York Lo: R.P. de La Sala – the Global Shipping and Industrial Magnate from HK Left: R.P. de La Sala (Brazilian immigration record, 1958); Right: Manners’ “West Breeze” as the first British vessel passing through the Suez in 1957 (British Pathe) Robert Perez de La Sala (1908-1967, hereafter referred to as R.P., his Chinese obituary listed his Chinese name as 黎醒亞), […]
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HF: In February 1902 The Hongkong Tramway Electric Company Ltd was formed in England. Contracts were signed. Alfred Dickenson & Co were appointed consulting engineers and Dick, Kerr & Co Ltd were contracted to provide the tram equipment and track. The latter supplied the first tram cars between 1904 and 1905 as below: Make/Model Description Fleet size Year acquired Year retired […]
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York Lo: Red Capitalist: the life and ventures of K.C. Wong (王寬誠,1907-1986) Left: Portrait of K.C. Wong from the 1950s; Right: K.C. Wong meeting with Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s When it comes to Hongkong’s “Red Capitalists”, Henry Fok (whose biographical entry I wrote for the Dictionary of HK Biography) is probably the first name that came […]
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York LO: Lea Hin Co (立興公司) and “Butterfly” and “Tingkwon” Kerosene Lanterns Left: Lea Hin founder Woo Kai Lea (Nanyang Siang Po, 1977); Center: Butterfly kerosene lantern trademark; Right: early Chinesead of Lea Hin in Singapore promoting its Tingkwon Star brand lanterns in 1936 (南洋商报, 2 May 1936, Page 8) While the kerosene lanterns manufacturers covered earlier on the website […]
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York Lo: Hsu Long-sing (徐朗星) and Kiu Foong Enamel Factory (九豐搪瓷廠) Left: Hsu Long-sing (Source: WahKiuYat Po, 1975-1-12); right: Hsu Long Sing Amenities Centre at the HKU Student Union “Hsu Long Sing” is a familiar name on the campus of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) as the Hsu Long Sing Amenities Centre where the HKU Student Union is located […]
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Russell & Company ( 旗昌洋行) was the largest and most important American trading house in Qing dynasty China from 1842 to its closing in 1891. Samuel Russell founded Russell & Company in Canton, China, in 1824. Dealing mostly in silks, teas and opium, Russell & Company prospered, and by 1842, it had become the largest American trading house in China. Russell withdrew from the company in 1836 and returned to […]
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HF: Further contributions from IDJ on Capt FA Swoffer. Here as a writer cum pilot. The article below was a continuation of the article above with superfluous material removed for clarity. IDJ adds: FLYING magazine was one of many such 1930s publications attempting to motive the general public in aviation matters. Full of articles and pictures of aviators involved with all […]
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York Lo: Ng Yue-kwong (吳裕光, 1902-1977) and Ng Yee Hing Weaving & Dyeing Factory (吳義興織印染製衣廠) Ng Yue-kwong (南洋商报, 4 March 1964, Page 14) Earlier in the group, several leading weaving mills from the 1940s-60s were covered such as the Ngai brothers’ Yuen Hing, Shum Choy-wah’sKow Yue and Chong Hu-kwong’s Tai Loong. Ng Yee Hing Weaving & Dyeing Factory was another […]
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York Lo: Samuel Gee Yen (嚴欣淇) and East Sun Textile(怡生紗廠) Left: Bio and picture of Samuel Gee Yen in 1948. Source: 實業界名人錄(1948); Right: picture of Samuel Yen before boarding CAT plane to Taiwan to visit his relatives in 1959 (WKYP, 1959-8-24) Founded in April 1949 by Samuel Gee Yen (aka Shing-Gee Yen 嚴申耆,1906-1984), East Sun Textile was one of the […]
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Jens Øster-Mortensen, a Danish journalist, recently left a comment attached to our article, Bullivant & Co, Millwall, London, supplier of Taikoo Sugar Refinery’s aerial ropeway cables. Jens said he had found an object, I presume a marine winch, next to Ballen harbour on the Danish island of Samso which had on it Bullivant No. 2 – Mark Lane 72, London. He thinks […]
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