1920s Hong Kong photo album

Submitted by David on Sun, 11/12/2017 - 22:30

Thanks to Jan Schultheiss, who has been uploading photos that his grandfather, P. Marks, took in the 1920s. Mr Marks worked in the Hong Kong branch of a Dutch bank, the Nederlandsch-Indische Handelsbank, but in his free time he was a keen amateur photographer.

Many of his photos show views that are new to me. So, although I've often seen this old gun near the upper entrance to the HKU campus:

Gun at University Lodge

 

... his is the first photo I've seen of the gun in its original condition, when it was installed in the Victoria Battery:

Old gun, November 1925

 

As another example, we already have photo with a distant view of this building, but this is the first close-up I've seen of Friston Cottage. It looks as though it belongs in the English countryside, but instead it stood at the western end of May Road.

Friston Cottage

 

He also captured a couple of the major events of the 1920s. This photo shows the fire that destroyed the North wing of the Hongkong Hotel:

Hong Kong Hotel on fire

 

And another shows the paper from the Dutch Club's barometer, where the dramatic drop in air pressure on the 18th of August records the great typhoon of 1923:

Barometer Card from the Dutch Club showing typhoon Nr. 5 in 1923

 

Please scroll down to see the full set of photos. You can click any photo to see a larger copy, and to read any notes and comments that have been added.

 

The Gwulo book shop is open for business!

The first book for sale is Patricia O'Sullivan's investigation into the histories of the Hong Kong Police Force, the Irish community in Hong Kong, and the life of working-class westerners. If you're interested in these topics, and especially in how they are interconnected, you'll enjoy this book:

Policing Hong Kong book cover

Click here for more information, and to order your copy of Policing Hong Kong, An Irish History. We ship worldwide. 

 

The Marks family's photos from the 1920s

Year Title
1920 Guard of Honour Visit of HMS Tromp and HMS Hertog Hendrik (Dutch navy) April 1920
Guard of Honour Visit of HMS Tromp and HMS Hertog Hendrik (Dutch navy) April 1920

1920 Commanders of HMS Tromp and HMS Hertog Hendrik (Dutch) inspect Guard of Honour - April 1920
Commanders of HMS Tromp and HMS Hertog Hendrik (Dutch) inspect Guard of Honour - April 1920

1920 Commanders of HMS Tromp and HMS Hertog Hendrik (Dutch navy) - April 1920
Commanders of HMS Tromp and HMS Hertog Hendrik (Dutch navy) - April 1920

1920 Commanders HMS Tromp and HMS Hertog Hendrik (Dutch Navy) - April 1920
Commanders HMS Tromp and HMS Hertog Hendrik (Dutch Navy) - April 1920

1920 Commanders of HMS Tromp and HMS Hertog Hendrik with Dutch Consul General, April 1920
Commanders of HMS Tromp and HMS Hertog Hendrik with Dutch Consul General, April 1920

1921 Farewell dinner Mr. Hamel (Dutch) 17 March 1921
Farewell dinner Mr. Hamel (Dutch) 17 March 1921

1923 Group of Dutch expats in 1923
Group of Dutch expats in 1923

1923 Barometer Card from the Dutch Club showing typhoon Nr. 5 in 1923
Barometer Card from the Dutch Club showing typhoon Nr. 5 in 1923

1923 Marriage of CJ Endert and JGA Schabeck / Schabeek (Dutch), 8 September 1923
Marriage of CJ Endert and JGA Schabeck / Schabeek (Dutch), 8 September 1923

1923 Marriage of CJ Endert and JGA Schabeck (Dutch), 8 September 1923
Marriage of CJ Endert and JGA Schabeck (Dutch), 8 September 1923

1924 Dragon Lodge
Dragon Lodge

1924 Dutch Club - 1924 Birthday Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Dutch Club - 1924 Birthday Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

