HF: Our article, 1924 Report on the Commerial Development of the Port of Hong Kong, begins by mentioning the visit of Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice to Hong Kong in 1920. Fitzmaurice, as a partner in a firm of Consulting Engineers, had been invited to offer advice as follows:- Fitzmaurice’s suggestions had not been taken up by the end of 1923. The […]
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HF and Elizabeth Ride (ER) New information in red. Linda Granfield left the following comment in November 2022: Hi–Re 1896 for your earliest mention of the Vacuum Oil Co. in Hong Kong–I found an 1895 Jurors’ List that list a fellow as an assistant at the Vacuum Oil Co, Kowloon Hotel. Same info in the Carl Smith Collection, Government Records […]
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Hugh Farmer: The mine was in the bottom left hand (SW) corner of the island (apologies for a fuzzy picture that resembles shark’s fin soup) West Brother Island lies to the north east of HK International Airport. I have read an account that the graphite was discovered in the early 1950s by fishermen who were looking for sandstone to make […]
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Thanks to SCT for proofreading the following: “By the middle of the 1950s a group of Chinese shipowners had been established in Hong Kong, operating small but expanding fleets of second-hand vessels. By dint of their origins in the environs of Shanghai and their common interest in shipping, they knew each other well enough and took to meeting regularly over […]
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HF: These images come from the Colonial Collection, UK National Archives. Many thanks to Paul Onslow for sending them to me. They are of the slaughter houses and sheep and pig depot shown in this 1889 map of part of Kennedy Town. This article was first posted on 2nd February 2015. Related Indhhk articles: The Kennedy Town Slaughterhouses – initial notes
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Hugh Farmer: Ali Foster, who lives in New Zealand, recently sent the following message: I came across your excellent website and am hoping you might be able to help me. I am searching for as much detailed information about two ships, the mail steamer, Rangoon and the steamship, Glencairn. I would love to know what it was like on board […]
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Jane Taylor: My grandfather, Robert Taylor, appears to have started out in Macau in 1912 and moved to Hong Kong around 18 months later. He served as manager of the Green Island Cement Company, I think from the late 1920s, until his retirement in 1949. Recently discovered family photographs show the manager’s house clearly, and also its pre- and post-war […]
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Charles Gordon Stewart Mackie was a Scottish businessman in Hong Kong and member of the Legislative Council and Executive Council of Hong Kong. He was born on 9th January 1880 and died on 17th March 1966. C. Gordon Mackie [by which name he seems to have been more commonly known] was associated with China and Hong Kong and head of […]
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HF: Tymon Mellor wrote the article, Shatin – first powered flight in Hong Kong 1911, linked below, about the first powered flight which took place at Shatin on 18th March 1911. Charles “Chic’ Eather’s website mentions Charles Van den Born and this momentous event. Charles Van den Born, the Henry Farman Company’s test pilot and instructor, had arrived on the steamer Donai. […]
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HF: Suzanne Clouthier has sent the following script and images highlighting Lily Nègre, who Suzanne’s grandfather described as having a reputation as a great seamstress in the Orient, possibly Hong Kong. Both Suzanne and I would welcome further information about Lily, and I would also like to learn more about others involved in the fashion industry in Hong Kong between […]
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