Ching Loong Bakery (正隆餅家) 1889 – 1963
HF: “No. 118 Wellington Street was the main office of a bakery which was founded in 1889 and operated under the firm name of “Ching Loong” (正隆).
In July 1923, Mr Ho Hong Po (何康甫), in co-partnership with Mr Ng Min Sau (吳勉修) bought Inland Lot No. 173 s.A ss.1 s.A from a Chinese woman at the price of $45,000, where they set up the bakery office.
On 20 January 1925, Mr Ho Hong Po (何康甫) filed an application for the registration of a trade mark for “the Ching Loong Bakery, of No. 118, Wellington Street, Victoria, Hongkong”. With its strict adherence to quality, the “Sunflower” Brand (葵花牌麵飽 餅 干中西 餅 食) gradually gained a reputation and became synonymous with quality.
Founded in 1889, Ching Loong Bakery grew from a small shop to a household name renowned for its products such as moon cakes and bread freshly made daily to clients.
Pre-war bakers perhaps at the Ching Loong. Courtesy: Brian Edgar
The Bakery was carrying out business in four premises in HK Island and Kowloon by 1939.
During the period of Japanese rule (1941-1945), Ching Loong Bakery at No. 118 Wellington Street was re-registered by the House Registration Office set up by the Japanese to re-register deeds which were previously registered by the British administration before 1941. Its owners, which comprised members of the Ho (何) and Ng (吳) families, stayed in Hong Kong. One of them, Mr Ng Iu-sai (吳曜西) was described in Japanese archives as “正隆果子店支配人”.
The Japanese surrender in August 1945 brought to an end almost 4 years of war and utter misery in Hong Kong, and the beginning of an interim military Historical Interest N215 administration that lasted until 1 May 1946.
After more than half a century of development, in June 1947 Ching Loong Bakery was incorporated under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance, 1932, and became a limited company.
In December 1952, the head office of the Bakery was removed from No. 118 to No. 62 Wellington Street, ground floor. A managing director of Ching Loong Bakery, Ltd., Mr Ng Iu-cheung (吳 曜章) was a distinguished old boy of Queen’s College (皇仁書院) with which the Ng Iu Cheung Memorial Scholarship was endowed and named after him. In July 1947, the owners of Ching Loong Bakery participated in a territory-wide fund raising campaign in response to the urgency of relief work in aid of the victims who suffered from torrential rains in Guangdong (廣東). Through a charity sale of biscuits, a total of $1,105 was raised and all went to the relief fund. The story was headlined in Wah Kiu Yat Po (華僑日報).” (1)
“The Ching Loong Bakery became an Ng family-owned limited company in the spring of 1947. On May 18, 1963 an Emergency General Meeting of the company decided to apply for liquidation. The company anticipated being able to pay its debts in full, so this was not a bankruptcy case. By now the entire family had British nationality and some of the younger members were living abroad or planning to, so my guess is the founders wished to retire and there was no-one to take over the business.” (2)
Sources:
- Gwulo – Ching Koong Bakery entry by Brian Edgar
This article was first posted on 16th February 2016.
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- Three HK Bakeries 1864 – Dorabjee Nowrojee’s, The Wanchi and The Colonial, and mention of two other companies
- The Garden Company Ltd (嘉頓有限公司) founded in 1926
- The Lane Crawford Bakery, Stubbs Road, 1938-1948
- Hong Kong bakeries around the time of WW2
- Hong Kong Industry during World War Two – Fishing, Food and Beverages, Tobacco
I am the fifth son of Ng Iu-cheung (吳 曜章). I was glad and a little surprised that I ran into this write-up about my family’s former bakery, Ching Loong Bakery. I still remember the time when I visited the factory when it was busy making moon cakes before the Mid-Autumn Festival. I am looking for an old photo of the Ching Loong Bakery Factory on Queen’s Road East in Wan Chai.
To the Ng family,
I am interested in knowing more about the Ching Loong Bakery and its history, as I am doing a research of the old HK shops in the area. Is there any possibility that I can reach Lawrence Ng and Ng Lu Sai – both have responded in the above and I would very much like to connect with them.
I am one of the grandchildren of Ng Iu-sai (吳曜西) who all long resided at No. 43 Queen’s Road East until he died in 1970. G/F of No. 41 Queen’s Road East was one of the shops of Ching Loong Bakery before it’s closure and the rear part of its shop was the production factory. Indeed the said bakery closed down in 1950+ and was superseded by another bakery, namely, 利記餅家.
Any chance you guys will reopen?
I don’t think so.
To the Ng family,
I am interested in knowing more about the Ching Loong Bakery and its history, as I am doing a research of the old HK shops in the area. Is there any possibility that I can reach Lawrence Ng and Ng Lu Sai – both have responded in the above and I would very much like to connect with them.
I am the son of Ng Iu-Cheung. Ng Iu-Sai was my uncle. I would like to connect with you. Please email me a message at larryng1965@gmail.com.
Lawrence Ng Ming-Loy
To the Ng family,
I am interested in knowing more about the Ching Loong Bakery and its history, as I am doing a research of the old HK shops in the area. Is there any possibility that I can reach Lawrence Ng and Ng Lu Sai – both have responded in the above and I would very much like to connect with them.
I am happy to help in your project. Please email me at the address below. My uncle Ng Iu-Sai (Ng Lu Sai) passed away many years ago. I do not have contact with his children (my cousins).
To Ng Kam Leung,
Are the son of Ng Ming Kit (my cousin). May I know where do you live?
Lawrence Ng Ming Loy
Yes, I am the son of Ng Ming Kit and my father passed away in Dec. 2018. I am in Hong Kong and you can reach me at kamleungng@gmail.com.