James Chan: I came across this industrial building when out for an urban walk. The Amoycan Industrial Centre, Block no.1 at 7 Ngau Tau Kok Road, Kowloon Bay. The “Amoycan” part of the sign is very similar to the script used by Amoy Canning. I wonder if this building had a direct connection to the latter company? I took the […]
» Read more
James Chan: The SCMP had an article on 9th December 2014 about re-using the Nan Fung Textiles building at Nos 4,5 and 6 Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan, into a “creative landmark for fashion culture and an incubator for young design talent.” The article says that “the original mills played a key role when the group was founded in […]
» Read more
James Chan: Re the recent article Peak Tram: The Ward Leonard System installed 1926 I found this which I think must have been used in building the Peak Tram. This article was first posted on 14th June 2014. Source: Colorado School of Mines: Advanced funicular technology – page 3 the Abt Passing Loop Related Indhhk articles: Proposed Peak Tramway extension to Queen’s […]
» Read more
James Chan: I found this while looking through the Public Records Office images. I don’t think we have anything about this company. A quick check finds that it was started in 1950 and is now (as HAECO) one of the world’s largest maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service providers in terms of capacity. It is owned by Swire Pacific Ltd. […]
» Read more
James Chan: Hong Kong United Dockyards often abbreviated to United Dockyards or HUD was formed from the merger of the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock (founded 1863) and Taikoo Dockyard (1902). The Whampoa Dock was located in Hung Hom, West Kowloon and Taikoo Dockyard in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong Island. In 1973 in part to meet the container revolution in […]
» Read more
James Chan: Whampoa is the second in a four tug series constructed by Cheoy Lee Shipyards for Hong Kong United Dockyards (HUD). The first was Taikoo which was also named after the two shipyards Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock (founded 1863) and Taikoo Dockyard (1902) which merged to form HUD. The Whampoa is a RAmparts 3000 Class Terminal Support Tug specifically designed […]
» Read more
James Chan: I found this 1889 map while looking through an archaelogical assessement of the MTR West Island line. The map shows Kennedy Town. On it are a silk works betwen Cadogan and Davis Streets. And a rope works along Forbes Street between Davis Street and Smithfield. What does anyone know about either of these two works? This article was […]
» Read more
James Chan: In 1863 Thomas Sutherland became the first chairman of the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock. He was 29. The following has been extracted from the Dictionary of Hong Kong Biography. Both the author Robert Nield and HK University Press have given permission for extracts to be used in this article. Robert Nield: “Thomas Sutherland was the founder of one […]
» Read more
James Chan: Dragages Hong Kong, is a very familiar company name on signs at major construction projects around Hong Kong. It’s parent company is Bouygues Construction The company was founded in Vietnam in 1902 as Société Française Industrielle D’Extreme-Orient. It undertook its first project, the dredging and maintenance of a 2,000 kilometre canal system in the Mekong Delta. In 1910 […]
» Read more
HF: The first mention of a bakery in a Hong Kong newspaper I can find is that of Dorabjee Nowrojee’s in Queen’s road next to P&O Steam Ship Company’s office. The advert, published in 1864, is dated 1860 so it’s rather odd that it suggests a newly opened business. James Chan: The Wanchi Steam Bakery Company and The Colonial Bread […]
» Read more