Magazine Island – The British Dynamite Co / Nobel Explosives Co

HF: Magazine Island (火藥洲; Fo Yeuk Chau), originally known as One Tree Island (一木島) is located off the southwest coast of Hong Kong Island, and off the northwestern tip of Ap Lei Chau. Administratively, it is part of Southern District.
The former Magazine Building on Magazine Island is now a Grade Three Historic Building. It was built by the British Dynamite Company, which later became the Nobel Explosives Company, and was once the largest private explosives depot in Hong Kong. In 1908, the government did not renew the company’s contract and the magazine was closed.(1)

From 1887 to 1908 it was leased for an annual rent of $100, by the Nobel Explosives Company, who built a magazine and a road and planted trees.
Magazine Island was abandoned in 1908 when the Government completed the construction of the explosives depot on GreenIsland.
Government Notification No.186, 1899 says something about Nobel Explosives Co.
It was abandoned probably because of the new depot on Green Island, which in turn replaced by the new depot on Stonecutters Island in 1981.  There was depot on Kellett Island as well, until taken over by Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. (2)

A lighthouse is located at the west end of the island.

Sources:

1. wikipedia – Magazine Island
2. gwulo – magazine island

See:

1. Sparks and loud noise alarm residents as cargo ship hits islet near Hong Kong housing estate SCMP 6th November 2017 – container ship runs into Magazine Island

This article was first posted on 30th April 2015.

Related Indhhk articles:

1. Kau Shat Wan 狗虱灣 , Lantau Island – government explosives depot
2. Ma On Shan Iron Mine – recent damage caused to explosives storeroom