“The exact year in which the flight of grantite steps at the southern end of Duddell Street in Central was constructed is not known, but a series of maps of Hong Kong from the period indicate that they came into existence between 1875 and 1889. According to the records of the Hong Kong and China Gas Co., the four gas […]
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“Situated on Tang Lung Chau (originally known as Kap Sing Island), a small island to the west of Hong Kong and south of Ma Wan in Kap Shui Mun, Tang Lung Chau Lighthouse is one of the few surviving pre-war lighthouses in Hong Kong. Hong Kong owes its prosperity to trade, and its harbour was a regular port of call […]
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IDJ has sent in more information about the Lam Tei Quarry and its connection to the proposed Ping Shan Airport. This time a Technical Bulletin from the Airfield Construction Service (RAF) from May 1946. Click the images to enlarge. RECORD BLASTING AT PING SHAN A.C.S Technical Magazine Vol. 2. No. 2 May 1946 Several times a week the echoes […]
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Douglas Lapraik arrived in Hong Kong in 1842 in apparently somewhat straitened circumstances from Macau. Things changed for the colourful Mr Lapraik. In 1863, together with Thomas Sutherland and Jardine, Matheson & Co,. he co-founded the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company (Kowloon Docks) which at its peak was the largest shipyard in Asia. The following article has been extracted from […]
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Nicholas Kitto has sent in a PDF file of the book: Corporate Behaviour and Political Risk: Dutch Companies in China 1903-1941 by Frans-Paul van der Putten. This was freely downloadable from the Leiden University website. Unfortunately the images are absent. HF: The book covers in some detail a variety of Dutch concerns in China. Namely:- Chapter 2 Banking: Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij (NHM) […]
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HSBC Main Building (香港滙豐總行大廈) is a headquarters building of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, which is today a wholly owned subsidiary of London-based HSBC Holdings. It is located on the southern side of Statue Square near the location of the old City Hall, Hong Kong. The previous HSBC building was built in 1935 and pulled down to make way for the current building. The current building is the […]
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Elizabeth Ride has sent this photo of Cheung Chau in 1936 showing street lighting, which she thinks may be gas. And a row of barrels in the background on the seawall. Elizabeth wonders if the barrels were being imported or exported from the island. Can you confirm it is indeed gas street lighting and suggest what lovely delights are hidden […]
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This article incorporates one written by John M. Carroll published in the Dictionary of Hong Kong Biography. The publisher, HK University Press has given permission for this to be posted here. Thanks to SCT for proofreading the retyped article. Chow Shouson, Sir Shouson Chow 周壽臣, original name Chow Chang Ling 周長齡, JP (1917), Knight (1926), Hon LLD (University of Hong Kong, 1933) […]
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IDJ: In the postwar years mid-stream ship cargo-handling was normal in Hong Kong but the territory was also aware of the great revolution being generated by the world movement towards unitization of cargoes. Godown and shipping companies were routinely recommending to shippers that cargo packages should be less than two-tons in weight (2,032 kilos) and less than forty cubic feet (1,133 […]
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IDJ: When Hong Kong was liberated in September 1945, one of the military groups diverted to assist restoring the city’s electricity, gas and water utilities and railway was the Royal Air Force’s No. 5358 Airfield Construction Wing that was part of Shield Force. This fleet of Royal Navy Cruisers and Aircraft Carriers plus their support ships were transporting 3000 airman […]
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