1924 Picnic Bay 1924
Picnic Bay 1924

1924 My grandfather P. Marks
My grandfather P. Marks

1924 My grandparents P. Marks and M.G. Marks-Groot
My grandparents P. Marks and M.G. Marks-Groot

1924 View from Dragon Lodge
View from Dragon Lodge

1924 The Peak
The Peak

1924 Houses near to Dragon Lodge
Houses near to Dragon Lodge

1924 Houses near to Dragon Lodge
Houses near to Dragon Lodge

1924 Entrance to Dragon Lodge
Entrance to Dragon Lodge

1924 Dragon Lodge
Dragon Lodge

1924 Dragon Lodge
Dragon Lodge

1925 Luginsland
Luginsland

1925 Kant_en_Piet.jpg
Kant_en_Piet.jpg

1925 building.jpg
building.jpg

1925 Hallway of Tregunter Mansions
Hallway of Tregunter Mansions

1925 Tregunter Mansions 2 interior
Tregunter Mansions 2 interior

1925 Peak Tram station at May Road
Peak Tram station at May Road

1925 Peak Tram at May Road
Peak Tram at May Road

1925 Peak Tram station at May Road
Peak Tram station at May Road

1925 View from Tregunter Mansions
View from Tregunter Mansions

1925 Entrance to Tregunter Mansions
Entrance to Tregunter Mansions

1925 Interior of Tregunter Mansions
Interior of Tregunter Mansions

1925 Friston Cottage
Friston Cottage

1925 Mid-levels
Mid-levels

1925 Tai Tam Reservoir 1925
Tai Tam Reservoir 1925

1925 Old wall in Kowloon 1925
Old wall in Kowloon 1925

1925 HK Panorama View - Part 3.jpg
HK Panorama View - Part 3.jpg

1925 Old wall in Kowloon, 1925
Old wall in Kowloon, 1925

1925 Old wall in Kowloon, 1925
Old wall in Kowloon, 1925

1925 Dragon Lodge
Dragon Lodge

1925 harbour1925.jpg
harbour1925.jpg

1925 Old gun, November 1925
Old gun, November 1925

1925 Unknown tower ca. 1925
Unknown tower ca. 1925

1925 Bowen Road, December 1925
Bowen Road, December 1925

1925 View from 2 Tregunter Mansions, November 1925
View from 2 Tregunter Mansions, November 1925

1926 Chinese Wall Kowloon 1926
Chinese Wall Kowloon 1926

1926 View from Tregunter Mansions
View from Tregunter Mansions

1926 PumpStation1926.png
PumpStation1926.png

1926 ChineseTown1926.png
ChineseTown1926.png

1926 Hong Kong Hotel on fire
Hong Kong Hotel on fire

1926 HappyValleyRacing1926.png
HappyValleyRacing1926.png

1926 Magasin Gap Road July 1926
Magasin Gap Road July 1926

1926 DesVoeux_1926.png
DesVoeux_1926.png

1927 Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong in the 1920s
Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong in the 1920s

1927 People on a tennis court, 23 January 1927
People on a tennis court, 23 January 1927

1927 Group of (banking?) gentleman, January 1927
Group of (banking?) gentleman, January 1927

1927 Tjileboet_1927_2.jpg
Tjileboet_1927_2.jpg

1927 Tjileboet_1927_3.jpg
Tjileboet_1927_3.jpg

1927 Tjileboet_1927_4.jpg
Tjileboet_1927_4.jpg

1927 Tjileboet_1927_5.jpg
Tjileboet_1927_5.jpg

1928 Around May Road
Around May Road

1920s Chineesche woning in het bergland.jpg
Chineesche woning in het bergland.jpg

1920s HK memorial 3.jpg
HK memorial 3.jpg

1920s Repulse Bay
Repulse Bay

1920s Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong 1920s
Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong 1920s

1920s schepen.jpg
schepen.jpg

1920s Dutch East-Indies Commercial Bank Staff
Dutch East-Indies Commercial Bank Staff

1920s HK Memorial.jpg
HK Memorial.jpg

1920s Damaged house at Peak
Damaged house at Peak

1920s Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong 1920s
Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong 1920s

1920s quay.jpg
quay.jpg

1920s Dutch Club Hong Kong
Dutch Club Hong Kong

1920s Photo Min Yen Studio - 14 Beaconsfield Arcade - HK.jpg
Photo Min Yen Studio - 14 Beaconsfield Arcade - HK.jpg

1920s Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong in the 1920s
Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong in the 1920s

1920s Chineesche straat.jpg
Chineesche straat.jpg

1920s Dutch East Indies Commercial Bank Dinner Party (back of photo)
Dutch East Indies Commercial Bank Dinner Party (back of photo)

1920s Tregunter Mansions - Terrace
Tregunter Mansions - Terrace

1920s Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong in the 1920s
Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong in the 1920s

1920s Chineesche straat 2.jpg
Chineesche straat 2.jpg

1920s Dutch East Indies Commercial Bank Dinner Party
Dutch East Indies Commercial Bank Dinner Party

1920s HK Harbour View Panorama - part 1.jpg
HK Harbour View Panorama - part 1.jpg

1920s Official Arrival at Blake Pier in the 1920s
Official Arrival at Blake Pier in the 1920s

1920s HK-standbeeld-Royal Theatre.jpg
HK-standbeeld-Royal Theatre.jpg

1920s opaomaendekant.jpg
opaomaendekant.jpg

1920s bay.jpg
bay.jpg

1920s HK Harbour View Panorama - part 2.jpg
HK Harbour View Panorama - part 2.jpg

