“HK Tobacco Company” (AKA BAT), WW2
HF: British American Tobacco’s operations were established in Hong Kong in 1903 when the American Cigarette Company Limited was incorporated to serve as British American Tobacco’s manufacturing arm in China.
In 1919, British-American Tobacco Company (China) Limited was incorporated in Hong Kong to oversee all British American Tobacco’s Chinese operations.
During WW2 BAT became the HK Tobacco Company as mentioned in this brief BAAG report sent in by Elizabeth Ride.
BAT’s history is well documented. HK Tobacco’s is not.
Can anyone provide information about this presumably short lived imposter?
Kweilin Weekly Intelligence Summary #66, 15.9.1944
[The BAT] now called H.K. Tobacco Co. of H.K. Governor’s Dept. Over 700 workers employed. Tuesday and Friday are the days for rationing cigarettes to the dealers. Owing to shortage of tobacco leaves work stopped on 18 JUN 44 and simultaneously supplies to dealers. Rationing started again on 27 JUN 4 times a month on Fridays. Due to shortage of electric power machines work every second day only. From 1 JUL manpower instead of electricity had to be used for all kinds of work.
This article was first posted on 21st December 2015.
Further information:
- For general information about the Elizabeth Ride collection, her father Sir Lindsay Ride, and the British Army Aid group during WW2 a very useful introduction is through http://gwulo.com/node/13968
- The BAAG papers are kept at the Hong Kong Heritage – The Elizabeth M Ride Collection
The Index contains many articles using BAAG reports from WW2.
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