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

Charcoal Seller With Cart Loaded With Baskets Of Charcoal Courtesy Hedda Morrison Historical Photogrpahs Of China

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 

Coal Govt Notification 8.8.1854

HK Government Notification 8.8.1854

Coal Bunkers

The Oriental Ship Supply Company

Oriental Ship Supply Company Advert, China Mail 12.12.1928

Coal Bunkering

Source: British Naval Intelligence book distributed during and after WW2 titled “China Proper”. c1940 Courtesy: IDJ

Coal Consumption in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Coal Consumption By Year Source, US Energy Information Asministration

Source: United States Energy Information Administration

HF: information added on 7th July 2020.

Coal Godowns

Mr Murrow’s Coal Godowns

Coal HK Gov Gazette 25.8.1854

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

Coal Advert Gibb, Livingston & Company, HK Daily Press 29th March 1867

HK Daily Press 29th March 1867

Wang Kee & Company

Wang Kee Image 3 York Lo

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

Asia Coal & Briquetting Co Ltd Advert HK Daily Press 12.12.1930

HK Daily Press 12.12.1930

Coal Mines

Coal Mine Near Kelung, Formosa 2012 Courtesy Historical Photographs Of China

Coal mine, near Kelung, Formosa 2012 Courtesy: Felicity Somers Eve/ Historical Photographs of China

Japan Coal – Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha

mitsubishi-japan-coal-advert-hk-telegraph-17-8-1923

HK Telegraph 17.8.1923

Kaiping household coalThe Kailan Mining Administration

kaiping-coal-advert-hk-daily-press-17-8-1923

HK Daily Press 17.8.1923

Kaiping Coal Advert HK Daily Press 12.12.1930

HK Daily Press 12.12.1930

Sze Wai & Company

Publication unknown. 15th June 1930 Courtesy: IDJ

Sze Wai Coal Advert HK Daily Press 12.12.1930

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.

Peak Tram The Heart Of The Matter How It Works B The Original Coal Fired Engine Room In The Foreground From IDJ

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-hk-heritage-project-c1925-idj-1930s-1940s

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-wiki-sometime-between-1903-and-1908

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

Hong Kong Electric -North_Point_Power_Station-1920s

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-swire-pacific-ltd

Taikoo Sugar Refinery coal yard 1894 Courtesy: Swire Pacific Ltd

Water Supply

Public Works Office – Filter Beds, Pumping Stations, Reservoirs, Stores

Coal HK Gov Gazette 11.11.1904 Japanese to reservoirs et al

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:

  1. 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.

Related Indhhk articles:

  1. Charcoal burning in Hong Kong, 1971 RASHKB article

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