James Hayes became a cadet officer Class II in the Hong Kong civil service in 1956. He was District Officer, South from 1957 to 1960 and Islands from 1961-1962. He then worked in a wide variety of government departments, his final post being Regional Secretary, New Territories, 1985 to 1987. James is also a scholar and author. He has written […]
» Read moreIndustrial History of Hong Kong Group Newsletter No.9 In this Issue : Ping Shan –proposed airport for Hong Kong – IDJ The Economics of the Tricycle Industry in Hong Kong – Fung Chi Ming Shanghai spinners. Pioneers of Hong Kong’s industrialization, 1947-1955 – Carles Brasó Broggi The Hongkong Rope Manufacturing Co., Ltd – Amelia Allsop Some useful sources, including the […]
» Read moreAdapted from Newsletter 3, published 11th January 2013 As part of my research into the West Brother Island Graphite Mine and Lin Ma Hang Lead Mine I came across the name Stephen Hui. From 1956-1970 he was the Chief Mining Engineer and General Manager of the Yan Hing Mining Company Ltd. As such he was involved in the exploration of […]
» Read moreDan Water’s article in Newsletter 8, Recollections of a Visit to a Joss-stick Mill in Tsuen Wan, describes the decline of this once important Hong Kong industry. It is highly unlikely there will be a serious revival of the incense mills (though how delightful it would be to visit a reconstructed, working incense water mill above Tsuen Wan or on […]
» Read moreHugh Farmer writes, in Newsletter Seven I mentioned Chinese manufacturing enterprises in the 1870s. These included two for preserving ginger and other processed food including soy sauce and preserved fruit, several machine-makers, a tannery, a paper factory and a manufacturer of matches, workshops for producing cigars, tobacco, clothing, glass, oars, rifles, ropes, umbrellas, spectacles, tooth-powder and soap, as well as […]
» Read moreThe OED defines the word Comprador(e) as “a person who acts as an agent for foreign businesses” and suggests it originated, in English, in the 17th century from the Portuguese word for “buyer”. It is a term which occurs frequently in the 19th century colonial history of Hong Kong especially concerning trade between, China, Hong Kong and the rest of the […]
» Read more11. The Elm Tool and Die Company Newsletter Seven mentioned American Louis Marx’s Hong Kong “The Elm Tool and Die Company”, established in 1952 and managed by a David Yea. (However, another source suggests this company was registered on 15th November 1958 and dissolved on 2nd March 1991.) It appears this was a toy company as Mr. Yea was destined to […]
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