Brough Superior in Hong Kong c1930

Submitted by dfc on

 

160999203_2795786254023286_7497450255123671744_n.jpg, by dfc

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Motorcycle:

1929 Overhead 680cc Spring Frame Brough Superior, supplied to C.R. Ham, Hong Kong.

Despatched from the factory May 14, 1929 to Birkenhead, shipped by Blue Funnel Steamer.



Factory Records:

The only Brough Superior recorded as sent to Hong Kong

170403923_10225546397107637_7707378656765905781_n.jpg, by dfc
170281628_10225546409467946_2605299903252904109_n.jpg, by dfc







Newspapers:

Hong Kong Sunday Herald - 7th July, 1929

1929_07_07hksundayherald.jpg, by dfc



Hong Kong Sunday Herald - 7th October 1929

1929_10.jpg, by dfc





Owner or Importer:

Charles Rutherford Chun HAM, listed in Juror Lists as an assistant at shipping company S.T. Williamson from 1920-32

https://gwulo.com/search/node/Ham%20Charles%20Rutherford

(later references to Charles Chun HAM 1937-41)





Photographer:

Believed to be amateur Norwegian photographer Jacob Blaauw KOOTER

Records indicate he was in Hong Kong 1931-35

https://gwulo.com/search/node/kooter

https://digitaltmuseum.org/021036007137/kooter-jacob-blaauw-1903-1949



It could be the owner, the photographer or someone else entirely in the photo.



Photo Location:

unknown - addresses related to C.R. Ham are in Kowloon



Registration:

'333' fits with other registration marks of motorcycles of the period in Hong Kong.

In 1940 the goverment announced the intention to requisition all motorcycles in the colony in the event of an emergency

There is some suggestion that it was hidden away to avoid this.



There is no record of it still being in existence, however a 1928 model was sold at auction in the USA in April 2021 for US$99,000.

Thank you moddsey - a fantastic collection of photographs.



Location would be Old Tai Po Road, above the KCR line close to the CUHK gate.

Looks like the road originally passed through the campus.



The cropped image had made me think it was taken closer to sea level and I had thought been unsure about Ma On Shan as the location.



Any leads on where it was stashed welcome...!