From the Archive

Rediscover stories from Hong Kong’s industrial past, published on this date in previous years.

History of Needle Hill Mine – centenary year

Img Adit 8 1960

Introduction Tymon Mellor: One hundred years ago this year, according to records, mining for Wolframite (or Wolfram as it used to be called), commenced at Needle Hill, possibly one of the oldest and most extensive industrial historical sites in Hong Kong. The mine workings now lie abandoned and overgrown on the hillsides above the Lower Shing Mun Reservoir. If you […]

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Taikoo Sugar Refinery…installation of new facilities and machinery in the 1950s

Taikoo Sugar Boiler House Superheater Tubes And Economiser On 1st Boiler

HF: The following images come from the Hong Kong Memory Project, a wonderful source of many aspects of Hong Kong’s history including its industrial history. Taikoo Sugar Refinery started producing sugar in Hong Kong in 1884 and did not cease operation till 1972. During this period of almost a century, it produced some of the world’s highest quality refined sugar, […]

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The Smithfield slaughterhouse, Kennedy Town – photos from 1894

HF: These images come from the Colonial Collection, UK National Archives. Many thanks to Paul Onslow for sending them to me. They are of the slaughter houses and sheep and pig depot shown in this 1889 map of part of Kennedy Town. This article was first posted on 2nd February 2015. Related Indhhk articles: The Kennedy Town Slaughterhouses – initial notes

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Ma On Shan Iron Mine – HK Naturalist 1931

Hugh Farmer: It is worth looking at the Hong Kong Naturalist – “a quarterly illustrated journal principally for Hong Kong and South China” which was published from Jan 1930 until Feb 1941. The  journal contain articles on a variety of subjects of interest to us including, tea production, oysters, Kowloon waterworks, agriculture in the New Territory [sic] and a couple of mountains […]

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Sai Kung’s “Tin Man” – 81 years making tin containers

IDJ has sent this SCMP article about 99 year old Mak Sing-ying. Mr Mak has for 81 years been making pans, cans, boxes and buckets out of tin from his workshop in Sai Kung. The article was published on 9th November 2014 See: SCMP article Sai Kung’s ‘tin man’ 9th November 2014 This article was first posted on 18th December 2019.

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BAAG Naval Section Intelligence Summary, late February 1943, ship repair, maintenance and movements

BAAG Report WIS #23 A1 Home Page Detail PNG

Elizabeth Ride has sent the Naval section of a British Army Aid Group (BAAG) Waichow Intelligence Summary (WIS No.23) dated 1st March 1943. This covers shipping movements in and out of Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation in World War Two during late February 1943. These reports also describes time spent by vessels undergoing repairs and maintenance in a number of […]

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BAAG records of shipping in HK during 1944-45 – River Steamer “H” No.6 ex-S.S. Lee Hong

Elizabeth Ride has British Army Aid Group (BAAG) records of shipping movements for 1944-45 in Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation in World War Two. These provide information not only about the ships themselves but what cargo was being brought into and out of Hong Kong during the latter stages of WW2, passengers carried, and of godowns, docks etc that were […]

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