1956 Shan Kwong Road, Happy Valley

Robbot27
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1956 Shan Kwong Road, Happy Valley

I believe this photo was taken from my father's flat on 44 King Kwong Street, Happy Valley (on the corner of Shan Kwong Road) around 1956. My father lived there in 1955/56 as a young bachelor, in HK Electric staff quarters. I posted a view of King Kwong Street from the same flat a few months ago, but this one of Shan Kwong Road was missing from the album. I have just found it in an envelope of loose photos. Perhaps someone can confirm that this is the correct location.

Date picture taken
1956

Comments

My Dad remembered the horses clip clopping up and down the road in the 1950s. He never mentioned the smell! Didn't realise the Manns had lived in the area too. I wonder if you can tell me what the Chinese sign says on the left of the photo? 

the sign is for the Shan Kwong Store, underneath is the Chinese name for Coca Cola.

The one further behind looks to be a signboard for a Chinese restaurant but my eyesight, and Chinese, isn't good enough to say for sure.

What a charming early 1950’s view looking up this steeply-sloped Happy Valley street. Like Gwulo colleague, “philk”, my eyes were drawn to the signage, but, unlike “philk”, the phonetic clues were lost on me. “Hoh Hau Hoh Lok” is of course the famous beverage named – strange to see it without its so familiar logo though. The other sign, partly obscured, I now know is “Shan Kwong Si Doh” – Shan Kwong Provision Store – thanks “philk”.

The street scene looks somehow familiar to me. With those mentions of horse movements (up and down the street, to and from the track) I believe that H.K. vet, Dr Alan Auchnie’s domain, comprising Jockey Club stables and his small animal veterinary practice, were located at the very top of the incline – a visual memory now somewhat blurred by the passing of time though!