HF: The Peak Tram is arguably the most enduring emblem of Hong Kong’s unique past. It has seen war, been featured on films and television and played host to numerous dignitaries. Planning the First Tram By 1883 Hong Kong’s population had reached 173,475 with some 30-40 families calling the Peak their home. Although the Peak Hotel had opened in 1873 […]
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Tymon Mellor: The year of 1921 was a good year for the growing population of Hong Kong Island; it would be the last year[i] until 1982 when there were no more water shortages[ii]. With the completion of the Tai Tam Tuk reservoir in 1917, doubling the total water capacity, the Colonial Government was confident there would be a sufficient water […]
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York Lo: A Slice of Heaven – the story of On Lok Yuen (安樂園), Pioneering Ice Cream, Biscuit and Confectionary Manufacturer and Restaurant Chain Founded and managed by the religious Cheung family, On Lok Yuen was a leading maker of ice cream, biscuits and confectionary in Hong Kong for over half a century, from 1920 to 1974, with its factory in […]
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HF: “Francis Richard Marsh was born on the 30th August, 1876, and was educated at St. George’s School, Harpenden. [He was the son of Richard Brewster Marsh and Alice Marsh] After receiving his practical training with the Coalbrookdale Co. he was employed for a short time as a draughtsman by Ferranti, Ltd. In 1899 he joined the staff of Preece […]
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From Tai Ping Koon, which opened in 1860 and served Sun Yat-sen, to Gaylord Indian Restaurant, open since 1972, to the award-winning abalone served in Forum since 1977, these restaurants have stood the test of time… Another restaurant that has withstood the ravages of the notoriously cutthroat Hong Kong dining industry is Forum, still one of the city’s best-known restaurants. […]
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York Lo: Y.C. Liang and HK Macao Hydrofoil Left: a scene from the 1974 James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun in front of the HK Macau Hydrofoil ticketing booth; Right: a HKMH ticket from 1983 In the history of transportation between Hong Kong and Macau, the legendary Yuen-Cheong Liang CBE (梁潤昌, but better known as Liang Cheong […]
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HF: 1962 saw the release of the first officially designed envelopes for first day covers, marked with ”Official First Day Cover”, for the 100th anniversary of the first postage stamp of Hong Kong. Prior to 1962 there were no official designs other than the postmarked date, and envelopes were designed instead by hobbyists such as the Hong Kong Philatelic Society […]
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“Getz Bros. & Co.- America’s largest non-commodity international marketing and services company – traces its beginnings to 1860 and a place called Lower Lake, California, a frontier area one hundred miles north of San Francisco. Joseph Getz, a Prussian immigrant, opened a general store there that served farmers in the area, selling dry goods and groceries. By the early 1880s […]
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York Lo: Shum Choy-wah (岑載華) – HK Industrial Leader from the 1940s to the 1960s Left: Portrait of Shum Choy-wah wearing his medal of honor (Kung Sheung Daily News, 1969-12-26); Right: Shum Choy-wah and fellow CMA leaders posing with the Governor at the Amoy Canning booth at the 7th Chinese Products Expo in 1949. From left to right: Wong Tok-sau, Governor […]
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HF: Desalination (or “Desalting” as it appeared to be called at that time) was a source of water in Hong Kong between 1975 and 1981. A large desalination plant was commissioned at Lok On Pai, near Tuen Mun, in 1975, but was decommissioned in 1981 because its operation was more expensive than importing water from Dongjiang in China. A Water Supplies […]
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