olson grandchildren

jill
oldernewer
olson grandchildren

I am uploading this photo of John Olson snr's grandchildren in the hope that local experts will be able to recognize the line of hills behind and let us know where this terrace photo was taken, if not Wanchai Road. The three youngest grandchildren, Reggie Warren, Tubby Olson and Sonny Boy Melcher are not present, but I calculate that the date is roughly 1916-17. Originally we thought that the children were eating birthday cake, but it looks more substantial - perhaps pie? Left to right are: Marjorie Warnes, Ernest Olson, Ossie Olson, Arthur Warren, Cyril Warnes, Hugh Olson and Iris Warnes. The photo was part of an exchange when our two families were trying to identify the different children. This terrace with the ladder lying alongside the wall is less tidy-looking than the terraces in the other family photos and I'm not sure that the floor tiles are the same. Opinions welcome.

Date picture taken
1910s

Comments

I have commented on the hill somewhere on gwulo before. I think it is the hill on the eastern side of Causeway Bay. Perhaps taken from the Olson residence in Wanchai ? Need to verify.

c.1917 View over Happy Valley and Causeway Bay, by David
1920s View from Wanchai Looking East, by moddsey

 

 I think this is your smoking gun Jill. 

Potted plants are the same, wall and ledge are the same, tiles are the same. 

And this beautiful side view suggesting we are looking east to Causeway Bay suggesting we are in Wanchai. 

What a photo! 

Oh yes! I think it is the lower of the two hills. Thank you, moddsey for the photos and thank you for the corroboration, David. 

The Olson residence at 98A/216 Wanchai Road was located on a rise on Wanchai Road, following the base of Morrison Hill and overlooking the waterfront.

In the photo of the view from Wanchai to Causeway Bay, the hill in the foreground is Hospital Hill which is to the right of No. 2 Police Station and at the rear of the Olson residence.

In the middle is Morrison Hill before its demise for the Praya East Reclamation. Beyond Morrison Hill is a smaller, flatter hill - that is Leighton Hill. 

Morrison Hill would have been out of sight on the right in the main photo. Behind the children, the prominent hill that can be viewed is on the eastern side of Causeway Bay.

 

I'm so grateful for your help in identifying geographical features, moddsey. Am I right in thinking, then, that the rounded hill behind the children, which I take to be the middle one in your 1920s photo of Wanchai Looking East, is Leighton Hill? For me, the two hills on either side look a little more pointed.

It's really good to have your confirmation that this is a Wanchai Road photo. I suspect it may be the occasion of John Olson's 79th birthday on 24th February, 1917. Arthur Warren wasn't in Hong Kong for his 80th. Further squinting makes me think that the children are pretending to eat mangoes/slices of mango.