One of our earliest articles was Linda Kernan’s, The Vitasoy Story, which was sent out in email Newsletter 6 in May 2013. A recent SCMP article provides further information about the company which was started in 1940 by Lo Kwee Seong as The Hong Kong Soya Bean Products Company. As this suggests, “It’s one of a few classic Hong Kong brands, […]
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IDJ has sent the following, undated, brief account of Swire Duro Ltd: “Swire Duro Limited was for many years known in Hong Kong for its decorative and industrial coatings. However, while it continues to manufacture paint at its purpose-built factory on Tsing Yi Island, the bulk of its output now goes to the joint venture company, ICI Swire Paints Limited, […]
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“We’ve had shops there, there, there and here,” says Antony Yu Kai-chiu, director and general manager of chilli-sauce maker Yu Kwen Yick, as he points out various shopfronts on Third Street, in Sai Ying Pun. Yu Kwen Yick has only strayed once from Third Street – and that was for a four-year stint on nearby Second Street. “We’ve always been […]
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IDJ has sent this 1997 article published on behalf of the HK Academy of Engineering Sciences and HK Institution of Engineers. “In 1989 Hong Kong Electric pioneered the introduction of mechanised tunnelling to Hong Kong, accepting the only bid that proposed the use of a tunnel boring machine for the construction of a 5.7 kilometre, 5 metre diameter cable tunnel […]
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“This firm was founded in 1902 by Mr. E. C. Wilks, as a marine engineers’ and surveyors’ bureau. Mr. Wilks was joined in 1903 by Mr. W. C. Jack, formerly Ingenieur en Chef of the Tonkin River Mail Service, and late assistant manager at the Kowloon establishment of the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company. During the five years of […]
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STRIKERS GET THREE MONTHS IN PRISON “Sixty-four men and women strikers of the Hong Kong Match Factory were sentenced to three months hard labour at Central yesterday. The strikers on Friday had refused to sign a bond of $50 to be of good behaviour for two years following a disturbance they created in the Factory’s offices in the Bank of […]
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“Cookson and Co of Milburn House, Newcastle-on-Tyne 1827 Cookson and Co established soda works at South Shields; Thomas Doubleday gave them the plans of his chamber, furnaces, etc, when they established the works[1] 1852 Messrs J Cookson were lead merchants at Upper Thames Street, London, with manufacturing works at Newcastle[2]. 1855 William Isaac Cookson and Co, were paint and colour […]
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“Discount the growing throngs of tourists and worsening traffic and not too much has changed for Tai O’s indigenous townsfolk. Shrimp, fish and squid are still laid out to air dry under the sun as they have for generations. But residents from one of the west Lantau town’s fishing villages are beginning to discover an additional use for sunshine through […]
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Louis Heermann was an assistant in the shop of Charles Weiss from the year 1854. After the shop was closed upon the death of Henry Vaucher, Mr. Heermann opened his own shop on Queen’s Road in February 1858 (Friend of China 1 Feb 1858)… Not long after opening his own store, Mr. Heermann left Hong Kong. (Adapted from source 1) Thanks […]
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“It is interesting to note that as years go by the wants of the inhabitants of even the most distant parts of the world are steadily increasing, and while the older generations were satisfied with comparatively little in the way of luxuries, the rising generation look upon many of these luxuries as necessities. Perhaps one of the best examples in […]
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