James Chan: Frank Bowden was born in Exeter, England on 30th January 1848. In the early 1870s he came to Hong Kong. By 1872, when only 24, he had made a fortune in the local stock market. It would be of interest to have further details about Bowden’s time here. In particular how he made his fortune at that time […]
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York Lo: United Rubber Works (聯合膠廠) United Rubber Works ad in 1949 (HK Scouting Gazette, 1949) United Rubber Works was one of the five biggest rubber product manufacturers in HK in the late 1940s with ties to several figures discussed earlier in different articles. Formed in 1946 (although the firm was not incorporated until March 1947) with HK$1 million in […]
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Elizabeth Ride has sent this BAAG report. This suggests that during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, Taikoo Sugar Refinery became Hong Kong Sugar Refinery. Kweilin Weekly Intelligence Summary #66, 15.9.1944. HF: During WW2 Taikoo Sugar Refinery was badly damaged. In 1947/48, it was decided to rehabilitate the plant. HK Memory Project This article was first posted on 1st January […]
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York Lo: S.S. Yu (虞兆興): King of Menthol and Camphor The three founders of Yung Zeng: S.S. Yu (left), Kao Pei-liang (center) and Fang Yexian (right). Source: 現代實業家(1935), p 153, p243 and p105 As profiled in many articles on the Group’s website, Shanghainese industrialists played important roles in the post-War industrial development in Hong Kong, most notably in textiles but […]
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York Lo: Instant Noodles, Enduring Success: the story of Winner Food Products, maker of Doll noodles and frozen dim sum, Vecorn Oil and others Left: Harry Wong; Center: The iconic Doll brand; Right: Chou Wen-hsien Instant noodles have been popular in Hong Kong since the late 1960s and while there are many brands in the market, many folks […]
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HF: Johnny Yip left a comment on 12th April 2024 which included the following article about the Fung Keong Rubber Manufactory. THE TRUE PIONEER IN RUBBER INDUSTRY The first Fung Keong Rubber Manufactory was established in the year 1921 by Mr. Fung Keong in Honan, Canton, China. In 1925 a branch factory was opened in Shaukiwan, Hong Kong. The Fung […]
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James Chan: This advert from 1951 is courtesy of Grace’s Guides: British Industrial History. However, the company doesn’t appear to have operated in the UK. So I wonder if it was a Hong Kong based company. If so did it manufacture here? I can find no mention of Walter Dunn & Co. in the HK Public Records Office newspaper search. […]
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York Lo: The Ma Family and Thomson Weaving Factory (天孫織染廠) Founded in 1946 by Shunde native Ma Tze-sau (馬子修, 1900-1954), Thomson Weaving Factory was one of the leading weaving and dyeing mills in Hong Kong in the 1940s and 1950s known for its “Double Dragon” fabric. Outside of Thomson, Ma’s children were involved in other industrial activities such as kaolin […]
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IDJ has sent this advert from 1957. The company was elected to the HK General Chamber of Commerce in 1958. Casein is the main protein in milk especially in a coagulated form as in cheese. Seems an odd thing for a plastics factory to be involved in? Can someone explain? And the acronym UFMP? A quick check brings up Urea Formaldehyde […]
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York Lo: Best in the Globe – Koon Chuen Kow Knitting Factory (冠全球織造廠) Left: Koon Chuen Kow’s Kinson brand (1939 HK Government Report); Right: Koon Chuen Kow’s Flying Globe brand (1941 HK Govt Report) Koon Chuen Kow Knitting Factory (which stands for “best in the globe”) is probably the oldest knitwear firm in Hong Kong, still in business after close […]
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