rd C.


Central Street 1950.

Central Street 1950.


Des Voeux Road Central 1950's

Des Voeux Road Central 1950's


De Voeux Road - Soldier of Fortune

De Voeux Road - Soldier of Fortune


De Voeux Road - Soldier of Fortune

De Voeux Road - Soldier of Fortune


1950s DVRC between Morrisson and Cleverly Streets

1950s DVRC between Morrisson and Cleverly Streets


1956 View south along Jubilee Street


1950s Des Voeux Road Central

1950s Des Voeux Road Central


1950s Des Voeux Road Central

1950s Des Voeux Road Central


Photo631466110793_inner_5-511-665-515-5-949-662-949.JPG

Photo631466110793_inner_5-511-665-515-5-949-662-949.JPG


Hong Kong postcard from 1955

Hong Kong postcard from 1955


1950s Des Voeux Road Central, near Fire Station

1950s Des Voeux Road Central, near Fire Station


Des Voeux Road-Central.

Des Voeux Road-Central.


1950s Des Voeux Road Central

1950s Des Voeux Road Central


Des Voeux Road, Central

Des Voeux Road, Central


Des Voeux Road

Des Voeux Road


1953 Des Voeux Rd Central


1956 Des Voeux Road Central


1953 Des Voeux Road Central


1953 Des Voeux Road Central


Gloucester Building

Gloucester Building


1950s Des Voeux Road Central near GPO

1950s Des Voeux Road Central near GPO


Second mystery photo HK 1954

Second mystery photo  HK  1954


Demolishing Alexandra Building

Demolishing Alexandra Building


1950s Des Voeux Road Central near Ice House Street

1950s Des Voeux Road Central near Ice House Street


1950s Des Voeux Road Central

1950s Des Voeux Road Central


1959 View from HSBC


1950s Des Voeux Road Central near Banks

1950s Des Voeux Road Central near Banks


Alexandra House 1950's

Alexandra House 1950's


Alexandra House, Queens Road, Hong Kong - 1950's

Alexandra House, Queens Road, Hong Kong - 1950's


Central, Banks from Cricket Ground

Central, Banks from Cricket Ground


C. 1952 Central Des Voeux Rd


1950s Court & Cricket Club

1950s Court & Cricket Club


1959 Supreme Court.jpg

1959 Supreme Court.jpg


The_old_BOC_building_site


1950s Queen's Road Central & Garden Rd

1950s Queen's Road Central & Garden Rd


Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank

Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank


Hong Kong Central.

Hong Kong Central.


Hong Kong banks 1952.

Hong Kong banks 1952.


Tram-Ride-Central.

Tram-Ride-Central.


1950s Statue Square and temporary government buildings

1950s Statue Square and temporary government buildings


Tram-Ride

Tram-Ride


Buildings around the cricket pitch


Bank of China Monday 30 June 58.

Bank of China Monday 30 June 58.


1950s Queensway

1950s Queensway


Central, Cricket ground from Cheero Club

Central, Cricket ground from Cheero Club


1950s Fred Evans' photos, View from Cheero Club

1950s Fred Evans' photos, View from Cheero Club


1950s Fred Evans' photos, Cheero Club, taken from tram

1950s Fred Evans' photos, Cheero Club, taken from tram


1950s Cricket Club

1950s Cricket Club


1950s Queen's Road near Garden Road

1950s Queens Road near Garden Road


1950s Hong Kong Cricket Club

1950s Hong Kong Cricket Club


1950s Queensway

1950s Queensway


street-scenes-victoria tram.

street-scenes-victoria tram.


Tram Ride.

Tram Ride.


HMS Tamar

HMS Tamar


1954 Admiralty Queen's Road

1954 Admiralty Queen's Road


1950s Junction of Queensway and Queen's Road East

1950s Junction of Queensway and Queen's Road East


1950s Junction of Hennessy Road and Arsenal Street


1950s Hennessy Rd / Queens Road East Junction

1950s Hennessy Rd / Queens Road East Junction


c.1950 Arsenal Street

c.1950 Arsenal Street


1950s Junction of Arsenal St and Hennessy Rd

1950s Junction of Arsenal St and Hennessy Rd


1958 Junction of Hennessy Road and Arsenal Street


Hennessy Road junction with Arsenal Street

Hennessy Road junction with Arsenal Street


1953 Rediffusion Building


1954 tram

1954


1950s Hennessy & Johnston Roads (Western End)

