Introduction Tymon Mellor: Following the liberation of Hong Kong from the Japanese in 1945 the KCRC was operated by British Military Administration before its return to civilian control. Within a few months the line was operational and regular services re-commenced. As Hong Kong grew, so did the railway patronage, pushing the railway to the limits of the capacity of the […]
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Jennifer Lang: I just returned from a visit to Shanghai and a look at the many wonderful Bund buildings from the 20th century. Here is more detail on the Asiatic building. It was designed by the architectural firm of Moorhead & Halse and built in 1916. The records I accessed show that it was originally called the McBain Building and […]
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HF: A little more information on a subject we only have three articles about, all posted below. I have retyped the original printed piece to aid clarity and searches. Thanks to SCT for proof reading the retyped version. Urban and residential areas on Hong Kong Island were opened up along the slopes of Victoria Peak, and with only a few […]
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HF: This newly posted article begins what I hope will become an expanding resource of employees of the well known Hong Kong company, Dairy Farm. Dairy Farm was set up in 1886 by Sir Patrick Manson, a Scottish surgeon, and five well known Hong Kong businessmen. They initially aimed to improve the health of Hong Kong people by providing them with non-contaminated cows’ […]
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York Lo: Unsung Kingmakers – the low-key Song Brothers who conquered the Shanghai Bund and Victoria Harbor and backed the development of several key industries in post-War Hong Kong V.J. Song (left) and V.K. Song in Hong Kong in the 1950s (Wendy Song) Before the emergence of Chinese tycoons such as Li Ka-shing and Sir Y.K. Pao in the 1970s, […]
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Tymon Mellor: At 11.39pm on the 3rd August, 1972 Mr M. McMillan, a construction superintendent became the first member of the public to drive from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon through the new cross-harbour tunnel. The tunnel project was a first, not only for connecting Hong Kong to Kowloon, but also for using private capital to finance the project under a […]
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Thomas Sposato has sent a link to a website which shows photos of American Marine boatyard shortly after Typhoon Wanda made landfall in Hong Kong on 1st September 1962. Wanda was the most intense tropical cyclone on record in hong Kong and caused 434 deaths and left 72,000 people homeless. Over 2,000 boats were either wrecked or damaged in the colony. All Photographs courtesy […]
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New Information in red Extracts from reports in the BAAG Intelligence Summaries sent by Elizabeth Ride. Layout. Map reference 253545 . Map “GSGS 3868, 1/20,000 HK&New Territories” BAAG Agents´ drawings. [Can a Chinese speaker add more information about these drawings?] Craig Mitchell had this one translated and has kindly sent a copy. He writes “My friends have been up to the […]
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Rickshaw in Chinese is shau che (literally translated as hand vehicle) or wong bau che (literally meaning yellow hire vehicle). Rickshaws were introduced from Japan in 1880 and were thus named dung yeung che (literally translated as Eastern Ocean Vehicle). The gung che (public rickshaw) or gaai che (street rickshaw) was a passenger rickshaw, and the si ga che (private […]
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York Lo: From No 1 on the Bund in Shanghai to Kaolin Mine in Cha Kwo Ling – the Century Old China Coast Saga of the McBains Left: The former Kaolin mine in Cha Kwo Ling; Right: The former McBain Building at No 1 on the Bund in Shanghai (now known as Asia Building) From 1903 to 1983, kaolin clay was […]
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