Hugh Farmer: I was recently contacted by Samantha Martin, granddaughter of the subject of this article Frank Gardner. Samantha said there were errors in the original article, shown below which was originally posted in November 2014. I am happy to correct those mistakes she notes and thought it best to start with her recent email and highlight the changes Samantha […]
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Hugh Farmer: When I first came to Lamma Island in the early 1990s a powerful odour greeted the visitor as you entered Yung Shue Wan. The smell was instantly recognisable and initially overwhelmingly unpleasant. The manufacturing of shrimp paste. I got used to the odour. Then I began to actually like it. And now I miss it, it’s still made on […]
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IDJ says the Kaiser Cement plant at Tuen Mun was supposed to be integrated with the CLP Power Station next door to utilise its large quantities of waste ash and dust from burning coal. Kaiser had large compressors/blowers on their site to move the waste products to their site and silos. We have many articles about Green Island Cement Company and […]
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Evelyn Char has sent the following information: A few family members have worked for Gold Coin thermal flasks, which was a competitor of the more famous Camel back in the days. The factory used to be located on Sheung Heung Road, To Kwa Wan. The manufacturer was I-Feng Enamelling Company and Freezinhot Bottle Co. Ltd. In fact its development and move to HK was intricately linked […]
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Three repurposed factories in Tsuen Wan to deliver exhibition space, fashion catwalk shows and co-working opportunities for homespun innovation When the hoardings come down at The [Nan Fung Textiles] Mills, the four years spent on rejuvenating the cluster of disused cotton mills in Tsuen Wan will not be immediately apparent – and the architects wouldn’t have it any other way. […]
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Hugh Farmer: “The boycott of American flour by the Chinese in 1905–6 gave a big fillip to the trade in Australian flour, and prominent amongst the firms to benefit by this were Messrs. Barretto & Co., whose business was established, in 1895, by Messrs. A. A. H. Botelho and F. D. Barretto. The headquarters are in Queen’s Buildings, and as merchants, […]
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The “Castle Peak Pottery Kiln” [青山陶窰] or “Dragon Kiln” [龍窰]) is located at Hin Fat Lane, Tuen Mun, off Castle Peak Road. Information about it can be found in the Antiquities Advisory Board Historic Building Appraisal report N147 shown below. The kiln’s grade 3 status was confirmed on 16th September 2014. However a March 2018 article in the Hong Kong Free […]
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(1) “When Taikoo Sugar Refinery [began] operations… a number of expatriates had been Germans as indeed had the general manager and former chief chemist, Dr Ferdinand Korn. The refinery’s owners, however were ‘inclined not to go in for too many Germans if we can secure really reliable Britishers’. Not that such ‘Britishers’ were without fault: ‘I am satisfied’, remarked one […]
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This article was written by Christopher Munn, and first published in the Dictionary of Hong Kong Biography, edited by May Holdsworth and Christopher. The publisher, HK University Press, and author have kindly granted permission for it to be posted here. Thanks also to Christopher for sending the first image of the E-Sing bakery. The second image was included in the original […]
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Antonia Cheung, the daughter of Chang Don Chien 張敦潛, chief engineer of South China Iron Works from 1948 to 1968, has written this article based on what her father told her. She was assisted by her brother Dr. King Cheung who helped with the maps. Antonia was born in Tsuen Wan, and moved into the company housing before she was 1 year old. […]
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