Butcher shop Kennedy Town

Hi there,

The street sign reads Smithfield, which is in Kennedy Town.

Thanks & Best Regards,

T

Hi Andrew,

For the others in the same batch, it would be very difficult to point to any district as there are no visible indicators such as the Smithfields one.  Unless someone is very familiar with that particular shop or stall on the spot, it would be close to impossible to know where were you when you push the shutter back then.  We could assume they are somewhere on the Island though.

Thanks & Best Regards,

T

"A view of a traffic black spot at the junction between Belcher's Street and Smithfield Road in Kennedy Town. 09DEC77"  (SCMP / Getty Images)

photo1

https://www.gettyimages.hk/detail/%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/view-of-a-traffic-black-spot-at-the-junction-between-belchers-%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/1096264344?adppopup=true

the chinese characters of Nanyang Commercial Bank (address: Nan Sang Buidling, 86 Belcher's Street, Kennedy Town) appeared in the photo.

photo2 

https://www.gettyimages.hk/detail/%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/view-of-a-traffic-black-spot-at-the-junction-between-belchers-%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/1096264346?adppopup=true

photo3

https://www.gettyimages.hk/detail/%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/view-of-a-traffic-black-spot-at-the-junction-between-belchers-%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/1096264338?adppopup=true

photo4

https://www.gettyimages.hk/detail/%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/an-aerial-view-of-a-traffic-black-spot-at-the-junction-between-%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/1096264352?adppopup=true

 

Cheers, Chai

interesting photo. happy to help but need some time :)

the English name "Smithfield" hasn't changed much but the Chinese name has changed a lot.

It is lovely to see the name "士美非路" on the road sign which is one of the old versions.

Over the years it changed from 士荗非路街, 是美非路 or 士美非路 to 士美菲路 (all pronounced as "si-mei-fei-lo" very similiarly to "Smithfield") "士美菲路" is the final present version.

 

Hi Andrew,

Happy to help on Chinese translation. You guy's English is beautiful I am learning from all of you :)

There's a wikipedia page telling it's history including details about the changes in Chinese name. Here you go: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithfield,_Hong_Kong

if you don't mind, I'll try to find more interesting relevant photo links as I don't really own any super old photos:

 

Photo 1: "The crowded hawker area at the junction of Hau Wo Street and Smithfield (Catchick Street). 13APR78" (SCMP / Getty Image)

https://www.gettyimages.hk/detail/%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/the-crowded-hawker-area-at-the-junction-of-hau-wo-street-and-%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/1096439592?adppopup=true

Note to photo1:  

a. showing HSBC branch

b. I guess the butcher is near this junction (my good guess)

 

Photo 2:

https://www.gettyimages.hk/detail/%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/the-open-market-at-the-junction-of-hau-wo-street-and-smithfield-%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87/1096439598?adppopup=true

Note to photo 2:

a. camera angle is similar to photo 1 but moved slightly to right hand side to Hau Wo Street (厚和街)

b. the HSBC branch, which is on the ground floor of Nan Shan Building (南山樓),  is on the top left corner at the junction of Belcher's Street / Smithfield.

 

Photo 3: "堅尼地城卑路乍街與士美菲路交界1979年"  junction of Smithfield / Belcher's Street 1979 (uploaded by "Wah Chan")

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wahchan/16874184325

Note to photo 3: supports the position of the HSBC branch in photo 1

 

Photo 4: "士美非路和卑路乍街交界處向西望" junction of Smithfield / Belcher's Street, but a little bit upper into Smithfield (by "oceandeep" on 2011/6/27 onto "WeShare" website. Not sure if it's a original post or a re-post from other websites though.) 

Background: In the Chinese description, it was mentioned that a friend of the uploader gave these 3 photos(i.e. photo 4,5,6 in this post), and described as around 1960 before/after

http://www.weshare.hk/uploads/12155/JOcA89v9GLIKRyRqcYvwfA.jpg

Note to photo 4:

a. road sign of "Smithfield" is shown on the wall of "substation" ("變壓站")

b. it was described that there was flooding. Belcher's Road was being fixed.

c. at present it is the bakery shop of "Arome Bakery" (https://www.aromebakery.com.hk/Client/Portal/Index)

 

Photo 5: "士美非路和卑路乍街交界處向西望" junction of Smithfield / Belcher's Street, but a little bit upper into Smithfield, around 1960 after/before

http://www.weshare.hk/uploads/12155/M4HVWpXK1uczFZ_gSWzn9w.jpg

Note to photo 5: 

a."旗昌洋行貨倉" (chinese name for "Shewan, Tomes & Co 's godown/warehouse" ). There are 6 little incomplete English characters (i am 70% sure, merely can read "godown" which supports the Chinese name "貨倉"). It was the past of  "Smithfield Court".

b. the wall style in photo 5 can support the wall shown in photo4

c: the road slopes upwards gently.

 

Photo 6: along Smithfield, further south (it's also provided by the same person who provided photo 4 & 5, believed to be 1960 before/after)

http://www.weshare.hk/uploads/12155/Ap58nq_IyLT6RR1c609WNg.jpg

Note to photo 6:

evidence showing it's Smithfield? i try to guess:

a. the trees along the road quite conforms to the past roadside condition of the part near the present MTR exits.

b. the mountain behind the future Kwun Lung Lau (觀龍樓) looks like Mount Davis ?

c. the road slopes upward to the south side

 

(hope you find it useful. Sorry for saying too much on a single post.)

 

Thanks, Chai :)