Tymon Mellor: With Britain’s acquisition of Kowloon under the Peking Convention in 1860, new maps were required for the territory. The Public Works Department (PWD) did not have any surveyors experienced in map making, their previous experience being limited to the setting out of building lots. It would fall to the military, in the form of the Royal Engineers to […]
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“This well-known firm of engineers and shipbuilders was founded in 1897 by Mr. W.S. Bailey, who began business as a consulting engineer and importer of steam pumps and engineers’ requisites. In 1900 Mr. Bailey was joined in partnership by Mr. E. O. Murphy, and the present works [1905] at Kowloon Bay were established…”(1) Chinese Navy Gunboat Kien Yu Forced […]
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HF: I took these photos of the HK- China Concrete Company Yau Tong batching plant on 25th September 2014. It’s stretching things to say this was a visit as I didn’t actually go inside the plant or speak to anyone there. Still if you haven’t seen one of the locations where HK’s beloved concrete is mixed you might be interested […]
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James Chan: Frank Bowden was born in Exeter, England on 30th January 1848. In the early 1870s he came to Hong Kong. By 1872, when only 24, he had made a fortune in the local stock market. It would be of interest to have further details about Bowden’s time here. In particular how he made his fortune at that time […]
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Elizabeth Ride has sent this BAAG report. This suggests that during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, Taikoo Sugar Refinery became Hong Kong Sugar Refinery. Kweilin Weekly Intelligence Summary #66, 15.9.1944. HF: During WW2 Taikoo Sugar Refinery was badly damaged. In 1947/48, it was decided to rehabilitate the plant. HK Memory Project This article was first posted on 1st January […]
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Ben Line Agencies (previously Ben Line Steamers) is a Singapore-based shipping agency, operating across Asia. As of 2013, the company had over 110 offices and 2000 employees. Ben Line Agencies operates four specific areas: Port Agency, Liner Agency, Offshore Support and Project Logistics services. The company in its previous form was founded in Scotland in 1825 under the name of Ben Line. […]
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HF: IDJ has recently sent the following newspaper article. This includes a rather poor image of Mr Leung Kai aka Ah Kai, and I would be grateful to be sent a better photo of the gentleman, further information about him and/or the company he worked for. I have added a couple of photographs. Thanks to SCT for proofreading my retyping […]
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York Lo: Shanghainese Builders in Hong Kong (Part One) – the Pre-War Pioneers (Yaik Sang, Sung Kee Zee and Dao Kee) Having contributed to the building of pre-war Shanghai into the leading metropolis in the Far East, Shanghainese builders and construction firms played a critical role in the post war construction boom in Hong Kong as the city emerged as […]
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IDJ has sent a series of articles about managers at Taikoo Dockyard: The first manager Philip Forster Nicholson, 1907-1910, “was succeeded by James Reid, who was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire,[Scotland], and passed his early life at Troon, serving his apprenticeship with the Ailsa Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. He remained with this company to rise to Chief Ship Draughtsman and Assistant Yard Manager […]
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HJF: IDJ has sent in the following newspaper article. I have indicated in square brackets where the script was unclear or I was not sure what the newspaper print means. The tunnel was never completed, and I have inserted photos of The Peak and Aberdeen in the 1930s for those unfamiliar with the mountain and town. Thanks to SCT for […]
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