Preserving Hong Kong’s Industrial Heritage
Rediscover stories from Hong Kong’s industrial past, published on this date in previous years.
HF: There were at least two slaughterhouses/abattoirs in Kennedy Town. As always additional information, photos, maps, clarification and corrections would be appreciated. I have highlighted specific questions in red. This 1889 map of Kennedy Town shows a slaughter house, adjacent incinerator and a sheep and pig depot south of Forbes Street. Their total length was about 200 metres. For the […]
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IDJ: During 1948 and 1949 there was immense turmoil in China as the Nationalist and Communist factions battled for control of the country. Events were moving towards a climax. As a result, the Chinese airlines CNAC (China National Aviation Corporation), CAT (Civil Air Transport) both with Sino-American interests and flight crews, and Central Air Transport (nationalist government owned) all based […]
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York Lo: Hong Kong Glove Manufacturers The glove manufacturing industry in Hong Kong began in the early 1950s and traced its roots to Shanghai. The number of players quickly increased from less than five to over 40 within three years and most of the growth was driven by export demand, particularly in the UK where HK manufacturers had preferential tax […]
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HF: Cristina Prokop has kindly sent information about her grandfather Oscar Seepol. Mr Seepol had an eventful life and ran a photographic studio in Shanghai, during the 1940s, shown in the image below. Cristina says that her grandfather took many photographs of Shanghai during his time there, some of which could be described as being of industrial subjects. She wondered […]
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Cristina Prokop has kindly sent information about her grandfather Oscar Seepol. HF: As can be seen below Oscar ran a photographic studio in Shanghai during the 1940s and in the War. He took many photographs himself of Shanghai including some featuring industrial subjects. Cristina wondered whether these might be of interest to readers of this website and I thought so, […]
» Read moreHF: This is one of the most early-built factory estates in Hong Kong. It was built between 1960 and 1965. From 1973 onwards it was managed by the Hong Kong Housing Authority.(1) Sources: The Hong Kong Memory Project
» Read moreContact the company? Founded in Hong Kong in 1874, Leigh & Orange (L&O) has continued to thrive as a significant force in the markets it serves for nearly a century and a half by providing its clients with a consistent focus on quality. With an unsurpassed depth of experience in a wide variety of building types, the firm prides itself […]
» Read moreHF: Kin Hip Metal and Plastic Factory manufactured metal molds. A key customer was Gold Coin Brand vacuum flask factories. Mrs. Sun took charge of the accounts while taking care of the children at the factory. In doing so, she used an abacus to calculate costs and prepare invoices. On one occasion she undercharged $600 when calculating product prices for […]
» Read moreHF: In the middle third of the 19th century, the clippers which carried cargoes of tea from China to Britain would compete in informal races to be the first ship in London with the new crop of each season. A painting of Ariel and Taeping. Source: wikipedia Tea was introduced from China to Europe in the 17th century, but, as […]
» Read moreHF: Source no 86 http://www.aab.gov.hk/form/new_items_history.pdf [Bonnie Manson: Four years ago I made a journey to visit the grave of Ko Ming Fan who ran the Flat Hill Quarry.] Old Quarry Site Structures Lei Yue Mun, Kwun Tong, Kowloon Hong Kong has been well favoured with its building stones. The high quality, fine-grained granite was commonly used in construction by the time […]
» Read moreHF: Mandarin Oriental is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group, a conglomerate with strong expertise and heritage in Hong Kong and Asia, which was founded in Canton in 1832 by Scottish traders William Jardine and James Matheson.
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HF: Suzanne Clouthier has sent the following script and images highlighting Lily Nègre, who Suzanne’s grandfather described as having a reputation as a great seamstress in the Orient, possibly Hong Kong. Both Suzanne and I would welcome further information about Lily, and I would also like to learn more about others involved in the fashion industry in Hong Kong between […]
» Read moreVaudine England: Just came across this typically 1900-era directory of the empire in the east with a neat summary of the Industry. [The author here, D. Warres-Smith, probably isn’t telling you anything you don’t know but thought would pass it on just in case.] I have extracted the sections of most interest to us, namely xxxx Source: European settlements in […]
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