Hugh Farmer: The measurement of weight – picul, occurs in the Indhhk article, the Choy Fung Ginger Factory. I thought it would be worthwhile looking into the meaning of this term, its equivalent in more familiar weights and the origin of the word. A picul or tam is a traditional Asian unit of weight defined as a “shoulder-load” ie as much as […]
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Hugh Farmer: A 1908 Government report on Manufactures, Mines & Fisheries includes this detail: Un In was a big village of 250 people at the end of the 19th century. The map above (full background details of the map are provided in Tymon Mellor’s first article below) shows the locations of both the lead mine and Un-in village. The latter is […]
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Hugh Farmer: Researching my recent Quarrying in Hong Hong article brought up lots of place names with quarrying associations. And even more questions. Can you help answer any? A Kung Ngam Quarry: “A Kung literally means maternal grandfather or old man in Cantonese while Ngam means rock, but in the case of this place name, “A Kung” refers to Tam Kung, sea god, who the […]
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Hugh Farmer: This article is a joint effort of Thomas Ngan, IDJ, Neil Morris and myself. Thomas has done a fantastic job in first translating the Chinese company names and products. And secondly by inserting arrows into the two photos below to link the advertising signs to the index. A lot of work Thomas, thanks very much. * The first […]
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IDJ: These photographs are of a Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong exhibition in Hung Hom in 1968. This aerial photo of the site shows a building that still exists. The KCR/MTR diesel locomotive depot. The low long white building near the waterfront. See: 1957 Trade Fair TST
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This post follows from Queries & Answers 12 “The term Compradore.” James Chan has read that the comprador system originally came to prominence after the Canton system, in the late Ming dynasty, was abolished in 1842 and the compradores replaced the “hong” merchants as the main intermediaries between Chinese and Western traders. He is mystified. James wonders if anyone can explain the terms, Canton system, and hong merchant. And […]
» Read moreHugh Farmer: Last updated 20th Feb 2014 I’ve added new places to go to research HK’s industrial past. Thanks to those of you who have added to the list. The latest is Andrew Wood who provides an Australian website http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/and laments that there are far more HK historic maps there than in HK official sources. If you’re British, and forgetting industrial […]
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James Chan: I found this reference to Chu Lu Kok Island Granite Quarry while looking for something else. The documents here come from the Public Works Department, 1906. The documents say the island was “on the north of Lantao Island” though the Particulars of the Lot say “north of Chu Lu Kuk. A mistake? I can’t find where this island […]
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This appeared first as Queries and Answers 15. Hugh Farmer: While walking around Aberdeen last week I saw an information board that said, “the name Shek Pai Wan meant a bay packed with rows of stone”. Shek Pai Wan is Aberdeen harbour ie the water between Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau. Can anyone confirm that the above is correct. And if so […]
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Hugh Farmer: The SCMP on 10th Feb 2014 had an article about Lam Leung-tim who was a “toy tycoon”. http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1424643/toy-story-how-tycoon-lam-leung-tim-built-his-empire The SCMP on 10th Feb 2014 had an article about the 50th anniversary of G.I. Joe toy soldiers, first made in early 1964 in the Lam Leung-tim’s company made G.I.Joe toys in HK. When and where? http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1424595/hasbros-gi-joe-set-50th-birthday Forward Winsome Industries […]
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