James Chan: The Borneo Company Ltd had a very interesting history. In 1856 it apparently opened an office in Hong Kong and it would be interesting to know more about the company’s operations here. Rudi Butt’s fascinating Hong Kong’s First blog (linked below) contains this: This summary of the company comes from wikipedia: The Borneo Company Ltd formed in 1856, is […]
» Read more
York Lo: Lee Seng Heng (李成興魚露): King of Fish Sauce Left: Lee Seng Heng’s Kingfisher trademark featuring medals it won in the 1920s and 1930s. (IP Australia); Right: recent ad for Lee Seng Heng fish sauce (Yue Yick Food Industries) Earlier on the website, we covered many HK sauce makers which have a long history of over a century. Lee […]
» Read more
Golden Harvest/Golden Studios was founded in 1970. When the Cathay Organisation withdrew from film production in HK, Golden Harvest took over their old studios at 8 King Tung Street, Hammer Hill Road, Diamond Hill. The studio was later used to make films by independent companies set up by artistes who then struck a deal with GH for funding, distribution etc. These […]
» Read more
Texaco began kerosene sales in Hong Kong and China in 1913 and Caltex began operating in Hong Kong in 1937 with a diesel terminal. This was situated in Tsuen Wan with the road leading to the terminal being named Texaco Road. The oil terminal was later moved to Tsing Yi island and the land plot in Tsuen Wan was developed into […]
» Read more
HF These images of The Hongkong Rope Manufacturing Co., Ltd come from Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong…published in 1908. The name of the company in the book is given as “Manufactory” but it appears to have been more usually known by the former name. I have given the same title to each image as appears in the book. Many thanks […]
» Read more
Lapraik arrived in Hong Kong in 1842 the beginning of British colonisation. He established himself as a successful capitalist in many businesses like watchmaking, shipping, and the opium trade. He cofounded the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and Whampoa Dock Company, as well as investing in Keying, the first Chinese junk to sail from China to the US and Britain. […]
» Read more
James Chan: William Dolan, Sailmaker, Duddell Street, opposite the French Consulate. Note: 1868 is the correct year of the publication of this advert despite 1866 being mentioned within the advert. First posted: Date unknown Related Indhhk articles: Chutsing, Sailmaker, Endicott’s Bazaar, 1864 Neil Pryde Ltd – sailmaker, windsurfers – first factory Fanling 1970
» Read more
HF: The Hongkong Milling Company had a brief existence during the early part of the 20th century. Things ended tragically when its prime founder Alfred Herbert Rennie committed suicide by throwing himself off the company launch taking him to the Mill. The company, a major industrial enterprise at that time, is almost forgotten. I wonder also how many people remember […]
» Read more
HF: “No. 118 Wellington Street was the main office of a bakery which was founded in 1889 and operated under the firm name of “Ching Loong” (正隆). In July 1923, Mr Ho Hong Po (何康甫), in co-partnership with Mr Ng Min Sau (吳勉修) bought Inland Lot No. 173 s.A ss.1 s.A from a Chinese woman at the price of $45,000, […]
» Read more
York Lo: Ngai Sang Knitting (藝生織造廠) Advert for Ngai Sang Knitting Factory featuring its Three Rifles brand Ad for Ngai Sang’s “Binocular” brand of singlets (HK Chinese Factory Survey, 1934) From the 1930s to the 1960s, Ngai Sang Knitting Factory was one of the big four manufacturers of singlets (amongst over 70 of them at its peak in 1949) in […]
» Read more