HF: The owner of Chee Kee Sawmill & Timber, Wong Hung-kuen describes the 75 year old business as a ”temple of carpentry” in Hong Kong. But the city is about to lose its last temple. The 72 year old carpenter inherited the sawmill from his father who founded it in 1947. It survived the city’s economic transition from manufacturing to […]
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HF: The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, as it was known then, was founded by Thomas Sutherland, a young Scotsman, who worked in Hong Kong for a large shipping firm. Local and foreign trade in Hong Kong and at ports in China and Japan had increased rapidly in previous years, and Sutherland recognised that businesses needed better local banking […]
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HF: Choi Fook Kee, the workshop which makes Chinese musical instruments and run by Master Choi Cheung Shou was at first in the Western District prior to World War 11. It has relocated several times before settling down at the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre in Shek Kip Mei. There are two studio units combined as a larger one. Customers […]
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Stephen Davies and Hugh Farmer have collaborated in researching the life of George U Sands (1824-1881). In particular his time as the captain of a steamship in China and his later involvement in three Hong Kong companies. Stephen’s contributions are indicated, all others are from HF. Any information about Mr Sands during his time in both China and Hong Kong and […]
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HF: The Indhhk article linked below suggests some confusion about three companies that had similiar sounding names during WW2 and the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. They were: a) Hongkong Oxygen b) Hongkong Oxygen & Carbide c) Far East Oxygen & Acetylene Time to attempt to separate them. Here is The Hongkong Oxygen Company Elizabeth Ride has sent this BAAG […]
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HF: 1921 Reclamation begins The property market revived and better times had come. Work on the long awaited Praya East Reclamation scheme began at last in 1921, and Hong Kong’s newest land boom was soon at its height. From 1921 to 1924 the Company sold large areas of land and reclamation rights in the Eastern District at a handsome profit […]
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HF: An unnamed typhoon hit Hong Kong during the night of the 22nd and morning of the 23rd September 1874 causing extensive casualties and over 5,000 deaths in Macau. Aberdeen caught the full force as can be seen by the damage caused to Aberdeen Docks. This article was first posted on 18th May 2015. See: Gwulo.com – further information about […]
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HF: Chao Kuang Piu (24 November 1920 – 12 March 2021) was a Hong Kong based Chinese industrialist, sometimes referred to as Hong Kong’s ”Wool Magnate” given his involvement in Hong Kong’s garment industry. He was one of the co-founders of Dragonair, Hong Kong’s first Chinese airline, which was subsequently acquired by Cathay Pacific. Chao was born on the 24th […]
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Hugh Farmer with thanks to IDJ and Tymon Mellor for information and images. These come from The Engineer, 28th April 1911:- “The Beacon Hill Tunnel – Kowloon Canton Railway. Beacon Hill, about 1500ft in height, is part of a range of hills dividing Kowloon from the rest of the mainland. A tunnel through this hill was deemed necessary in connection with […]
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HF: In 1844, shortly after Hong Kong came under British authority, the Colonial Treasurer reported to the House of Commons Select Committee ‘there does not appear to be the slightest probability under any circumstances that Hong Kong will ever become a place of trade.’ Yet 44 years after this gloomy forecast, the then Governor, Sir William G. des Voeux, quite […]
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