Unidentified Brickworks, Castle Peak Ceramic Company, Keen Sing Brickworks – Tuen Mun

New information added by Nahaha Lau.

Tymon Mellor: Looking at some old mapping of Tuen Mun I noted a ceramics factory in the area, see below:

This looks quite a factory as the mapping indicates rails, so I suspect it is more likely to be a brick works that is mentioned in the early alignment studies (1905) for the KCRC:
“There is one brick works in the New Territory [sic], namely that at Castle Peak which exports bricks of an inferior quality to Hong Kong; there seems to be an opening for a good brick factory.”

HF: This brickworks is too early to be the Castle Peak Ceramics Company which appears to have operated from 1928 until 1971.

If anyone has any information about any of the companies mentioned in this article it would good to hear from you. Please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Hugh Farmer indhhk {at] gmail [dot} com

Some raw material about the CPCC:
a) Castle Peak Ceramic Company Ltd established 18th May 1928, dissolved 24th November 1950
b) Castle Peak Ceramic Company (1940) Ltd established 19th October 1940, dissolved 21st December 1971.

Nahaha Lau adds: I looked through the Tuen Mun Old Photos Facebook page, and found two photos that may provide some hint. NL contacted this Facebook page and we have been given permission to post these images. Mr Siu Chi Wah, the original owner of the photos, has also kindly given permission for us to use them.

1. This photo, believed to have been taken in the 1940s, shows the entrance of “Castle Peak Ceramic Co Ltd”.

https://www.facebook.com/tuenmunoldphotos/photos/a.674313432597067.1073741831.292081017486979/1040476232647450/?type=3&theater

2. This photo dated 1957, shows a road junction at Castle Peak road, with signs of different factories and arrows pointing to the left. One of the white factory signs says “Keen Sing Brickworks(?)” (Chinese: 建生磚廠).

https://www.facebook.com/tuenmunoldphotos/photos/a.674313432597067.1073741831.292081017486979/620416391320105/?type=3&theater

Can anyone:
a) provide further information about “Tymon’s” Castle Peak brick works which seems to have existed in the early 20th Century
b) link this brick works to the ceramic factory shown on the maps
c) link the ceramic factory shown on the maps to the Castle Peak Ceramic Company
d) tell us more about the CPCC
e) and tell us more about Keen Sing Brickworks (建生磚廠).

This article was first posted on 21st April 2015.

See: Tuen Mun Old Photos Facebook Page

Related Indhhk articles:

1. The Hongkong Pipe, Brick and Tile Works, 1896-1928
2. Brick Works, Brick Hill (Ocean Park) – the location of the HK Pipe, Brick and Tile Works?
3. Tuen Mun Industry