Dodwell & Company Ltd, 天祥洋行

Dodwell & Company (天祥洋行) was one of the leading British merchant firms, active in China and Japan during the 19th and 20th century. It was a direct rival to Jardine, Matheson & Co. “It was established in 1858 when W R Adamson and Company (silk dealers) set up in London, with its head office in Shanghai and branches in Hong Kong, […]

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Ping-Ling Seng (沈炳麟, 1913-2009) – founder of Gloria Weaving & Knitting Co

York Lo: Gloria Weaving & Knitting (大業織造廠) was founded by Ningbonese businessman Ping Ling SENG (沈炳麟, 1913-2009) who first made his fortune exporting straw hats in Shanghai and moved to Hong Kong in 1948. Seng started his philanthropy in Shanghai in the 1930s but instead of using his own name, over the years he has donated hundreds of millions to charities […]

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Sandalwood Mills in Tsuen Wan – 1976 RASHKB article

James Hayes wrote a short article about Sandal Wood Mills in Tsun [sic] Wan, which was published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch, Volume 16, 1976. The article, to be found in the Notes and Queries section begins: The following extracts from various publications relate to this now almost forgotten but long established local industry, located […]

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John Tung (董之英, 1914-1986) of I-Feng Enamelling

York Lo: I-Feng and Freezinhot first caught my attention when I stared up at the third floor exterior of the infamous Chung King Mansion on Nathan Road and spotted the corporate signages. It turns out that I-Feng, which dissolved in 2001 according to Companies Registry record did have its head office in Chung King Mansion. And then I got even […]

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Taikoo Dockyard – photos of staff and workers’ facilities – c1954

IDJ has sent these photos extracted from an in-house Taikoo Dockyard publication of 1954. This was the period midway between the dockyard’s expansion after the Second World War during which extensive destruction had been caused both by the Japanese during their occupation in 1942–45 and allied bombing prior to the liberation of Hong Kong. And the Swire Group’s decision in the […]

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China Neonlight Advertising Company, Mongkok, makers of neon lights – vanishing Hong Kong trades

Mary Anne Le Bas has sent an SCMP article, Six home-grown Hong Kong trades at risk of dying out, published on 21st June 2015. The last of these is about one of the few remaining Hong Kong companies that make neon lights. Leung Lap Kei, who runs the China Neonlight Advertising Company, says that, “in the 80s and 90s, the […]

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There was something about “Hong Kong Old Mary” – A Transpacific Fortune Built on Trust

Centenarian Mary Wong presenting a lace handkerchief to Princess Margaret and her then husband the Earl of Snowdon in March 1966 when they visited her shop. Her son and daughter in law Mr & Mrs Jimmy Tse were by her side. Source: Wah Kiu Yat Po, 1966-3-4.  York Lo: Mention the Japanese name Oshin, (“Ah Shun” or 阿信 in Cantonese), […]

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Shield Force tasked with “cleaning up” Kowloon immediately after the end of the Japanese occupation, Part Three – Ping Shan Airfield

Graham Wood has kindly sent the following newspaper article, published in March 1946. HF: I have retyped the article to enhance clarity and aid searches. As the article is fairly lengthy and covers several subjects of interest to readers of this website namely: power stations, the KCR and Kai Tak airfield, and Ping Shan airfield which was proposed to replace […]

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