Mui Wo Silver Mine – Part One – The Owner

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Tymon Mellor: The former mine at, and which was to give its name to, Mui Wo or Silvermine Bay, was arguably one of the most important mines in Southern China at the end of the nineteenth century. It was developed using private money and was a showcase of modern technology. It was hoped this would be the start of a […]

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The Kowloon Canton Railway (British Section) Part 2 – Construction

Tymon Mellor: On the 20th October, 1905 the Governor, Sir Matthew Nathan wrote to the Colonial Office in London confirming that the route to be adopted for the Kowloon Canton Railway (British Section) would follow the eastern alignment via Shatin, rather than the western alignment via Tuen Mun, and which would have eight stations within the Territory. Now all they […]

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The Kowloon Canton Railway (British Section) Part 1 – The Beginning, Three Possible Routes…

Tymon Mellor: At the end of the nineteenth century, the great world powers were all trying to expand their spheres of influence within China. The approach of the British was to use Hong Kong as a marine trading hub, enhanced with the provision of a railway network thus extending the Colony’s commercial reach into the Chinese hinterland and connecting with […]

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Japanese Radar Station On Tai Mo Shan

Tymon Mellor: At the end of the Second World War, the returning British forces found a Japanese radar station on the top of Tai Mo Shan. This discovery highlighted the technical strength of the Japanese military. The theory behind radar had been established in the 1920’s with developments in Britain, US, USSR and Japan. However, whereas the British and Americans military […]

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History of Mapping Hong Kong Part 12 – Post War Geological Maps

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Tymon Mellor: Between 1923 and 1933, four Canadian geologists mapped and documented the territory’s geology. This resulted in the first geological map being published in 1936, along with a memoir published much later in 1952. In the post war environment, the high population growth and economic development required new and extensive infrastructure, in turn requiring a better understanding of the […]

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The Lo Wu Brick Works, pre-1912 to 1957?

Tymon Mellor: Hong Kong was built from stone and bricks, all held together with a cement mortar. All these materials were locally made using the natural resources Hong Kong could provide. The New Territories are rich in clay, which over the years has been used for pottery and brick manufacturing. The use of air dried bricks for house building was common, and fired bricks have […]

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