Queries + Answers 1 to 8 revisited – further research needed

Our first Queries + Answer was posted on 7th February 2013.

Here are the first eight with subsequently posted Indhhk Group articles below which are relevant to the subject but may not answer the original query.

Q+A 1 Kwok Acheong + P&O connection Hugh Farmer seeks further information about Kwok Acheong’s taking over the ‘shipwright and engineering department’ from the P&O Steamship Company in 1854 in Hong Kong and says he can find nothing about this particular subject.
Kwok Acheong – owner of ex-P&O Steamship works Hong Kong 1854
Information regarding HF’s specific query still needed.

Q+A 2 Where were HK’s Rickshaws made? Kevin Hall writes to ask where the rickshaws used in Hong Kong were made. Can anyone help?

Fung Chi Ming has responded. He says: James Chan is correct in saying that rickshaws were first imported into Hong Kong from Japan in 1874. But as time went by they were locally produced. There were a number of shops where they were made, located in many parts of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. One of these shops was located in Ki Ling Lane near to Des Voeux Road West in Western District.
The Hong Kong Rickshaw over Time
Rickshaw Makers’ Stores

Q+ A 3 Location of Glass Works Hospital? Frank Watson has been reading about the Plague outbreak in 1894. There is mention of a “Glass Works Hospital” which had been hastily converted from a glass works factory. He thinks this may have been in Kennedy Town. Can anyone confirm this, provide the exact location and any further information?
The Hong Kong and Macao Glass Manufacturing Company Ltd
The Hong Kong and Macao Glass Manufacturing Company Ltd – HK Daily Press article
Brick Glass Cones UK – connection to Kennedy Town glass manufacturer

Q+A 4 Tai O Land More valuable than in Central? Eric Spain read Colin Davidson’s article in Newsletter 4 about salt production in Tai O. Eric remembers having heard that at some period land was more valuable in Tai than in Central. He wonders if this extrordinary suggestion can be confirmed.
We have several articles about Tai O but NOTHING which answers this query.

Q+A 5 Salt pans in Mui Wo? Eric Spain enquires about salt production in Mui Wo. He remembers seeing some RAF aerial photographs which showed salt pans there. [presumably immediately before, during or shortly after WW2?] Does anyone have any information about the pans and/or these photographs? Eric thinks they may be in a HK government archive.
See the Q+A post above for infomation supplied by Frank Watson and Namussi. However Eric’s RAF photos have not been found.

Q+A 6 Parasols: made in Hong Kong? Hugh Farmer was recently on holiday in Burma and visited the town of Pathein (Bassein) where he visited the Shwe Sar Umbrella Workshop which produces exquisite hand-made parasols. He mentioned this to group member Malcolm Morris, who lived in Hong Kong in the 1970s. Malcolm remembers his mother using a parasol which he thinks she bought in the Yue Hua Chinese Products Emporium store in Jordan. Umbrellas were certainly manufactured in Hong Kong but does anyone know whether parasols were?
We have several articles about umbrellas but nothing regarding parasols.

Q+A 7 Origin of the word ‘Godown’ Newsletter Five mentioned the term ‘godown’ and suggested it originated from 16th Century Portuguese, ‘gudão’ or possibly an Indian language. Godown remains a common term in many parts of India and was frequently used in 19th century Hong Kong (eg The Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company, Limited) and Chinese ports.
Nothing to report

Q+A 8 Indigo in Hong Kong? From the China Mail 1st May 1876. The Postmaster General has issued the following notification…’The Italian Post Office has complained that, in the mail for the Continent…which left Hongkong on the 20th January, was a sample of Indigo, which became loose and damaged the whole mail…The public are therefore again earnestly begged not to attempt to send dye-stuffs in powder through the Post…’ James Chan asked where the indigo sent by post from Hong Kong in 1876 might have come from.
Indigo Dye 1876 – possible origins of locally HK posted indigo.

This article was first posted on 1st September 2016.