The main photo shows the completion of Hennessy Road and yet to be realigned tram tracks for this section of Wanchai. Circa 1930s.
I had previously asked on this thread about the "Lucy Boxes". On the Johnston Road side of the Chinese Methodist Church is a Lucy Box and a Hong Kong Tramways electricity pole and a mass of overhead wiring for the supply of electricity to the tramway network.
So how old was this Lucy Box ? Guessing 1930s after the completion of the Chinese Methodist Church.
2024 Google Street View of the Lucy Box and Hong Kong Tramways' electricity pole here. May not be the same utility box but it has crept closer to the electricity pole.
In a 1936 documentary, under section title 'A New Church for Chinese Methodists', it shows a closer view of the Lucy Box and confirms. Likely, this is the same box as the 1960 film still.
moddsey, thanks for sharing your wider observations and insights. Usage of such Lucy Box has been that long time, very likely.
Copying information from 2015 here. Date range of the main photo likely between 1936 (after the completion of the Chinese Methodist Church) and early 1939 (before the realignment of the tram tracks across Hennessy Road).
China Mail 22 December 1938
Captioned Straight and Narrow. The new tram track across Arsenal Street has been completed. However the new road (Hennessy) will take 3 to 4 weeks to complete.
China Mail 2 February 1939 (excerpt from HK Tramways Annual Report)
Just about by the close of the year (1938), the new alignment at Arsenal Street was completed and a new double track was laid in the centre of the new 100 ft road between Queen's Road East and the junction of Hennessy Road and Johnston Road. The length of the new track is 310 yards. The elimination of the Arsenal Street curves will not only effect a saving in wear and tear but has greatly improved the general layout of the tramway at that important junction.
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Johnston Road Lucy Box & Hong KongTramways' Electricity Pole
The main photo shows the completion of Hennessy Road and yet to be realigned tram tracks for this section of Wanchai. Circa 1930s.
I had previously asked on this thread about the "Lucy Boxes". On the Johnston Road side of the Chinese Methodist Church is a Lucy Box and a Hong Kong Tramways electricity pole and a mass of overhead wiring for the supply of electricity to the tramway network.
So how old was this Lucy Box ? Guessing 1930s after the completion of the Chinese Methodist Church.
A few more photos of the Lucy Box from the 1960s.
2024 Google Street View of the Lucy Box and Hong Kong Tramways' electricity pole here. May not be the same utility box but it has crept closer to the electricity pole.
constant location in Wanchai, nearly 90 years
In a 1936 documentary, under section title 'A New Church for Chinese Methodists', it shows a closer view of the Lucy Box and confirms. Likely, this is the same box as the 1960 film still.
moddsey, thanks for sharing your wider observations and insights. Usage of such Lucy Box has been that long time, very likely.
Likely Date Range of Main Photo
Copying information from 2015 here. Date range of the main photo likely between 1936 (after the completion of the Chinese Methodist Church) and early 1939 (before the realignment of the tram tracks across Hennessy Road).
China Mail 22 December 1938
Captioned Straight and Narrow. The new tram track across Arsenal Street has been completed. However the new road (Hennessy) will take 3 to 4 weeks to complete.
China Mail 2 February 1939 (excerpt from HK Tramways Annual Report)
Just about by the close of the year (1938), the new alignment at Arsenal Street was completed and a new double track was laid in the centre of the new 100 ft road between Queen's Road East and the junction of Hennessy Road and Johnston Road. The length of the new track is 310 yards. The elimination of the Arsenal Street curves will not only effect a saving in wear and tear but has greatly improved the general layout of the tramway at that important junction.