Survey sheet of Wanchai in 1889

Wonderful map of 1889 HK. Unfortunately the quality does not allow me to blow up the area of Wanchai Road sufficiently.

My great grandfather and great grandmother both died at 98A Wanchai Road in the early 19th Century and my family also owned 98B.

I wonder if it is possible to identify these premises on your map?

Many thanks,

Sean Olson

Hi Sean,

Lot ML111, the site of those houses, is just out of sight on this map. However there is another copy of the same 1889 map that does show the ML111. There is more about it at: http://gwulo.com/node/6098#comment-12107

Regards, David

Thanks David. You have an encylopedia for a memory. Either that or old age is really catching up with me.

On refelection I suspect that the address was one of convenience and that, in all likelihood, my great grandfather was in the business of making money out of building at MS 111 than anything else. 

Sean

From the record of addresses of old boys of Churchers College, Petersfield in May 1926, I can confirm that my uncles, Leslie (L.B.) and Athur (A.C.) and my father, C.R. Warren, had registered 98A Wanchai Road as their postal address, even though they were actually living at 21 Broadwood Road. I have however heard from a cousin that there was a residential apartment at 98 A or B (I would have to find my notes of that conversation). As a point of general interest, it would be helpful to my research into another family member to ascertain if it was accepted HK practice at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th to record a person's current postal or business address on their death certificate, even if they died on different premises. Grateful for comments from historians of HK law or other researchers who might have come up against this possible anomaly.

Jill

Many thanks for your help. I really am most grateful. It is so useful in building a picture of my great grandfather's time in HK.

David has also been amazing in what he has discovered. In some ways I am like a sniper! I hit the target but rarely get close enough to see the result. Without the web I would never have found out as much but people like David and yourself have been of enormous help in drawing in all the elements and painting a fuller picture.

Records are one thing but local knowledge is another.

Again many thanks,

Sean