Hong Kong's society in the 50's

[hp12004HK]

My memories...

[groovycc63]

I am born in Hong Kong 1963. Michael! I love your video very very much! I am feeling Hong Kong is now not as it was. After 1997, thing changed. Now it even changes more.

[bensono]

Do you play Mahjong? Mr Rogge?

[MichaelRogge]

No. I don't play any games at all!

[gggu]

Wow... I've never seen Hong Kong quite so... green...

[3mc33kong]

beautiful! which golf course was that? Royal HK Golf Club? haha

[edwinwhchiu]

It appeared to me that the footage was made in the 60's rather than the 50's. In fact the exact period is not an issue, we can't have such a feeling now in HK.

[MichaelRogge]

I wonder what makes you think so? Most of the shots were taken in the fifties. For instance the ones taken at the beach tents were taken around 1952. Most of my films were taken between 1949 and 1955

[chucky0404]

There were not so crowded on the beach. They really enjoyed themselves.

[teddyruxpin27]

Well it certainly beat living in Mao's China hands down!

[YTfcuk]

Really thanks for sharing.

May these videos stay here forever.

[diehardcowboys]

Nicely done!! Nice background music!! Thanks for the memories!!

[wingkeungli]

I ben blij en bedank u dat I de oude film van mij moederland kan zien.

[3024266]

Thanks Mr, MichealRogge.

[ecccheung]

wow amazing...in colours and with sounds! Many thanks..I am going to show this to my father.

by the way, have you considered donating your films to the HK government or libraries? They may be interested in your films.

[MichaelRogge]

Yes, the HK Govt. Film Archive, HK History Museum and University have sets of my DVD's

[uudrakgvens94]

are you a former british hongkonger Mr.Rogge? long live british hong kong , one day hong kong will become british again like macau will become portuguese again¡¡

[kowloonbaby08]

those were the days....................

[nujabesfan]

wow a very captivating video you've posted here

[georgemargaris]

very nicely done, the composition of video and music.

[07010328]

thank you very much for uploading this clip. HK was so beautiful before but not now :(

[atheismius]

HK is even more beautiful now--- including neighbourhoods shown in the clip.

[hkjazz1]

Does anybody know why it is named Repulse Bay in English? The bay is literally called Shallow Water Bay in Chinese. Repulse is a strange name. Would it be related to the warship HMS Repulse? Hope someone can enlighten me on this.

[MichaelRogge]

Wikipedia has this to say about the name:

In 1841, the bay was used as a base by pirates and caused serious concern to foreign merchant ships trading with China. The pirates were subsequently repulsed by the British Fleet; hence the name. Another theory holds that the bay was named after HMS Repulse which was stationed at the bay at one point.

[hkjazz1]

Thank you for your clear and quick reply. I'll buy the second explanation unless there is evidence to prove otherwise. HMS Repulse is the battle cruiser in the Force Z and it must have caused lots of publicity when it came to HK just before the war broke out. We need to check the old maps of HK (before 1941)to prove this. If the name Repulse Bay appears on maps printed before 1941 (or around those years), then we need to take some other explanations.

[MichaelRogge]

I looked up T.Wilshire's 'Old Hong Kong' and although mentioning pirates several times the ones in Repulse Bay were left out. Nor was any battleship by the name of HMS Repulse mentioned.

[hkjazz1]

Pirates activities died down in the 1900's while people in Victorian time seemed not really enthusiastic about swimming. Pirates were once active in Cheung Chau but not Repulse Bay. The bay had no population and there was nothing to loot. The battleship story fits better.

[meitaibb]

Thanks for the quality video!

It's funny to see ladies wearing old fashioned swimming suits at the beginning of the video.Those people were so happy enjoying their day at the beach. I wish I could join them.

[bobchewaing]

Hardly to find a movie from HK in the 50's was in color. The color film of this clips probably cost a ordinary worker one month salary.

Its really worth it. Thank you very much for sharing.

[liverpoolsg8]

thanks for your nice share!

[arthurson2]

以前既香港真係幾靚.

[leefaichai]

thanks a lot!

[arroy624]

jeez... the sea looked so clean back then... now it's full of garbage...

[frankie1031]

Michael do you like and miss HK?

[MichaelRogge]

I spent the best years of my life there from 1949 till 1955!

[robinphillips]

You see the pipe on the beach at 00:41 I've sat right there..

[dtadeo2006]

thanks for adding this video. really appreciate all your work. the buildings back then were so artistic. now theyre just totally utilitarian.

[robinphillips]

MUST WATCH IN HQ.....its a big improvement..!

[robinphillips]

Brilliant.........best one yet, i loved this one, just makes me love this country even more ;-)