Author: Hugh Farmer

Hugh Farmer has lived in Hong Kong since 1989. He founded the Industrial History of Hong Kong Group in November 2012 to preserve and share information about the city's fast disappearing industrial heritage. This website was started in October 2013.

An Emerging Industry: Hong Kong’s transistor radios, 1962 Government trade bulletin

Articles

HF: A 1962 Commerce and Industry Department trade bulletin, “An Emerging Industry” is subtitled Hong Kong transistor radios. An extract from the report, The structure of the industry is international, some units being entirely owned and operated by Hong Kong firms, and others either joint ventures between local and overseas companies or financed by foreign capital, chiefly American. Hong Hong’s initial […]

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Japanese suicide boats – end of occupation, WW2 – Lamma Island and elsewhere

Articles, General, Shipyards + Shipping

This article is an attempt to bring together what we know about Japanese suicide boats based on Lamma Island at the end of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. There is also mention of such vessels appearing in other locations. The subject may appear to be drifting somewhat from HK’s industrial history. However, as the BAAG Report KWIZ #79/1 indicates […]

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Dairy Farm museum at Pok Fu Lam – SCMP article

Articles, Fishing and Agriculture, Food and Beverages, Hong Kong Companies

HF: The SCMP of the 18th June 2015 contained an article about the lengthy conversion of the old senior staff quarters into a museum by 1919. This should perhaps be read in conjunction with a Ming Pao article of 23rd August 2015, linked below, in which Dr. Edward Yiu, Associate Professor of the Department of Geography and Resource Management at the Chinese […]

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Hong Kong launch Kwong Mo and lighter Tin Ming – pirated 1922 en route to Samshui

Articles, Hong Kong Companies, Shipyards + Shipping

Stephen Davies has sent a newspaper report from August 1922 featuring a launch and lighter of the Kung Lee (Kwong-li) Steamship Company (公利輪船有限公司). Stephen adds, The company was very short-lived. It was founded on 23 February 1922 and was dissolved four and a half years later on 22 October 1926. Kung Lee were operating in the relatively slow river freight business with small steam […]

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Sam Kwong Weaving (Cloth) Factory, Cheung Sha Wan

Articles, Hong Kong Companies, Manufacturing

HF: Sam Kwong Weaving Factory was founded in 1928. The factory was located at 374 Castle Peak Road in Cheung Sha Wan, and was of a moderately large scale with a gross floor area of some 16,000 sq. ft. (1) Elizabeth Ride has sent the following brief extract from BAAG report KWIZ#77 15.12.44. Mak Ho Yin has kindly attempted to translate the […]

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Japanese map of HK Harbour during the occupation WW2 – translation and transcription

Articles, Industrial Districts + Locations, Shipyards + Shipping

Kwong Chi Man has kindly translated the Japanese names of the piers shown in columns at the bottom of this map of Hong Kong harbour which was drawn during the occupation, WW2. Elizabeth Ride has kindly transcribed the faint handwritten English ‘translation’ alongside the Japanese. Many thanks to both contributors. KCM: This map of the Japanese Harbour Authority (under the […]

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Relocation of Wanchai Pier results in 20% Star Ferry passenger loss – SCMP article

Articles, Hong Kong Companies, Transport

HF: The SCMP of 7th September 2015 contained an article titled, ‘Isolated pier harbours problems for city icon‘. This referred to a 20% drop in passenger numbers at the Wanchai Pier experienced by the Star Ferry Company since the pier was moved to a more isolated location in August 2014. Operations manager Samson Leung Shui-kin, pictured below right, with Star […]

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Fung Keong Rubber Manufactory Company – Cheng Kwai Ying, outworker 1930s

Articles, Hong Kong Companies, Manufacturing

HF: Fung Keong Rubber Manufactory Co. was founded in 1925 by a Nanyang Chinese Mr. Fung Keong to manufacture and sell rubber shoes and rubber products. I believe it was the oldest such factory in Hong Kong. This extract provides an insight into life as a female outworker with the company in the 1930s: Cheng Kwai Ying, female, spinster, age 22, outworker, […]

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Messrs. Shewan, Tomes & Co – further information

Articles, Hong Kong Companies, Manufacturing, Non-Hong Kong Companies, People

HF: Shewan, Tomes & Co. was one of the leading trading companies in Hong Kong and China during the late 19th and early 20th century. When Russell & Co., then one of the largest mercantile firms in the Far East, went out of business in 1891, former employees Scotsman Robert Shewan and Englishman Charles Alexander Tomes took over the remains of the operation and changed […]

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China Daily article on increased interest in HK’s Industrial Past – including praise for the Indhhk Group

Articles

HF: The China Daily, HK Edition, of 1st September 2015 contained the first of a planned series of articles about what is seen as an “explosion of interest of material related to the city’s industrial past”. The article by Chitralekha Basu starts with mention of The Industrial History of Hong Kong website, “floated by a long-time HK-resident English gentleman”. Probably […]

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