William S.T. Lee & Co (曉莊貿易) – the firm which brought Montblanc pens, Rodenstock glasses, Seiko watches, Ricoh cameras and Kenwood stereos to HK

Articles, General, Hong Kong Companies, People
William S T Lee & Co Detail Image 3 York Lo

York Lo: William S.T. Lee & Co (曉莊貿易) – the firm which brought Montblanc pens, Rodenstock glasses, Seiko watches, Ricoh cameras and Kenwood stereos to HK Left: William ST Lee (second from right) with winners of the Montblanc coloring competition his firm sponsored in 1965 (KSDN, 1965-5-3); Right: Montblanc ad by William S.T. Lee Co From the 1960s to the […]

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World War Two – 1945 BAAG report – utilities

Articles, Hong Kong Companies, Utilities

Hugh Farmer: Elizabeth Ride has sent a British Army Aid Group (BAAG) report from 1st March 1945, An Outline of Conditions in Occupied Hong Kong.  Here I am posting the section on Utilities :- Electricity supply including information about – both HK Electric Co and China Light & Power Co – restrictions imposed on supply – certain industries attempting to generate their […]

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Kwanti Racecourse – further information and nearby San Wai camp 1930s

Articles

IDJ: Kwanti racecourse and the nearby military San Wai camp were used by The Hong Kong Volunteers during their training exercises. The following image shows one of their borrowed aircraft simulating an attack on troops who have their rifles raised to the firing position  at the  bottom of the frame. The text attached comes from the Volunteers Year Book for 1935 […]

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Tsang Koon-man (曾貫萬, 1808-1894) – Sam Lee Quarry, Shaukiwan, early 1840s

Articles, Hong Kong Companies, Mines, Quarries + Dredging

HF: “Tsang Tai Uk (曾大屋, literally the Big Mansion of the Tsang Family) is also called Shan Ha Wai (山廈圍, literally, Walled Village at the Foothill). Its construction was started in 1847 and completed in 1867. Measuring 45 metres by 137 metres, it was built by Tsang Koon-man (曾貫萬, 1808-1894), nicknamed Tsang Sam-li (曾三利), who was a Hakka (客家) originated […]

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World War Two – BAAG reports – Batch 3 – HSBC lions, Tricycle taxis, Industrial companies and much more…

Articles, Fishing and Agriculture, Food and Beverages, Hong Kong Companies, Manufacturing, Transport, Utilities

Elizabeth Ride has sent a further sample of British Army Aid Group reports sent during during the Japanese occupation of HK in WW2. HF: There are many industrial references including companies, factories, transport, utilties… I have given each file Elizabeth sent a new name, dates where known and a brief summary of contents. WIS = Waichow Intelligence Summary   KWIZ […]

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A Look Back : Civil Engineering in Hong Kong 1841-1941

Articles, Industrial Districts + Locations, Manufacturing, Non-Hong Kong Companies

HF: Tymon Mellor and IDJ have both sent the article, A Look Back : Civil Engineering in Hong Kong 1841-1941 written by C Michael Guilford. The preface says this was  written as a contribution to mark the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers which was from 1947 to 1975, The Engineering Society of Hong Kong. […]

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Bullivant & Co, Millwall London, supplier of Taikoo Sugar Refinery’s aerial ropeway cables

Manufacturing, Non-Hong Kong Companies, Transport

HF with thanks to IDJ for the two adverts. The cable used in the Aerial Ropeway constructed to link Takoo Sugar Refinery and its Sanitarium was made by Bullivant & Co. which began as a UK company. William Munton Bullivant was an early innovator in the stranded wire cordage field, invented in the mid-19th century by German mining engineers in the […]

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Carolyn Quincy AKA Francis Marion – luxurious boat built at American Marine boatyard, Junk Bay

Articles, Hong Kong Companies, Shipyards + Shipping

HF: Thomas Sposato has kindly sent information about possibly one of the most luxurious boats ever built in Hong Kong – the 65-foot Carolyn Quincy. Thomas is the son of one of the boat’s previous owners. It was custom built in 1963 by American Marine Ltd boatyard at Junk Bay, which was run by Robert J Newton and his sons John and Whit. Father […]

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Tai Tam Upper Reservoir – Historic Building Appraisal

Articles, Industrial Buildings + Demolitions, Utilities

HF: Several structures at Tai Tam Upper Reservoir have been accorded Grade II status by the Antiquities and Monuments Office. Namely: the Dam itself, the Valve House, the two Masonry Bridges, the Tunnel Inlet & Recorder House, the Tunnel Outlet & the Stone House. Nicholas Kitto has kindly sent the photo shown here. More of his photos of Hong Kong reservoirs […]

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