Interesting kinds of information on these two editions of telephone directory include :
a. well-known persons' residence is known to the public b. some government officials' residence is listed with the phone number (1) c. both company and personal phone numbers are included in same volume (2) d. some company senior executives' address is listed with the phone number (3) e. organisations of at least 90 years back from now f. old names of places, streets and roads in Chinese (4) g. old places/buildings of the time
Some of these may give useful references and connections for historical studies of persons and places around this 1930s era. These are just few preliminary observations from me. Colleagues on gwulo may discover more in onward studies. As these are full text copies, the search results would be much better than one in snippet view for above cited 1948 telephone directory.
[one useful source to look up for 1930s] Even though these two directories at hand are indexed in Chinese, they still may be probed in some indirect ways. For English readers who need a name search, there may always be someone on gwulo that could give a helping hand to look up English names (say, via some transliteration). Just try to make a request. In case it is related to some sensitive info, the result may possibly be communicated to you via the admin, or alternative ways.
(1) if their proper 'Chinese' names are known, e.g. Financial Secretary, Imports and Exports Superintendent [*], Director of Public Works (2) e.g. the famous Eu prefix got 7 entries on 1938 directory (4 of them personal) and 7 entries on 1948 directory (3 of them personal, same as 1938 nos). (3) e.g. HK & Kowloon Wharf Co., some wharfingers & superintendents are listed with transliterated names (add-ons and complementary to the jurors list) (4) e.g. Nazareth at Pokfulam (i.e. Douglas Castle)
[*] one hindsight, the head of Imports and Exports and the Chinese Maritime Customs head lived within 1 km on the Peak then, assuming the 1938 phone directory content is accurate
other references Staff List Hong Kong, Jan. 1938 The Peak - map 1924 (2 of 2), on www.gwulo.com/media/13018
Comments
1936, 1938 Telephone Directory
Interesting kinds of information on these two editions of telephone directory include :
a. well-known persons' residence is known to the public
b. some government officials' residence is listed with the phone number (1)
c. both company and personal phone numbers are included in same volume (2)
d. some company senior executives' address is listed with the phone number (3)
e. organisations of at least 90 years back from now
f. old names of places, streets and roads in Chinese (4)
g. old places/buildings of the time
Some of these may give useful references and connections for historical studies of persons and places around this 1930s era.
These are just few preliminary observations from me. Colleagues on gwulo may discover more in onward studies.
As these are full text copies, the search results would be much better than one in snippet view for above cited 1948 telephone directory.
[one useful source to look up for 1930s]
Even though these two directories at hand are indexed in Chinese, they still may be probed in some indirect ways.
For English readers who need a name search, there may always be someone on gwulo that could give a helping hand to look up English names (say, via some transliteration).
Just try to make a request.
In case it is related to some sensitive info, the result may possibly be communicated to you via the admin, or alternative ways.
(1) if their proper 'Chinese' names are known, e.g. Financial Secretary, Imports and Exports Superintendent [*], Director of Public Works
(2) e.g. the famous Eu prefix got 7 entries on 1938 directory (4 of them personal) and 7 entries on 1948 directory (3 of them personal, same as 1938 nos).
(3) e.g. HK & Kowloon Wharf Co., some wharfingers & superintendents are listed with transliterated names (add-ons and complementary to the jurors list)
(4) e.g. Nazareth at Pokfulam (i.e. Douglas Castle)
[*] one hindsight, the head of Imports and Exports and the Chinese Maritime Customs head lived within 1 km on the Peak then, assuming the 1938 phone directory content is accurate
other references
Staff List Hong Kong, Jan. 1938
The Peak - map 1924 (2 of 2), on www.gwulo.com/media/13018