New on Gwulo: 2025, week 32

Submitted by David on Sat, 08/09/2025 - 22:00

What's new and updated on the Gwulo website:

General

Pan Am's "Clipper" flying boats revolutionised passenger travel and mail services between Hong Kong and America. Stuart Braga tells us their story in his post: The China Clipper: Pan Am flies to Macau and Hong Kong, 1937-1941
Watch several films of Hong Kong in the 1930s
The 80th anniversary of the Japanese surrender will soon be here. Follow the dramatic events of August / September 1945 via daily entries from diaries written 80 years ago:
- Read today's diary entries
- Sign up to receive daily diary entries from 80 years ago via free email
- Read "Sweet Waters", an account of the Allied fleet's entry to Hong Kong's harbour in late August, 1945.
Readers ask:
- When was ice cream first sold in Hong Kong?
- Do any enrolment lists for Ying Wa Boys School around the 1850s still exist?

The Chinese version of Gwulo's book

It is now available in bookstores including Book Punch 一拳書館, Cosmos Books, Hong Kong Reader, and Lion's Ink Bookstore.

You can also buy it online at Chung Hwa, HKTV mall, and My Book One.

Places

Hong Kong Island
- 9 Kat On Street [????- ]
- King Kwong Street, Happy Valley [????- ]
- Mee Fong Studio, 7 Wyndham Street [????-1925]
- Stanley Civilian Internment Camp [1942-1945]
Outlying Islands
- Cheung Chau Peniel (Mission) Church [1936- ]
- European House #3A, Cheung Chau [????-????]

People & Organisations

Dolores CARROLL (née BRAGA) [????-????]
Mee Fong Studio [????-????], a photographic studio which was active in the 1920s
Timothy MURPHY (aka Tim) [1882-????], Assistant Superintendent of Police
Ambrogio POLETTI (aka Ambrose) [1905-1973], Rector of Shatin
Reginald Edward STUBBS [1877-1947], 16th Governor of Hong Kong
HKVDC casualties
- William Edward BROADBRIDGE [????-1941], Gunner
- Edmund Symlloy LYEN [1897-1941], Private
- Richard RATHMELL [????-1942], Company Sergeant Major in Corps Signals
Stanley Camp internees
- Francis John DE ROME [1886-????], Principal of Queen's College. His brother Louis was also interned at Stanley.
- William Boyack HARRIS [1903-????], policeman
- Reid HENDERSON [1887-????], wharf manager at Holt's Wharf

Photos

We'll start with several photos that we're trying to identify the location. Please click on any photo to see what has been discovered so far, and to add your comments.

1956 Hong Kong street scene, location unknown — 1956 Hong Kong street scene, location unknown, by Robbot27

1955 HK Policeman and cannon — 1955 HK Policeman and cannon, by Robbot27

1956 children on a sampan — 1956 children on a sampan, by Robbot27

1956 Fishermen and Sampans — 1956 Fishermen and Sampans, by Robbot27

Children’s fancy dress party c1954, Army Barracks? — Children’s fancy dress party c1954, Army Barracks? , by Robbot27

could that be kennedy road — could that be kennedy road, by danielwettling

Dorothy Dransfield 3 — Dorothy Dransfield 3, by jill

Four Uniformed Individuals by HK Volunteer Force Truck — Four Uniformed Individuals by HK Volunteer Force Truck, by 2ik7ns-AW_

Interesting Shop Signs 2 of 2 - location unknown, possibly Hollywood Road? 1938 — Interesting Shop Signs 2 of 2 - location unknown, possibly Hollywood Road? 1938, by helenwan

Then on to the photos that have already been identified:

Quarry Bay School swings 1930s — Quarry Bay School swings 1930s, by jill

1930 Spring Festival at Quarry Bay School — 1930 Spring Festival at Quarry Bay School, by moddsey

Jack Ellery at Kowloon Docks, circa 1950 — Jack Ellery at Kowloon Docks, circa 1950, by Robbot27

