9 Peninsula Spinners Ltd + Hong Kong Spinners Ltd
Carles Brasó Broggi, based in Shanghai but currently living in Hong Kong, is researching two related companies. Peninsula Spinners Ltd. was established in Hong Kong in 1948 and became Hong Kong Spinners Ltd. in 1954. Carles is also interested in the founder of HK Spinners, C.Y. Wong (Wang Qiyu or Wang Chi Yue, 1883-1965) and T.Y. Wong (Wang Tongyuan or Wong Tong Yuen) who by 1975 was Chairman and Managing Director. Can anyone provide more information about the two companies or men?
First posted on 1st July 2013.
The HK Spinners was connected to the Leighton Textile – a daughter of T.Y. Wong, Sally Wong Bei-fong GBS JP, married Henry Leung of Leighton Textile. Their factories were at Cheung Sha Wan Rd opposite today’s Lai Chi Kok MTR station in the 70s.
In the 60s, T.Y. Wong lived at a Spanish Villa just below the Peak Police Station at Mt. Gough. He drove an Aston Martin just like the James Bond car.
In his memoirs, Paul Tsui marveled at seeing HK Spinners installing the most up-to-date machinery from the UK when he inspected the factory in 1948 as an Assistant Superintendent of Import & Export.
Shanghainese industrialists, taking refuge from the political upheavals in the Mainland, turned HK, a place lacking in all resources and conditions in terms of space, water or raw materials, …, into an industrial city. The flood of hardworking refugees from the Mainland provided the labour. Government provided the resettlement housing…
Until mid-1970s, the Chinese Manager of the HK Bank was always a Shanghainese, indicating the important roles played by the industrialists from Shanghai in the 50s& 60s. “Localisation” of both the public & private sectors of HK commenced in the 1970s.
Lawrence
Thanks for the information especially about the the post WW2 textile companies.
We are gathering some solid information about the so-called Shanghai Spinnners mainly due to Carles Braso’s articles. I think I may soon open a post where the individual companies and people involved can be listed and information added as it is sent in.
My name is Eleanor Wong, granddaughter of C.Y. Wong and 2nd daughter of T.Y. Wong. I have noted that you are interested in the founder of Hong Kong Spinners Ltd., C.Y. Wong and T.Y. Wong. I have recently published a book regarding my family. Would you be interested in ready these chapters regarding Hong Kong Spinners Ltd.. Kindly let me know via email.
Dear Lawrence Tsui and Eleonor Wong,
thank you very much for your interesting comments! I’ve been researching C. Y. Wong for years in Shanghai, but I’m also very interested in knowing more about T. Y. Wong. Could you please add the full reference of your books? If they are in Chinese it doesn’t matter, I will definetely try to read them and maybe other readers may be interested as well.
Besides, I will try to add more info about HK Spinners, Leighton and other related firms in Hong Kong. For instance, I’m studying the role of China Engineers, owned by William Charles Gomersall, James H. Lee (Li Shuxiong in pinyin), that were behind the purchase of the modern machinery you mention.
We keep in touch and I’m very happy to meet you!
Best regards,
Carles