Gwulo

Early Brownies, Cubs, and Scouts in Hong Kong: youtu.be/VL91kwpGGJc

Join me on the hunt for the clues that will show us when and where this photo was really taken.

#gwulo #hongkonghistory

1945 flight over wartime Hong Kong: youtu.be/lYLmB2N-rkE

Explore Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation, via aerial photos taken by an American aircraft on 1 Feb 1945.

#gwulo #hongkonghistory #ww2

84 years ago, Japanese troops were preparing to attack Hong Kong. Subscribe to follow the battle via daily extracts from diaries written by the people who took part.

Subscribe: gwulo.com/node/61820

Sample email: gwulo.com/84-years-ago...

The project: gwulo.com/wartime-diar...

#hongkonghistory

1920s Hong Kong photos, including the 1926 rainstorm, when over 500mm rain fell in just 12 hours! youtu.be/whfJu7qeAHU

#gwulo #hongkonghistory #rainstorm

Preview of my talks in Glasgow (1 Nov) and Exeter (8 Nov). Links to details and how to book:

- Glasgow - gwulo.com/node/61694

- Exeter - gwulo.com/node/61695

#gwulo #hongkong #oldhongkongphoto #oldhongkong #hongkonghistory @exeterlibrary.bsky.social

Exeter poster:

Glasgow poster:

If you're in the UK, it'd be great to see you at one of my talks next month. I'll be in Glasgow on 1st November, and in Exeter on the 8th. Details and booking:
- Glasgow 1 Nov - gwulo.com/node/61694
- Exeter 8 Nov - gwulo.com/node/61695

If you’ve ever struggled to work out when an old Hong Kong photo was taken, Gwulo’s new map tool can help: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WZb...

In the video I show the map in action, working out which year an old photo postcard was taken.

#gwulo #hongkonghistory #GIS

1930s Hong Kong from the harbour: www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Ii...

Join me to explore the 1930s seafront, what’s special about that Star Ferry, and what happened in Statue Square in WW2.
#gwulo #hongkonghistory

How to convert handwritten / typed / printed pages into text for free with AI: gwulo.com/node/61673

#gwulo #hongkonghistory

Three Vintage Photos from 1902 Reveal Hong Kong's Hidden History: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnXw...

Join me to explore three historical photos of Hong Kong, visiting Central, Wanchai, Tsim Sha Tsui, the bustling harbour, and more!

#gwulo #hongkonghistory

Sewers & sanitation, dwellings & disease in 1880s Hong Kong. Plus colourful maps and sketches, and rare views inside Hong Kong’s early tenement housing, all in the latest Gwulo video: youtu.be/vdOGaijApFg

#gwulo #hongkonghistory @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy‬

To celebrate the launch of 老照港古:香江華洋舊事相中尋, you can save 20% and get the new book for just HK$126.40.

The offer is available:

- in person (16-22 July 2025) from publisher 非凡出版 on stand 1D-C02 at the Hong Kong Book Fair, or ...

- online (14-31 July 2025) on the 一本 My Book One website.

Gwulo goes NICAM !

The first copies of the Chinese Volume 1 arrived today.

I rushed to see how the photos look. The paper, printing, and binding work really well together, so I’m very happy with how they’ve turned out.

And a bonus: today’s my birthday, so this was the perfect birthday present!

First photos of the finished book show how its binding lets it open flat on the table. The double-page photos look great displayed this way.

I’ll have to wait another 1-2 weeks for my copies to arrive here in the UK – can’t wait to see them!

Here’s the cover for the Chinese translation of my first book.

I like that publisher 非凡出版 made the cover photo much larger than I did for the English book. This cover is more eye-catching, especially when seen on a small screen.

It will launch at the Hong Kong Book Fair on 16 July.

15 days to go!

New @ Gwulo.com :
- 1900s postcards
- Baginton Fields Hostel near Coventry, where many ex-internees from Hong Kong stayed on arriving in the UK in 1945
- East Point industries
- Army school, 1901-4?
- Jimmy's Kitchen pre-WW2
+ lots of old Hong Hong photos.

Full details: gwulo.com/node/61521

Printing the new book:

老照港古
香江華洋舊事相中尋

The photos were taken yesterday, so we’re on track to launch the Chinese translation of my first book at the Hong Kong Book Fair (16-22 July 2025).

22 days to go!

Flogging was the harshest corporal punishment in colonial Hong Kong. Join me to explore letters from Governor Hennessy to London about this, along with details of prison life in 1870s Hong Kong: youtu.be/3fPpZGjhjNg

#gwulo #hongkonghistory #Taikwun @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy

1930s view down Pottinger Street

Learn to spot the little clues that help pin down a photo’s location, then see how we use them to show a century of changes along Pottinger Street:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5avz...

#gwulo #hongkong #oldhongkongphoto #oldhongkong #hongkonghistory #Central #PottingerStreet #Taikwun #ThePottinger

I’m giving a talk in London on Saturday 5 April, hope to see you there! We’ll explore a selection of my favourite old Hong Kong photos, look at how the Gwulo website came to be, and finish with some of the most touching stories we’ve been involved with. Details & booking: gwulo.com/node/60832

This week's video visits 1960 Hong Kong via twenty colour slides. As always, lots of clues to explore, plus a mystery with the Furama Hotel.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Md1...

#gwulo #hongkong #oldhongkongphoto #oldhongkong #hongkonghistory #Central #Aberdeen #RepulseBay #CausewayBay #ThePeak

Founder of Hong Kong history website honoured | The Hong Konger History sleuth David Bellis to receive King’s award.

Thank you to Kate Whitehead for interviewing me about Gwulo and the BEM: hongkonger.world/2025/02/19/f...

Something unusual about this rickshaw will help us work out When the photo was taken, and other clues will shed light on the photo’s Who, What, and Where:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLMT...

#gwulo #hongkong #oldhongkongphoto #oldhongkong #hongkonghistory #sedanchair #rickshaw #pottingerstreet

I bought this photo as a cheap & cheerful view of Hong Kong’s old City Hall, but once it arrived and I could take a closer look it’s the fountain that’s the star of the scene.

Full story at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKmN...

#gwulo #hongkong #oldhongkongphoto #oldhongkong #hongkonghistory

When A Deleted Email Turned Out To Be A Notification For A Major Award From King Charles III While many might prefer to keep their age under wraps, I am proud to share that I made my way to Hong Kong back in 1979, and anything related to Hong Kong's history holds a very special place in my he...

Thanks to Bookazine for interviewing me about my books and recent award ...

bookazine.com.hk/blogs/bookaz...

David Bellis: books, biography, latest update Follow David Bellis and explore their bibliography from Amazon's David Bellis Author Page.

UK readers: Gwulo's books are back in stock at Amazon UK, please see amzn.to/4h59wNa

(This is an affiliate link - it doesn't affect the price you pay but Gwulo earns a small commission from Amazon if you buy via this link.)

Founder of HK online historical archive Gwulo recognised by UK gov't David Bellis, a British national who spent over 30 years in Hong Kong and founded Gwulo, has been awarded a British Empire Medal.

David Bellis, a British national who spent over 30 years in Hong Kong and founded Gwulo, has been awarded a British Empire Medal.

In full: https://buff.ly/4fL9mJT

YouTube video by Gwulo 1970 Afloat on Hong Kong harbour

Revisit Hong Kong harbour in 1970 via this set of colour slides. It’ll be two more years before the first cross-harbour tunnel opens, so we’ll be travelling by sampan and ferry.

youtu.be/uIVVyqSWFiA

#gwulo #hongkong #oldhongkongphoto #oldhongkong #hongkonghistory #elephant