1920s Bank of Canton
Bank of Canton

1920s Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong 1920s
Netherlands Tennis Club Hong Kong 1920s

1920s ship_laundry.jpg
ship_laundry.jpg

1920s SS Tenyo Maru in Hong Kong harbour
SS Tenyo Maru in Hong Kong harbour

1920s HK View Ming Yuen Studio.jpg
HK View Ming Yuen Studio.jpg

1920s Chairs waiting at Pedder Street
Chairs waiting at Pedder Street

1920s Unknown view from a home
Unknown view from a home

1920s matshedhollclub.jpg
matshedhollclub.jpg

1920s Interior of probably Dragon Lodge, Lugard Road
Interior of probably Dragon Lodge, Lugard Road

1920s SS "China" in Hong Kong harbour
SS "China" in Hong Kong harbour

1920s Lugard_Bonner_Piet.jpg
Lugard_Bonner_Piet.jpg

1920s HK Panorama View - Part 2.jpg
HK Panorama View - Part 2.jpg

1920s Corner in the living room of 2 Tregunter Mansions
Corner in the living room of 2 Tregunter Mansions

1920s View to Kawloon
View to Kawloon

1920s Tregunter_Kant_Marks.jpg
Tregunter_Kant_Marks.jpg

1920s Interior Nederlandsch Indische Handelsbank (Dutch East Indies Trading Bank) 1920s
Interior Nederlandsch Indische Handelsbank (Dutch East Indies Trading Bank) 1920s

1920s HK Panorama View - Part 1.jpg
HK Panorama View - Part 1.jpg

1920s Tregunter Mansions 2, interior
Tregunter Mansions 2, interior

1920s Gama_1926.jpg
Gama_1926.jpg

1920s Probably 2 Tregunter Mansions, Bedroom
Probably 2 Tregunter Mansions, Bedroom

1920s Kowloon_Feb_1926.jpg
Kowloon_Feb_1926.jpg

1920s front1925.jpg
front1925.jpg

1920s View to Kowloon from the funicular railway bridge on May Road
View to Kowloon from the funicular railway bridge on May Road

1920s Interior of Netherlands India Commercial Bank office
Interior of Netherlands India Commercial Bank office

1920s Straattooneeltje.jpg
Straattooneeltje.jpg

1920s Staff Dutch East-Indies Commercial Bank 1925/6
Staff Dutch East-Indies Commercial Bank 1925/6

1920s Rivier.jpg
Rivier.jpg

1920s View from 2 Tregunter Mansions living room
View from 2 Tregunter Mansions living room

1920s Tregunter Mansions 2 interior
Tregunter Mansions 2 interior

1920s ankie26.jpg
ankie26.jpg

1920s Tregunter_Kant_marks_2.jpg
Tregunter_Kant_marks_2.jpg

1920s Staff Dutch East-Indies Commercial Bank 1919/20
Staff Dutch East-Indies Commercial Bank 1919/20

1920s Tjileboet_1927_1.jpg
Tjileboet_1927_1.jpg

1920s 51C & D, Conduit Road, IL 2260 [????-1962]
51C & D, Conduit Road, IL 2260 [????-1962]

1920s Entrance to Tregunter Mansions
Entrance to Tregunter Mansions

1920s Tregunter Mansions
Tregunter Mansions

1920s Betere Chineesche woning.jpg
Betere Chineesche woning.jpg

1920s HK memorial 2.jpg
HK memorial 2.jpg

1920s Tregunter Mansions
Tregunter Mansions

Thanks again to Jan for showing us these fascinating photos. If you can add information to any of these photos, please click the photo and leave a comment on its page. 

Do you have any photos of old Hong Kong you'd like to share? Please click here for details of how to upload them to Gwulo.com: http://gwulo.com/node/2076

Gwulo book update: I signed off the last changes to the proofs on Tuesday, so now the printing and binding is out of my hands. I'll cross my fingers, clutch my lucky rabbit's foot, and light an extra stick of incense to hope that all goes well at the printer.

New on Gwulo...

If you can leave a comment with any more information about these, it will be gratefully received.

 


Some of the new photos added:

 

CNAC & CAT airliners impounded at Kai Tak.jpg
CNAC & CAT airliners impounded at Kai Tak.jpg, by IDJ

 

Victoria Harbour and the Macau Ferry Pier, Sheung Wan
Victoria Harbour and the Macau Ferry Pier, Sheung Wan , by Juja1arim

 

Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun, by richardb

 

1912 Abergeldie - Fung Shui.jpg
1912 Abergeldie - Fung Shui.jpg, by Grousehunter

 

1920s Kowloon Walled City
1920s Kowloon Walled City, by Moddsey

 

Click to see all recently added photos.