Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · 1d

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

4 6

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · 19d

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

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Sep 2

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

#gwulo #hongkonghistory

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Aug 19

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

1 2

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Jul 24

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

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Jul 14

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.

1 1

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Jul 7

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!

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Jul 4

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!

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Jul 1

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!

2 3

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Jun 30

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

New on Gwulo: 2025, week 26 | Gwulo

What's new and updated on the Gwulo website: General Nicholas Kitto has uploaded a collection of postcards his great-grandfather mailed from Hong Kong and Canton in 1908. There's a sample below, and y...

gwulo.com

2

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Jun 24

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!

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · May 19

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

1

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Apr 8

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

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Mar 13

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

Friends of East Asia talk - April 5th 2025 - Photos of old Hong Kong | Gwulo

The Friends of East Asia are delighted to welcome back David Bellis, B.E.M., of Gwulo, on Saturday 5th April 2025 who will talk to us on more of his fascinating photos of old Hong Kong. David has rec...

gwulo.com

1 4

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Feb 24

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

2 1

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Feb 20

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

Founder of Hong Kong history website honoured | The Hong Konger

History sleuth David Bellis to receive King’s award.

hongkonger.world

1

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Feb 9

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

1

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Jan 26

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

2 2

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Jan 12

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

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

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...

bookazine.com.hk

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Jan 7

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.)

David Bellis: books, biography, latest update

Follow David Bellis and explore their bibliography from Amazon's David Bellis Author Page.

amzn.to

Reposted by Gwulo

Hong Kong Free Press HKFP @hongkongfp.com · Jan 3

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

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.

buff.ly

2 10 44

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Dec 20

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

1970 Afloat on Hong Kong harbour

YouTube video by Gwulo

youtu.be

1 1

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Dec 6

83 years ago, Japanese troops were getting ready to attack Hong Kong. Subscribe to follow the battle via daily extracts from diaries written in Hong Kong in December 1941.

Subscribe: gwulo.com/node/60632

Sample: gwulo.com/83-years-ago

Project info: gwulo.com/wartime-diar...

#hongkonghistory

Page from Barbara Anslow's diary written on 8 December 1941

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Nov 30

It’s a small photo, just 8cm / 3in wide, but there’s enough detail for us to investigate who and what we’re looking at, where and when the photo was taken.

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

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

When elephants came to Hong Kong

YouTube video by Gwulo

www.youtube.com

1

Gwulo @gwulo.bsky.social · Nov 18

A second 1909 panorama, but this time taken in the opposite direction. It looks north from Hong Kong island and so gives us the chance to explore Kowloon in 1909:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8Ce...
#gwulo #hongkong #oldhongkongphoto #oldhongkong #hongkonghistory #1900s #panorama

1909 Panorama of Kowloon, Victoria Harbour, and the North shore of Hong Kong Island

YouTube video by Gwulo

www.youtube.com

1