Tom Bethea: My cousin Dick Holt and I spent a week aboard schooner Westward in early December 1963, moored off American Marine Ltd, in Junk Bay, Hang Hau. We then removed to Kowloon Docks for several weeks in dry dock for hull re-painting and re-rigging above deck, and finally tied up at HK Royal Yacht Club for the Christmas-New Years […]
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HF: I have slightly adapted the wording in the following script. Before British rule most locals used to rely on water from streams and wells nearby. With drastic increase in population especially in the City of Victoria a stable water supply became a pressing problem in the colony. But the colonial government was reluctant to claim responsibility for water supply. […]
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HF: Martyn Cornell, an enthusiastic writer about, and consumer of beer, wrote an excellent history of brewing in Hong Kong which appeared in the article, Roll out the barrel, SCMP 25th August 2013. Martyn tells me this was a short extract from his much longer Brewery History Society article, A Short History of Beer in Hong Kong, which was published […]
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HF: The Yau Tong reclamation is shown here in the mid distance, with Cha Kwo Ling in the foreground, the low buildings of Lei Yue Mun in the distance and Devil’s Peak behind. This photo is from 1983 and shows an apparently thriving industrial area. Today, many of these buildings and shipyards have been demolished or lie derelict. Of particular […]
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Hugh Farmer: I am looking for information about and images of the East Asiatic [Shipping] Company, in particular when it had a presence in Hong Kong, which I believe was for a number of years. If anyone can send me information or images I would be very grateful. I do not remember the source of the advert below. ”The Queen’s […]
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The Light Rail, also known as the Light Rail Transit (LRT), officially the North-West Railway, is a light rail system in Hong Kong, serving the northwestern New Territories, within Tuen Mun district and Yuen Long District. The system operates over 1,435mm (4 ft 8+1/2 in) standard gauge track, using 750 V DC overhead power supply. It was once one of […]
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In Search of an Improved Industrial Design – The Hong Kong Rickshaw over Time By Fung Chi Ming The rickshaw, as westerners pronounce it, originated in Japan where it is known as jinrikisha – jin (man) riki (power) sha (carriage). Its basic design includes a carriage resting on two large-diameter wheels, a pair of long parallel poles joined by a […]
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HF: While on holiday at Christmas in Hong Kong, I visited the Maritime Museum. I came across information about Saint Class Rescue Tugs which I had never heard of before. Here’s one built in Hong Kong: HMS St. Sampson was a saint class tug launched in 1919. The ship was ordered during World War 1 and was built by Hong […]
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No, they are not grandmothers made out of cardboard. If you don’t live in Hong Kong or have never visited you may well be puzzled by the expression, cardboard grannies. Here’s an image of one. The SCMP ran an article on the 7th February 2021, ‘Cardboard granny’ dies after beinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaMlJG1o6y4 struck by truck in Hong Kong, linked below. And suggested […]
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HF: Patrick Manson was instrumental in the founding of The Dairy Farm Company in Hong Kong. I am going to post an article specifically about the man and Dairy Farm shortly. Sir Patrick Manson was born in 1844 and studied medicine at Aberdeen University, passing M.B. and C.M. in 1865. In 1866 he became medical officer of Formosa for the […]
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