In 1946, Hong Kong's population rapidly increased from 600,000 in the early post-war period to 1.5 million. Hong Kong already had a housing shortage, and the Japanese army bombed many houses, so many people were forced to sleep on the streets. Street sleepers suddenly looked poor.
They are dirty and dirty, but a closer look reveals that they live very orderly lives and show no signs of giving up in despair.
They put their personal belongings on the ground and on the outer walls: straw mats, bamboo baskets, bamboo brooms, cooking utensils, tin cans, environmental objects are put to good use, and children can still have space to play. The influx of cheap labor will only wait for later
The influx of countless funds and technology, combined with each other, will achieve the glorious industrialization of Hong Kong in the next thirty to forty years.
In 1946, the tallest building in Hong Kong was the "Third Generation HSBC Bank Building", with a height of 70 meters and a total of 13 floors. It was the largest building in the Far East at that time and the first air-conditioned building in Hong Kong.
The HSBC Bank Building was used as the government headquarters during the Japanese colonial period in Hong Kong. Later, due to shortage of supplies, the Japanese army transported the bronze lions at the door to RB to be refurbished for copper. After RB surrendered, the two lions were discovered by the US military. After MacArthur ordered
Transported back to Hong Kong, the pair of bronze lions have been in use until later generations.
In Hong Kong in 1946, the law stipulated that "ordinary private houses" could not exceed five floors, and residential houses in Hong Kong were generally of the "tenement house" and "arcade" style. At this time, property sales were based on the rules of "building" and "building".
Units are to be sold. As for 'strata sale' and 'installment off-the-plan property', no one has yet proposed it. (Later, in 1948, Wu Duotai proposed strata sale, and in 1954, Feipingtai proposed installment payment and off-the-plan property, and shared shares)
In Hong Kong in 1946, housing rents began to rise. With the influx of a large number of wealthy people and factory owners, rents would reach an extremely exaggerated level in 1949. If you want to rent a house, you must first pay a 'top fee' to the landlord.
, and then pay the monthly rent. It only took the landlord a few years to earn back the value of the property. (According to records, the Bao family in Ningbo rented a property with a floor of more than 1,000 square feet in 1948, with a top-up fee of HK$20,000.
Monthly rent is HKD 450)
In Hong Kong in 1946, 1 pound was fixed at 16 Hong Kong dollars, and 1 US dollar was fixed at 4 Hong Kong dollars. The police salary in Hong Kong was 120 Hong Kong dollars/month, and the salary of ordinary bank employees was 100 Hong Kong dollars/month, but the salary of most people was far less than these two.
a profession.
For 3 cents you can ride the Hong Kong Island Tram, for 5 cents you can take the Star Ferry across Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, for 3 cents a piece of bread, and for 30 cents you can have a bowl of fried rice noodles from Yung Kee Restaurant in Central.
I remember that the price of porridge in the restaurant has risen to 80 cents. (Hai = jiao, xian = cents)
In Hong Kong in 1946, most factory workers had to work 16 hours a day, all year round, and their wages were very cheap. In the range of 30 to 100 Hong Kong dollars, the money they earned was only enough for food and clothing. It is precisely because of these low prices
With the labor force and entrepreneurial talents, Xiangjiang's plastic industry, garment industry, textile industry, toys, flashlights, umbrellas and other products have been introduced to the world.
It is precisely because labor is so cheap that many young people prefer to be a policeman when looking for a job, followed by joining a club (also a dock laborer), and finally entering a factory. Even girls have this view when choosing a partner, and some girls even
I would rather be the concubine of a rich man than marry a poor man. This was still an era when the laws of the Qing Dynasty and the laws of the United Kingdom coexisted. Xiangjiang is a highly capitalized society, and everything is about money and wealth.
In Hong Kong in 1946, people on the streets wore a combination of Chinese and Western clothing. Many women wore white shirts and black trousers with long braids. Most of the women also tied their children with cloth belts behind their backs; occasionally a few young women wore long gowns or cheongsams.
, outlines the graceful figure, which is particularly eye-catching.
Some of the men wear T-shirts and trousers, while others wear shirts and trousers, paired with pompadours and watches. These are almost the attire of two classes. The passers-by are walking in a hurry, but it proves that Hong Kong is full of vitality after the war.
In Hong Kong in 1946, rickshaws were one of the most common means of transportation in this era, competing for business with the clanking Hong Kong trams and emerging cars and buses. As for taxis, there were less than 200 taxis in Hong Kong at this time, and there were probably more
There are 1,400 licensed cars and 1,100 trucks.
