York Lo: Chan Chak-man(陳澤民) – Forgotten Knitwear Tycoon from the 1960s Chan Chak-man (second from left) greeted by his family after returning from the opening of his factory in Portugal in 1964 (WKYP, 1964-6-17) In the early 1960s, Chan Chak-man was a major figure in the HK knitwear industry who was a founding director of Hong Kong Woollen Knitting Manufacturers’ Association (香港毛織業廠商會, […]
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When Tymon Mellor sent this revised version of his original article on Lin Fa Shan Mine, first posted in November 2014, he suggested it was more a complete re-write. Tymon Mellor: The Lin Fa Shan mine is located in a remote area of the Tai Mo Shan Country Park, on a steep west facing slope of Lin Fa Shan, just […]
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HF: Chao Kuang Piu (24 November 1920 – 12 March 2021) was a Hong Kong based Chinese industrialist, sometimes referred to as Hong Kong’s ”Wool Magnate” given his involvement in Hong Kong’s garment industry. He was one of the co-founders of Dragonair, Hong Kong’s first Chinese airline, which was subsequently acquired by Cathay Pacific. Chao was born on the 24th […]
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Hugh Farmer with thanks to IDJ and Tymon Mellor for information and images. These come from The Engineer, 28th April 1911:- “The Beacon Hill Tunnel – Kowloon Canton Railway. Beacon Hill, about 1500ft in height, is part of a range of hills dividing Kowloon from the rest of the mainland. A tunnel through this hill was deemed necessary in connection with […]
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York Lo: Wang Kee(宏記) – A Century of Service in the Port of Hong Kong Left: Yeung Yam-hoo, the second generation leader of Wang Kee& Co (XianggangHuarenMingrenShilue, 1937); Right: Wang Kee& Co ad in a Chinese directory in the late 1940s (Xianggang Huaqiao TuantiChonghhui) Founded in 1905, Wang Kee & Co (“宏記公司” or “宏記辦館” which means Wang Kee Provisions) was […]
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HF: In 1844, shortly after Hong Kong came under British authority, the Colonial Treasurer reported to the House of Commons Select Committee ‘there does not appear to be the slightest probability under any circumstances that Hong Kong will ever become a place of trade.’ Yet 44 years after this gloomy forecast, the then Governor, Sir William G. des Voeux, quite […]
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James Chan: Re the recent article Peak Tram: The Ward Leonard System installed 1926 I found this which I think must have been used in building the Peak Tram. This article was first posted on 14th June 2014. Source: Colorado School of Mines: Advanced funicular technology – page 3 the Abt Passing Loop Related Indhhk articles: Proposed Peak Tramway extension to Queen’s […]
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“This is the oldest established auctioneering firm in the Colony. It was founded by Mr. Geo. R. Lammert, the father of the present partners, and, for upwards of forty years residents in Hongkong have been accustomed to go to Lammert’s sale rooms for bargains of all descriptions. A special feature is made of selling goods to the Chinese, and the […]
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Tymon Mellor: If Government documents are to be believed, the inspiration for the Plover Cove Scheme came from the Director of Water Supplies, Mr T O Morgan while swimming in the sea at Plover Cove[i]. His idea was to convert the sea inlet into a fresh water reservoir by damming the inlet, pumping out the sea water and impounding fresh […]
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HF: Lane Crawford (HK) Limited is a retail company founded in 1850 operating specialist department stores selling luxury goods in Hong Kong and Mainland China. In August 1850 two Scots Thomas Ash Lane and Ninian Crawford opened a shop in a makeshift bamboo structure on the waterfront at the present location of Des Voeux Road. Taking each of their individual […]
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