Prince Philip arrives at Queen's Pier — Prince Philip arrives at Queen's Pier, by Klaus

1934 Decision to Remove Trees on Nathan Road — 1934 Decision to Remove Trees on Nathan Road, by moddsey

Yuen's Mansion — Yuen's Mansion, Mui Wo, by tngan

Tide Gauge House, from Cheung Chau Ferry — Tide Gauge House, from Cheung Chau Ferry, by tngan

Green Island Light House — Green Island Light House, by tngan

1939 Advertisement for Humber Cars on Braga Circuit, Kadoorie Hill — 1939 Advertisement for Humber Cars on Braga Circuit, Kadoorie Hill, by moddsey

1920s Fanling Train Station — 1920s Fanling Train Station, by moddsey

Sir Matthew Nathan c. 1904 — Sir Matthew Nathan c. 1904, by Klaus

Overgrown with plants, the Mother Mary grotto at St. Joseph's Church, Fanling — Overgrown with plants, the Mother Mary grotto at St. Joseph's Church, Fanling, by aagg

Close-up of the Mother Mary statue in the grotto at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception — Close-up of the Mother Mary statue in the grotto at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, by aagg

1956 King Kwong Street, Happy Valley, Hong Kong — 1956 King Kwong Street, Happy Valley, Hong Kong, by Robbot27

house on the hill — house on the hill, by danielwettling

1969 (21 AU) Rev. Fr. Balthasar Chang Catholic Mission O.L. Of Assumption Rennie’s Mill Village Post Office Cover - sent to REV. CHARLES R. KOESTER, 2653 Ohio ave., St. Louis Mo.,U.S.A. — 1969 (21 AU) Rev. Fr. Balthasar Chang Catholic Mission O.L. Of Assumption Rennie’s Mill Village Post Office Cover - sent to REV. CHARLES R. KOESTER, 2653 Ohio ave., St. Louis Mo.,U.S.A., by HCIIL

1986 (16 DEC) Mongkok Lutheran School for the Deaf Cover - sent to Ms Helen H Beebe, Helen Beebe Speech & Hearing Centre, 505 Cattell Street, Easton, PA 18042, U.S.A — 1986 (16 DEC) Mongkok Lutheran School for the Deaf Cover - sent to Ms Helen H Beebe, Helen Beebe Speech & Hearing Centre, 505 Cattell Street, Easton, PA 18042, U.S.A, by HCIIL

1904 (4 OC) Mee Cheung’s (Temple of Five Hundred Genii Union Postale Universelle Post Card — 1904 (4 OC) Mee Cheung’s (Temple of Five Hundred Genii Union Postale Universelle Post Card, by HCIIL

Interesting Shop Signs 1 of 2 - Wing Lok Street c.1920s — Interesting Shop Signs 1 of 2 - Wing Lok Street c.1920s, by helenwan

Queensway traffic — Queensway traffic, by danielwettling

On Queensway 1972 — On Queensway 1972, by danielwettling

Repulse Bay 1972 — Repulse Bay 1972, by danielwettling

building something at the cricket club — building something at the cricket club, by danielwettling

1930s Junction of D'Aguilar and Wellington Streets — 1930s Junction of D'Aguilar and Wellington Streets, by moddsey

Wellington Street 1938 — Wellington Street 1938, by helenwan

Kenlis - For Sale or To Let The China Mail page 3 12th July 1911 — Kenlis - For Sale or To Let The China Mail page 3 12th July 1911, by eurasian_david

Ice creams The Alexandra Cafe The Hong Kong Telegraph page 2 12th July 1911 — Ice creams The Alexandra Cafe The Hong Kong Telegraph page 2 12th July 1911, by eurasian_david

Eastern House, 10 Hart Avenue — Eastern House, 10 Hart Avenue, by helenwan

Bonham Strand c. 1920s — Bonham Strand c. 1920s, by helenwan

Click to see all recently added photos.

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