1950s Hennessy & Johnston Roads (Western End)


1955 Johnston Road


Wan Chai Methodist Church 1950s

Wan Chai Methodist Church 1950s


1950s Chinese Methodist Church

1950s Chinese Methodist Church


Johnston Road 1955 Junction with Henessy Road

Johnston Road 1955 Junction with Henessy Road


1950s Western junction of Hennessy & Johnston Roads

1950s Western junction of Hennessy & Johnston Roads


1953 Wanchai streetscene


1950s Western junction of Hennessy & Johnston Roads

1950s Western junction of Hennessy & Johnston Roads


Junction of Hennessy and Johnston Roads


Rialto Theatre

Rialto Theatre


1950s Wanchai Rickshaws.jpg

1950s Wanchai Rickshaws.jpg


1957 Li Chit Street


1950s Johnston Road

1950s Johnston Road


1950s Johnston Rd & Southorn Playground

1950s Johnston Rd & Southorn Playground


tram ride- at junction of Johnston and Lugard Road.

tram ride- at junction of Johnston and Lugard Road.


1950s Johnston Road, Wanchai

1950s Johnston Road, Wanchai


1953 Johnston Road


1950s Johnston Rd

1950s Johnston Rd


1950s Johnston Road

1950s Johnston Road


1950s Junction of Johnston Rd, Wanchai Rd, and Fleming Rd

1950s Junction of Johnston Rd, Wanchai Rd, and Fleming Rd


Junction of Wanchai & Johnston Roads


1950s Wanchai Road

1950s Wanchai Road


Street view from Victoria Tram 1957.

Street view from Victoria Tram 1957.


1950s Johnston Road, looking West

1950s Johnston Road, looking West


HK Tram chasing cyclist

HK Tram chasing cyclist


1950s Eastern junction of Hennessy & Johnston Roads

1950s Eastern junction of Hennessy & Johnston Roads


Policeman on point duty

Policeman on point duty


1950s Wanchai

1950s Wanchai


Tram

Tram


1950s Junction of Hennessy Road and Canal Road East


1950s Hennessy Rd near Canal Rd


1950s Hennessy Road

1950s Hennessy Road


Junction of Percival and Matheson Streets

Junction of Percival and Matheson Streets


Hong Kong Tramways.jpg

Hong Kong Tramways.jpg


1954 Hennessy Road


1950s Percival Street & New York Cinema

1950s Percival Street & New York Cinema


1956 New York Theatre

1956 New York Theatre


1950s Hennessy Road

1950s Hennessy Road


Wanchai b

Wanchai b


1950s Hennessy Road


Hennesy Road, 1953


Dairy Farm Ice and Cold Storage Company, Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay

Dairy Farm Ice and Cold Storage Company


1956 Hennessy Road


1950s Corner of Yee Wo St & Jardine's Bazaar

1950s Corner of Yee Wo St & Jardine's Bazaar


1950 Yee Wo Street


1950s Causeway Bay Roundabout

1950s Causeway Bay Roundabout


Causeway Bay.

Causeway Bay.


1950s Hoover Theatre

1950s Hoover Theatre


HK Hoover Cinema.

HK Hoover Cinema.


Causeway Bay

Causeway Bay


1950s Roxy Theatre

1950s Roxy Theatre


1950s Roxy, Causeway Bay

1950s Roxy, Causeway Bay


Hennessy Road.

Hennessy Road.


HK The Roxy.

HK The Roxy.


1950s Causeway Bay Tram


Waldorf Hotel, Causeway Road

Waldorf Hotel, Causeway Road


View towards Waldorf Hotel, North Point?

View towards Waldorf Hotel, North Point?


1950s Causeway Road & Typhoon Shelter

1950s Causeway Road & Typhoon Shelter


HK Police

HK Police


Causeway Bay

Causeway Bay


Causeway Bay North Point

Causeway Bay North Point


Causeway Road, waiting for the gharry.

Causeway Road, waiting for the gharry.


