Coal in Hong Kong – initial notes
HF: It was never mined here. So this article is an initial attempt to put together what little we have about importing coal and how it was used in Hong Kong: transport, manufacturing, utilities, shipping, domestically…can you add to this article? I have also included charcoal and for general interest information about and images of China and Taiwan/Formosa on these subjects.
Linked articles are those posted on our website unless otherwise stated.
Subjects included to date are:
Charcoal
Coal Boats
Coal – China
Coal Bunkers
Coal Bunkering
Coal Consumption
Coal Godowns
Coal Imported
Coal Merchants
Coal Mines
Coal Power Stations, Hong Kong
Charcoal
Itinerant charcoal seller with his cart loaded with baskets of charcoal, China? Source: Hedda Morrison/Historical Photographs of China
Charcoal burning in Hong Kong, 1971 RASHKB article
China – coal
China’s coal capital is dying as local natural resources are exhausted SCMP 10th May 2019
Coal Boats
HK Government Notification 8.8.1854
Coal Bunkers
The Oriental Ship Supply Company
Coal Bunkering
Source: British Naval Intelligence book distributed during and after WW2 titled “China Proper”. c1940 Courtesy: IDJ
Coal Consumption in Hong Kong
Source: United States Energy Information Administration
HF: information added on 7th July 2020.
Coal Godowns
Mr Murrow’s Coal Godowns
HK Gov Gazette 25.8.1854
Coal Imported
The Chinese Engineering and Mining Company
The Chinese Engineering and Mining Company, 1900-1949 (1984)
Laukawanna Coal
Is this from the Lackawanna Coal Mine , Scranton, Pennsylvania?
Coal Merchants
Gibb,Livingston & Company
HK Daily Press 29th March 1867
Wang Kee & Company
Wang Kee & Co ad in the 1921 Pacific Ports Manual (note that the firm also listed itself as a coal merchant and its address was already at 36 Connaught Road by that point)
York Lo: Wang Kee(宏記) – A Century of Service in the Port of Hong Kong
The Asia Coal & Briquetting Company Ltd
HK Daily Press 12.12.1930
Coal Mines
Coal mine, near Kelung, Formosa 2012 Courtesy: Felicity Somers Eve/ Historical Photographs of China
Japan Coal – Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha
HK Telegraph 17.8.1923
Kaiping household coal –The Kailan Mining Administration
HK Daily Press 17.8.1923
HK Daily Press 12.12.1930
Sze Wai & Company
Publication unknown. 15th June 1930 Courtesy: IDJ
HK Daily Press 12.12.1930
Hop Hing Coal Merchants
Publication unknown. 15th December 1935 Courtesy: IDJ
Ying Kee coal shop
Ying Kee Hard Coal shop, Peel Street, Central
Hong Kong Companies using coal
Gas
The Hongkong and China Gas Company Ltd / Towngas – 150th Anniversary 2012 – superb photographs
Hongkong and China Gas Company 1892 First Kowloon works
Green Island Cement Company
World War Two -1945 BAAG report on occupied Hong Kong – [Green Island] cement works
North Point Store unless corrected it is presumed that the following images are all at the North Point Store location
Coal Heap, North Point Store, 1919-20. Courtesy: Historical Photographs of China
Coal Heap, North Point Store, 1919-20. Courtesy: Historical Photographs of China
North Point coalyard, 1919-20 Courtesy: Historical Photographs of China
North Point coalyard, 1919-20 Courtesy: Historical Photographs of China
Coal barges, North Point 1919-20 Courtesy: Historical Photographs of China
Peak Tram
“The original boilers and steam engine were in any case probably due for replacement before long on account of their age. But a stronger incentive for electrification was no doubt the anticipated savings in coolies’ wages paid for hauling coal up from the docks, almost 400 metres below.” Unknown source – possibly from a HK & Shanghai Hotels group publication/newsletter.
The Peak Tram original coal-fired engine room in the foreground, Mount Austin Hotel behind c1888. Unknown source.
Power Stations – using Coal
Castle Peak 1982 to present
Hok Un 1921 to ?
Hok Un Power Station c1925
Hok Un A 1940 to 1991?
Hok Un B 1950 to 1991
Hung Hom 1903 to ?
Hung Hom Power Station c1903 to 1908
Lamma Island 1981 to present
North Point Power Station
IDJ: The most important land extension, however, was that concerned with a decision taken during the Seamen’s Strike of 1922, when female coal coolies under duress, failed to appear for work. The company not wanting to be held to ransom in future when critical electricity supplies were involved had to explore more efficient ways of off-loading coal from mid-stream cargo ships to junks, from junks by ladder and planks to shore, and finally to storage bunkers.
North Point Power Station
North Point Power Station A 1920s
North Point A 1919 – 1950s
North Point B 1958 – 1989
Wanchai 1890 – 1922
Ship to shore
Coal barges, North Point 1919-20 Courtesy: Historical Photographs of China
Coolies moving coal from sampans c1920s Courtesy: IDJ
c1920s Courtesy: IDJ
Ships
HMS Terrible “Hong Kong” coal stoke hole undated Courtesy: IDJ
Sugar
Taikoo Sugar Refinery
The Taikoo Sugar Refinery
The Taikoo Sugar Refinery – Bullivant’s Ropeway for transporting coal from ship to shore
Taikoo Sugar Refinery coal yard 1894 Courtesy: Swire Pacific Ltd
Water Supply
Public Works Office – Filter Beds, Pumping Stations, Reservoirs, Stores
HK Government Gazette 11.11.1904
World War Two
Coal Supply during the Japanese Occupation
World War Two -1945 BAAG report on occupied Hong Kong – coal supply
The undated image shown on the Home Page is of the KCR.
This article was first posted on 26th October 2015.
See:
- Historical Photographs of China This project aims to locate, digitalize, archive, and disseminate online photographs from the substantial holdings of images of modern China held mostly in private hands outside the country.
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