IDJ: For anyone looking towards the west from around 1966 onwards, the Tsing Yi Power Station site was an increasingly prominent feature of the harbor view. As the five tall concrete chimneys were built progressively from 1968 onwards, no one could fail to see them against the backdrop of the hills on the island. An illustrated brochure was handed out […]
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HF: The telephone was first introduced to Hong Kong in 1877 and the first manual telephone exchange was started by the Oriental Telephone & Electric Co. in 1822. The modest reach of this technology in that era can be appreciated by a short list of subscribers published in an 1891 issue of the China Mail, which includes only a few […]
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From IDJ, with many thanks to Yannis Baritakis, on Syros Island, Greece, for adapting IDJ’s original word document including images for inclusion on our website. Flights using seaplanes and float-planes between Hong Kong and Macao were not entirely unknown after de Ricou’s Macao Aerial Transport Company in the 1920s failed to continue with the project due to interference and indifference […]
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HF: This article is somewhat rough and ready and is drawn from different sources. If you can add to or correct information provided please contact the Group. Stephen Davies: A WW2 shipyard based in Yau Tong Bay, the Chung Wah Shipbuilding & Engineering Company – started as Hoi Wong Co. Ltd. in 1966 or Chung Wah Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd […]
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HF: Dr Kenneth Fang Hung (30th November 1938-28th August 2022) was a Hong Kong billionaire industrialist and philanthropist. He was known as the ”King of Textiles”. Fang was born on 20th November 1938 in Xiaohai Town, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. He lived in Hong Kong from the 1950s onward. The Fang family with roots in Haimen, Wantong, Jiangsu, China has […]
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Carles Brasó Broggi’s article China Engineers Ltd 1928 Shanghai – 1937 Hong Kong, concludes, “During the 1960s, China Engineers expanded in the Southeast Asian markets establishing one of the first spinning and dyeing industries in the Philippines as well as electrical installations for high rise buildings in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. The company also opened offices in Korea, Japan and Taiwan. They […]
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HF: Bamboo scaffolding is such a common sight in Hong Kong that residents often pay it no attention. It is in fact, a valuable part of our cultural heritage. Bamboo, being cheap, easily available and versatile, remains widely used in construction in Hong Kong despite the increasing use of tubular steel scaffold. Even in the 21st century bamboo scaffolding is […]
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In our Queries and Answers 5 Eric Spain had an enquiry about salt production in Mui Wo. He remembers seeing some RAF aerial photographs which showed salt pans there. [presumably immediately before, during or shortly after WW2?]. Frank Watson and Namussi added information to Q+A 5 which is linked below. HF: Further information can be found in a post I made on gwulo.com […]
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HF: The paint industry is capital and machinery intensive. To set up a paint factory a large amount of capital is needed for the purchase of land and building of the factory, buying machines and setting up of a laboratory, etc., thus in the course of the industry’s development there are only not more than ten paint plants in Hong […]
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HF: There were at least two slaughterhouses/abattoirs in Kennedy Town. As always additional information, photos, maps, clarification and corrections would be appreciated. I have highlighted specific questions in red. This 1889 map of Kennedy Town shows a slaughter house, adjacent incinerator and a sheep and pig depot south of Forbes Street. Their total length was about 200 metres. For the […]
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