Parade on King's Road 1955

parade_on_queensway_1955.jpg


1953 King's Road near Ngan Mok Street


1955 King's Road

1955 King's Road


1950s King's Road

1950s King's Road


1951 King's Road, North Point


1953 King's Road, North Point


1959 King's Road


1950s Camel Paint Factory

1950s Camel Paint Factory


1950s Stanley Terrace

1950s Stanley Terrace


1950s King's rd Taikoo dockyard


Sai Wan Ho to Taikoo docks.

Sai Wan Ho to Taikoo docks.


Tags

Comments

Do you have any photos from the 1950s that show sections of the tram lines that we've missed above? If you are willing to share, it's easy to add them in.

Just create a new image,  and fill in:

  • Title:
  • Image:
  • Tags: type in the word tram
  • Date picture taken...: Type in the date, or type 1950-01-01 if you're not sure.
  • Places shown...: Choose at least one place that appears in the photo

Then once you save the new image it will automatically appear in the right place on this page. Let us know if you need any help.

This page relies on several of the features we've talked about lately.

If you had a big box of photos of Hong Kong, and I wanted you to make a display like this, I'd ask for something like:

  • Give me all photos that show trams,
  • and that were taken in the 1950s,
  • then lay them out in the order you would see them if you were sitting on an eastbound tram.

"all photos that show trams" - this uses tags. We tell the computer to search for all images that have the tag 'tram'.

"that were taken in the 1950s" - that's easy, we tell the computer to further limit its search to images with a 'date picture taken' between 1950 and 1959.

"lay them out in order" - here we use the 'places shown' . Luckily the tram line runs almost exactly West to East, so we can tell the computer to sort the images by 'ascending longitude'.

Filling in tags, dates, and places takes a bit more time and effort when we create the image. But I think it's worth it, as then it lets us search and view them in more interesting ways.

You've done a fabulous job on this.  It makes me think how wonderful it would be if the govt. had turned Tamar site into a nice big green park.  It also made me think of my recent Guangzhou trip - it's true that bits of current Guangzhou look like 1950's des voeux road - so visit and photograph it while you can!

Tremendous work everyone.

New life for old Hong Kong!

Love to see a similar walkthrough for Queens Road East at different periods in time.

Still so much to see and ponder on around there, especially as you wander up the hill at Star Street (near the original burial ground), or the eerie Ship Street.

Nam Koo terrace, and the tiled footprints of demolished mansions, stairways and paths, and further up the hill what I imagine might have been old dairy sheds...

Still time to catch it, before Sir Gordon buries it all under concrete at some point in the future.

Love to be pointed at some early ordinance survey or other historical maps of that area, and try and rebuild an image of what it all looked like in the past.

Many thanks again to all the contributors and David in particular for sterling research work and commitment.

Best regards

Julian, Singapore

Hi Julian,

Glad to hear you're enjoying the site.

I look forward to seeing what you find out about Wanchai. A good start is "Wanchai. In search of an identity" by Carl T. Smith in the book "Hong Kong. A reader in social history". It covers that area in a lot of detail.

regards, David

Thanks for the tip David.

I will be up in HK for the dreaded 'sevens' from next wednesday, and will certainly take the opportunity to have a look for Cart T Smith book.

Also the various governement map publications recommended elsewhere on the site sound like a 'must have...' for any reader of HK history.

Take care.

Julian

 

Dear all,

A random question got popped at me about trams.  Yesterday my 3-year-old asked whether trams go on bridges, and it got me thinking. 

The tramway system today doesn't seem to have any bridges.  The only one that I can think of is the 'Gooseneck bridge' that went over Bowrington, but it's not here anymore. In any case, what were the exact years that a tram line ran on Gooseneck?

Can anyone enlight me with more instances of trams going across bridges or flyovers down the ages?

breskvar

The latest photo that 80sKid put up is part of a series that include views along the line from approximately Hennessy Road right down to Shau Kei Wan terminus.  If we follow this link

https://picasaweb.google.com/Don1.Irw/HONGKONG1955#5238617446263036226

we will see from photos 15 to 34 the photographer got on a tram and snapped many pictures.  In photos 35 and 36 we can see the boats harboured in Aldrich Bay, which would be just by the side of the tram terminus.

David, my son was very amused when I showed him the Gooseneck Bridge photo with the trams.  Thanks for giving me the link.

breskvar