My focus with respect to the selection of these photos is their relevance to the extended family of Thomas JACKSON, Manager of HSBC in Hong Kong in the late 1800s. He and his family lived in two homes shown here: The HSBC Manager’s building – which I would like to learn more about, as well as the family home Creggan, built near the top of The Peak. He was ridiculed by some when he first built it. The bungalow was regarded as being too far up the mountain, since this was before the installation of the steam-driven funicular, and also it was considered to be in danger of damage from typhoons. Neither turned out to be a problem.

The other homes that are included are ones that were featured in family albums so must have also had some significance to the Jacksons. It may that they were part of the view from their summer home on The Peak at Creggan, or it perhaps they were photos of the homes of friends.

Perhaps significantly, Thomas Jackson's childhood home of Urker, in the Parish of Creggan, Co. Armagh was also built on top of a hill, as was Cavananore, Parish of Creggan, Co. Louth, another iconic home steeped in Jackson family history.

I have also compiled a document describing many of the people with Irish connections whose homes were constructed on The Peak. When it comes to old photos of Hong Kong, it goes without saying that Gwulo is a site that cannot be missed. Annelise Connell also has a number of old photos on Facebook which she has tagged so it is easy to see where the buildings are sited in the grand scheme of things.

Undated - development on The Peak was limited before the installation of the steam-driven funicular in 1888. Until then, people who lived in these houses travelled in sedan cars carried by coolies.In 1860, Governor Robinson had the first path cut that was wide enough for sedan cars to pass. Between 1870 and 1886, more paths were created. Picture from the collection of Pat Roberts, England.
	Family members have labeled these "The Falls". The handwriting appears to be that of Amy JACKSON, a daughter of Sir Thomas JACKSON. The Falls (1878-1927) was owned by Thomas Jackson's friend and colleague, Sir Paul CHATER, and rented to a Governor while his residence, Mountain Lodge, was being completed - I do not know which Governor or when. It was rented to the VERNER family in 1887 & 1888 and then in 1896 to F.W. Danby. Danby was an architect and engineer. The DANBY family is an old China family. A Lucy DANBY married Robert Thomas WRIGHT of Ballinode, Co. Monaghan, Ireland. He was the HSBC manager at Yokohama. Hope DANBY, a sister-in-law of Lucy published several novels in the mid-1900s based in the Far East, including, "My Boy Chang". I have three of her books in my collection. Hope and Charles DANBY's son, Richard aka Dick DANBY (1918-2005),worked for HSBC. DANBY & HANCE was bought by Jardines. It is probably this F.W. DANBY who was the architect of St. John's Cathedral in Hong Kong. Pictures from the collection of Pat Roberts, England.
This picture above seems to also be of The Falls, but I am unsure. It also looks very much like the Mountain Lodge photos at Hong Kong Public Records Office. I must confess to being confused. Picture from the collection of Pat Roberts, England.
This photo and the one beneath are photographs of Creggan. This was a family home that Thomas Jackson had built for his family. In the summer, the heat was a good 14 degrees cooler, and it was deemed to have helped the family make it through their Hong Kong summers. In a letter dated 1885 January 7th, Thomas Jackson's mother writes: Now I will not advise you not to part with Creggan till the last day you are in Hong Kong. I think Creggan is to be thanked under God for the good health you have all enjoyed in a trying climate nor do not finally give up your situation till after you are at home. You might possibly regret the loss of it. It will be easy to write your signature at any time. Annelise Connell has posted a map showing that Creggan [RBL-8] is near Strawberry Hill, just off Plantation Road. The house was named for the Parish in South Armagh where Sir Thomas came from. I suspect that another fellow countryman similarly named his hiome Tandragee - although, as yet I do not know which Ulsterman owned that home. Pictures from the collection of Pat Roberts, England.
The photo beneath is an interiour of the enclosed verandah of Creggan. Picture from the collection of Pat Roberts, England.
The next three pictures are of the building where the Jacksons lived for much of the time that Thomas Jackson was manager of HSBC. The young boy is probably Claude Stewart JACKSON (1892-1917), the youngest JACKSON child. The building was known as St. John's Place and was the official HSBC Manager's home. The first and third pictures are from the collection of Pat Roberts, the middle one is from the collection of Jack Stooks. There are others in the Gilford Castle collection, but they have not yet been scanned.
Kathleen McCullagh JACKSON (1872-1959), Mr. McEWAN [Alexander P. McEWEN - he served on the Board of HSBC and worked with Holiday Wise & Co. SOURCE: The History of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Frank H.H. King,], Miss BALL, TJ aka Thomas JACKSON (1841-1915) at The Mount 1899. I do not know if this is at the place built by Sir Richard MacDonnell in 1868. The Governor at this time would have been Sir Henry Arthur Blake. Picture from the collection of Pat Roberts, England.
Dorothy JACKSON (1887-1964) and brothers - probably Walter David Russell JACKSON (1890-1956) & Claude Stewart JACKSON (1892-1917) - a mode of transport they were well aware of - see their father on his way to work beneath. Picture from the collection of Pat Roberts, England.
Thomas JACKSON (1841-1915) in palanquin. He often read papers on the way to work, his long lanky legs reaching far out in front. Picture from the collection of Pat Roberts, England.
Undated - on the back is written in pencil - probably by one of Sir Thomas' children: 4 more - the effects of growing up in The Peak tram Hong Kong. Picture from the collection of Pat Roberts, England.