The rickshaw pullers are the best portrayal of the hard life of the Chinese in Hong Kong in this era. The rickshaw pullers are from the extremely poor class. They only focus on picking up customers. They have strong muscles but are prematurely senile. They wear straw hats on their heads, or wear patchwork clothes, or are bare-chested.
, bare feet, with a worn and yellowed sweat towel draped over the dark shoulders.
At this time, the fare for a rickshaw trip was around 5 cents, but it was still inevitable that it would be abandoned by the times. (In order to compete with the new means of transportation, in the early 1950s, a rickshaw trip was launched in Hong Kong and Kowloon for 5 cents, using both feet.
The fight against cars eventually forced the Hong Kong government to stop issuing rickshaw license plates and restrict rickshaw driving routes. In the end, it was defeated by capital.)
In Hong Kong in 1946, the sea surface of Victoria Harbor was empty and wide, and the coastline was completely different from that of later generations. The "East Tsim Sha Tsui" had not yet been reclaimed, and there was no large-scale reclamation and widening in Central and Wan Chai.
There is a small naval fleet in the middle of Victoria Harbor, including a cruise fleet and two aircraft carriers. There are also warships staying at the 'Tamar Naval Base' not far away. This is a characteristic of this era. Because Britain is worried about the future of Hong Kong, it can also be regarded as
Heavily guarded.
In Hong Kong in 1946, the Star Ferry Pier was at the narrowest point of Victoria Bay, opposite the Central Pier. The green and white Star Ferry shuttled back and forth between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, transporting all kinds of people across the sea.
In the early 1970s, when the Hung Hom Tunnel was not accessible and the MTR was not accessible in the 1980s, the Star Ferry was the only way to connect Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, with tens of thousands of people traveling every day. The Star Ferry fare was 5 cents
, the ferry ticket is like a small book, with orange on the front and white on the diagonal corners, with Chinese and English sides on both sides, with the year and month on it, and the annotation "Must be submitted for verification (inspection) before passing", etc. Later, the Star Ferry ticket
The price increased several times, and in the 1960s it was already 2 cents (a third-class seat). Then because of a price increase of five cents (a cent), a big incident was caused.
In Hong Kong in 1946, the first Miss Hong Kong was held in late June. The official name was the International Charity Swimming Competition. It was organized by the Air Force Club and the Hong Kong Swimming Group at the Retiro Nightclub in North Point.
Chi Nightclub' is the property of Li Caifa who is nicknamed "Uncle Caifa" and "Hong Kong Du Yuesheng".
The beauty pageants of this era were to arrange for several young girls to wear sexy bikinis and walk around in front of Chinese and foreign judges. The purpose was to respond to the call of the "British Hong Kong Government" at this time - Hong Kong people urgently needed a form of mass entertainment to divert
The "sequelae" of the war. Therefore, the "Miss Hong Kong" beauty pageant with a charitable nature came into being amid the depression.
As for the 'Li Caifa', he is the boss of the Hong Kong Youth Gang, and his 'Lichi Nightclub' is considered to be the best entertainment venue in Hong Kong in recent years. However, Li Caifa was later 'deported' by the British Hong Kong government for various crimes.
Illegal activities.
In Hong Kong in 1946, children could be seen everywhere on many streets with their children, without adults to look after them. At a young age, they had learned to share the burden with their parents and take care of their younger siblings. These children were ragged and slovenly, but they seemed to have no problem with food and clothing, and they were generally surrounded by children.
There is an iron pot, which is the lunch prepared by the parents for them. In this way, the adults can devote themselves to work, saving one person to take care of the children, and avoid wasting an extra share of work. In this era, there are no human traffickers, and there are no kidneys.
In Hong Kong in 1946, a young man named "Lin Chi-chao" came to Hong Kong from Guangdong Province. He only had 50 Hong Kong dollars in his pocket, which was supported by the sale of jewelry by his widowed mother. Before leaving, Lin Chi-chao vowed to his widowed mother,
The younger sister said: Within two years, they will be brought to live in Hong Kong.
Lin Zhichao has no grand ambitions because he knows that without background and backing, it will take time to get ahead in Hong Kong. So within two years, he can only say that he will bring his mother and sister to Hong Kong, but he dare not say that he can make them live a wealthy life.
Life. After all, the first pot of gold is often the most important.