The caption of the photo reads "Ferry To The Mainland". The photo show a "Star Ferry" vessel (star on upper funnel) making its way across the harbour. I reckon "The Mainland" would refer to Kowloon and not to Canton.
As I understand, the Star Ferry Company did not run a service to Cheung Chau.
The main photo taken mirrors the service of Walter Schofield who was a cadet officer in the Hong Kong civil service from 1911 to 1938.
Schofield as Southern District Officer of the New Territories, which included Cheung Chau mentioned the Cheung Chau ferry service in the early days of his service. Extracts of his reports on Cheung Chau can be read here in Southern District Officer Reports: Islands and Villages in Rural Hong Kong, 1910-60, Pages 178-180
Winifred Clift in her Annals of an Isle in the Pacific (1915), talks of a daily launch to the island. Perhaps at that time a launch was all that was needed for the few who wanted to use the island daily. The local population were 'largely sea-going'.
I wonder what she meant by a launch? Something steam powered? It wasn't as fast as the later ferry (an hour) - she says the trip took an hour and a half.
Comments
Caption of Photo
The caption of the photo reads "Ferry To The Mainland". The photo show a "Star Ferry" vessel (star on upper funnel) making its way across the harbour. I reckon "The Mainland" would refer to Kowloon and not to Canton.
Thank you moddsey
Thank you moddsey. Do we know if the Star Ferries also ran to Cheung Chau?
Star Ferry Company
As I understand, the Star Ferry Company did not run a service to Cheung Chau.
The main photo taken mirrors the service of Walter Schofield who was a cadet officer in the Hong Kong civil service from 1911 to 1938.
Schofield as Southern District Officer of the New Territories, which included Cheung Chau mentioned the Cheung Chau ferry service in the early days of his service. Extracts of his reports on Cheung Chau can be read here in Southern District Officer Reports: Islands and Villages in Rural Hong Kong, 1910-60, Pages 178-180
A daily launch
Winifred Clift in her Annals of an Isle in the Pacific (1915), talks of a daily launch to the island. Perhaps at that time a launch was all that was needed for the few who wanted to use the island daily. The local population were 'largely sea-going'.
I wonder what she meant by a launch? Something steam powered? It wasn't as fast as the later ferry (an hour) - she says the trip took an hour and a half.
Launches
We have some launches here.
Steam Launch
Yes, in the 1910s it was by steam launch. I had read somewhere that 90 minutes was the correct time taken for the trip from the city to Cheung Chau.