HF: The Yau Tong reclamation is shown here in the mid distance, with Cha Kwo Ling in the foreground, the low buildings of Lei Yue Mun in the distance and Devil’s Peak behind. This photo is from 1983 and shows an apparently thriving industrial area. Today, many of these buildings and shipyards have been demolished or lie derelict. Of particular […]
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Tymon Mellor: In 1902 the Public Works Department embarked on the Tai Tam Tuk Scheme. This was divided into the First Section covering the construction of the Tai Tam Intermediate Reservoir and the Second Section for the main Tai Tam Tuk reservoir. The latter would become Hong Kong’s largest reservoir with a capacity greater than the total of all the […]
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HF: Pokfulam village, sometimes though wrongly, described as Hong Kong Island’s last village, had very close links to the nearby Dairy Farm. The SCMP of 28th September 2012 published an article about the 150-year-old village in which it is described as “a heritage treasure trove”. The SCMP, “The village grew and became a hub for what was then a rural […]
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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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HF: Our article, 1924 Report on the Commerial Development of the Port of Hong Kong, begins by mentioning the visit of Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice to Hong Kong in 1920. Fitzmaurice, as a partner in a firm of Consulting Engineers, had been invited to offer advice as follows:- Fitzmaurice’s suggestions had not been taken up by the end of 1923. The […]
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York Lo: Several articles have been posted on the Group’s website about American shipbuilder George U. Sands and his shipyard in Kennedy Town which eventually ended up in the hands of the family of Li Sing, the richest man in Hong Kong at the turn of the 20th century. Several years ago, I wrote an article about Li Sing and two […]
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Elizabeth Ride has sent a 1942 map and several WW2 BAAG reports about WS Bailey & Co, more usually known as Bailey’s Shipyard. Elizabeth says, The Intelligence Summaries sent on nearly all the information brought to BAAG by their underground agents, but added their comments if they thought it sounded improbable. HF: Where the original report is difficult to read […]
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James Chan, Rico Lee and Elizabeth Ride: High Island Reservoir is the largest in Hong Kong by volume, [273 (3) /281 (1) (4) million cubic metres]. Plover Cove Reservoir has a larger area. Government Department: Water Supplies Consultants: The reservoir was designed by Binnie & Partners as a part of the High Island Water Scheme which included pipeworks and other supporting infrastructure […]
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Hugh Farmer: This Enviromental Impact Assessment Report by the Civil Engineering Department in May 2000 provides some detail about salt production in Tai O on Lantau island. IDJ has provided the images showing the salt fields and workers of Tai O which do not come from the report. Jennifer Wong has kindly translated the script attached to the photographs. As the […]
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Tymon Mellor: The acquisition of Kowloon was primarily undertaken as a military exercise, but with it came the responsibility to provide fresh water for the existing population and the new large military contingent. The solution was to establish a number of wells and an associated rudimentary water distribution system, elements of which can still be seen today. The first official […]
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