Where is this picturesque scene?

angie-r
Sat, 09/02/2023 - 08:41
oldernewer
Where is this picturesque scene?

Here is another photo from my mother's album showing this lovely scene.  It looks like it was taken from the deck of a house.  There was nothing written at the back of this photo to indicate its location or the date it was taken.

Date picture taken
unknown
Shows place(s)
Fanling Golf Course [1911- ]

Comments

I came across a 1965 photo of Shatin Heights on this website that showed a similar pastoral scene as the above photo in my mother's album.  It also showed a house across the field on the right, although the hills look different.  I am wondering if this photo was taken at the same location.  The photo above appears to have been taken from a terrace or rooftop dining area.  I do recall a friend of my mother's driving her to this hotel and sometimes to the Carlton Hotel for lunch or afternoon tea, possibly around the early 1960's.  The Carlton Hotel did have a terrace for dining but I don't think it had the same view.

gwulo.com/media/19579

 

Looks like the view looking over the golf course in Fanling - possibly from Beas River area. The hill on the left is Kai Kung Leng seen from the ENE.

I think Phil is right and one is looking over the golf course. At the Shatin Heights Hotel the scene would be more farmland and plus the terrace railing is not the same.  

Thanks for your feedback, Phil.  In zooming in on the photo, it does appear to show two people standing on a golf course, since you pointed that out.  I am curious as to whether the photo was taken from one of the golf clubs in the area with a terrace.

Hi Angie - given the angle of the view I am more inclined to think this was taken from a building at the Beas River Country Club/riding centre, however, I'm not familiar with how old it is or  what buildings were there at the time.

What year was this photo taken? There are some online aerial images from the 1950s/60s/70s that might help pinpoint a building.
Phil

Edit: apologies,just read that you don't know the date. I'll have a dig and see what I can find

Thanks, Moddsey, for your comments, and for confirming the view was not from Shatin Heights Hotel.

Phil, I was guessing the photo was taken in the 1960's in relation to Shatin Heights.  I'm not familiar with the Beas River Country Club/riding center area.  Would that be near the Fanling Jockey Club? I appreciate your and Moddsey's input and at least know that the photo was taken somewhere in Fanling. Thanks, Angela

A friend emailed me to say he thought the photo was taken from the Fanling Royal Golf Club.  He also mentioned that it was alongside the Jockey Club.  Is he possibly referring to the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling?  Any thoughts about this?

Yes, the Hong Kong Golf Club at Fanling administers the Fanling Golf Course. To confirm the hills in the background and Phil's observations, this Google Street View was taken from the Beas River Equestrian Centre which is close to the Golf Course.

One can also rotate and enlarge the current view of the hills and Golf Course provided here from a drone.

Looking at the aerial images from the 1960s, the only place I can find that in the general area where I think the picture was taken is some war dept buildings, I assume private quarters for high ranking officers because they are detached houses. At least they are marked as "War Dept" on the map. One house is angled towards the hills in a way that could match the railings in the image. These houses were where St Andrews Place is now, to the immediate east of the stables. By Jockey Club, your friend means the Beas River Country Club. It's an equestrian centre run by the HKJC.

Perhaps your mum was invited to someone's house at these War Dept owned properties, or maybe she attended the stables at some point? This is the general area where the photo was taken, I can't really narrow it down any more than that at the moment. 

Special thanks to Phil and Moddsey for their observations and efforts to pinpoint the location of the photo. Phil identified the view of the golf course in Fanling, placing the location to be in the Beas River area. He also mentioned the possibility of the photo being taken from one of the War Dept. buildings/houses in the 1960's, or from a building at the Beas River Country Club. The Google street view from the Equestrian Centre that Moddsey provided gives a good idea of the area, especially the hills in the background that seem to match those in the photo.  I think their comments helped to narrow down the location where the photo was taken. I am inclined to think that both my parents visited the Hong Kong Jockey Club in Fanling, including the stables and surrounding area, and that my father took the photo.

 

Not sure when the present day Beas River Country Club operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club came into being. But there are chalets in the compound for members to hire. It is possible that the view from the rooftop chalet may match the main photo. 

Thanks, Moddsey, for the interesting information about the chalets and rooftop view.  I couldn't find out when the this club began its operations.