Wow! Many photos of this view of Mount Gough from Mount Kellett were taken over the years, but this is the earliest I’ve seen. It’s very detailed for such an early image giving us a clear look at the early buildings, many of which were soon extended or demolished to make way for bigger replacements.
The light bungalow nearest the camera on the left of the photo is Dunnottar, tiny in comparison with its later, much extended, self.
In the upper right of the photo, down and left from the triangular shaped peak of Mount Gough, is Leigh Tor. I think this is the only photo on Gwulo of it in its bungalow format. It was expanded or rebuilt in 1900 to become a two-storey mansion.
Just to the left of Leigh Tor is the clearest view yet on Gwulo of The Sheiling, which was later replaced by Stewart Terrace.
Up near the left corner, the second bungalow in from the edge, is The Mount. It was the home, or summer home, of the Jardines Tai Pan until replaced by a huge mansion of the same name in the mid-1890’s.
Nearest the upper right corner is a matshed on the site of Mount Gough Police Station. Difficult to discern, but covering its lower right, is a white patch which was probably an adjacent structure seen more clearly in the background on the skyline here.
The records are a little confusing, but three structures seem to have been built on this site in the 1880’s. Firstly, in 1884, a “Temporary Police Barracks” ( Public Works 1884, BB 1884 ), followed in 1886 by a “Matshed as Temporary Police Station” ( Public Works 1886.” BB 1886 ), and in 1887 the permanent Police Station building that still exists today ( “The Royal Hong Kong Police (1841-1945)”, Crisswell & Watson, 1982, ISBN 9620301978 ).
Obviously neither of the structures seen in our photo are the permanent Police Station, so they’re probably the temporary barracks and the matshed temporary Police Station. If so, their presence in the photo, but the absence of the permanent building, means that the photo was taken in 1886 or 1887.
Nearest the bottom left corner of our photo is a small matshed. Comparison with this later photo confirms it was standing on the site later occupied by “The Neuk” - seen here near the bottom left.
The Neuk occupied RBL 43 which was put up for public auction on 7 June 1886. First mention of The Neuk I’ve come across is in the 1888 Peak Directory, published on 21 January 1888, when it was listed as the residence of Mr. A. Wright so was presumably complete by that date. I’m guessing the matshed was erected in preparation for the construction project. The photo shows terracing hadn’t started, so the photo was taken early in the period between 7 June 1886 and late 1887, say late 1886.
Comments
1886
Wow! Many photos of this view of Mount Gough from Mount Kellett were taken over the years, but this is the earliest I’ve seen. It’s very detailed for such an early image giving us a clear look at the early buildings, many of which were soon extended or demolished to make way for bigger replacements.
The light bungalow nearest the camera on the left of the photo is Dunnottar, tiny in comparison with its later, much extended, self.
In the upper right of the photo, down and left from the triangular shaped peak of Mount Gough, is Leigh Tor. I think this is the only photo on Gwulo of it in its bungalow format. It was expanded or rebuilt in 1900 to become a two-storey mansion.
Just to the left of Leigh Tor is the clearest view yet on Gwulo of The Sheiling, which was later replaced by Stewart Terrace.
Up near the left corner, the second bungalow in from the edge, is The Mount. It was the home, or summer home, of the Jardines Tai Pan until replaced by a huge mansion of the same name in the mid-1890’s.
Nearest the upper right corner is a matshed on the site of Mount Gough Police Station. Difficult to discern, but covering its lower right, is a white patch which was probably an adjacent structure seen more clearly in the background on the skyline here.
The records are a little confusing, but three structures seem to have been built on this site in the 1880’s. Firstly, in 1884, a “Temporary Police Barracks” ( Public Works 1884, BB 1884 ), followed in 1886 by a “Matshed as Temporary Police Station” ( Public Works 1886.” BB 1886 ), and in 1887 the permanent Police Station building that still exists today ( “The Royal Hong Kong Police (1841-1945)”, Crisswell & Watson, 1982, ISBN 9620301978 ).
Obviously neither of the structures seen in our photo are the permanent Police Station, so they’re probably the temporary barracks and the matshed temporary Police Station. If so, their presence in the photo, but the absence of the permanent building, means that the photo was taken in 1886 or 1887.
Nearest the bottom left corner of our photo is a small matshed. Comparison with this later photo confirms it was standing on the site later occupied by “The Neuk” - seen here near the bottom left.
The Neuk occupied RBL 43 which was put up for public auction on 7 June 1886. First mention of The Neuk I’ve come across is in the 1888 Peak Directory, published on 21 January 1888, when it was listed as the residence of Mr. A. Wright so was presumably complete by that date. I’m guessing the matshed was erected in preparation for the construction project. The photo shows terracing hadn’t started, so the photo was taken early in the period between 7 June 1886 and late 1887, say late 1886.
Comments and corrections are welcome.