Sham Shui Po – Tai Po Road Rest Garden ca.1950
360-degree panoramic artwork created by Don Mak
Historical Hotspots:
Garden’s Hong Kong Head Office
Founded in 1926, The Garden Company Limited, in operation for over 90 years, is a well-known local bakery product manufacturer in Hong Kong. The name “Garden” was established since the founders, T. F. Cheung and W. O. Wong discussed their plan to start a bakery business during night breaks after work in the Hong Kong Botanical Garden in Central. Garden opened its first retail branch as well as a wholesale business on Des Voeux Road on Hong Kong Island in 1927 and relocated to a 3-storey- premise on Apliu Street in 1931, producing biscuits during the daytime and bread at night. In 1938, operations were transferred to the factory on Castle Peak Road and remain as such to this day.
Since the 1950s, Garden achieved automation of bakery and confectionary production. In 1952, the company became the first bakery to import the automatic biscuit production machine from the United Kingdom to Hong Kong that could produce over 5,000 kg of biscuits per day. A special cocktail event was purposefully organized by Garden for the introduction of the machine to the public.
Photo courtesy of Garden Company Limited
Yen Chow Street
Yen Chow Street is currently one of the main streets in Sham Shui Po which was a cape in the 1900s. Apliu Street and Kweilin Street were within the coastal area in Kowloon at the time, whereas Yen Chow Street did not even exist yet. Since 1912, multiple reclamation projects were constructed in Sham Shui Po by the government, spanning from Kweilin Street to Tonkin Street with an extension to Lai Chi Kok. Eventually, Yen Chow Street was officially built and put on the map in the 1920s.
Following the completion of the reclamation projects, Sham Shui Po had emerged into an industrial district densely filled with textile and garment factories, in addition to hardware stores and so forth. Besides a variety of businesses located on Yen Chow Street, there was also the presence of the Sham Shui Po Police Station, built in 1925 and was listed as a Grade II historic building. A barrack was once set up behind the police station office but closed in 1977.
The aerial photo(s) reproduced with permission of the Director of Lands. © The Government of the Hong Kong SAR. Licence No. G18/2020
Shek Kip Mei Squatter Huts
When World War II ended in 1945, there was a massive influx of refugees from Mainland China to Hong Kong. The number of Hong Kong’s population soared from several tens of thousands to two million within only 5 years, which naturally led to a shortage of housing. Refugees could only build their shanty houses with abandoned wood and iron boards along the hills and the roadside. During Christmas in 1953, a fire destroyed the shantytown at Shek Kip Mei, leaving approximately 50,000 people homeless. Since then, the Government started constructing the resettlement buildings, which marked the commencement of the public housing policy in the city.
The shantytown was akin to a “small community” as it did not only consist of the wooden dwelling houses, but also included plenty of factories, workshops, stores, pig pens, henneries, farms and so forth. Since many adults worked in the shantytown, the older children had the responsibility to manage the housework, in addition to taking care of their younger siblings. The “small community” was undeveloped, without any source of direct water supply or private washroom facilities. People had to use the public toilet on Nam Cheong Street, while freshwater had to be purchased and carried back home.
Photo courtesy of Mr. Ko Tim Keung and the Heritage of Mei Ho House
Animation:
In the 1950s, the birth rate in Hong Kong skyrocketed. Many families raised more than one child. Since both parents had to work, the older brothers and sisters helped take care of the younger family members. It was common to see the children carrying their baby siblings around on the street.