“In the course of a recent research through some old records, the name of another of Hongkong’s pioneer firms was noticed, that of Gibb, Livingston and Company, who came here in the first year of the Colony’s foundation. The firm can indeed claim to be one of the oldest in this part of the world, at they commenced business in […]
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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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Tymon Mellor: The question was, “Who is Charles L Shank and what was his connection to the Shek Lai Pui Reservoir?”. A rather open question, but one that has led to an interesting journey. The questioner had acquired a large format book with 122 professional photographs of pre-war Hong Kong construction sites. Sample photographs provided documented the construction of the […]
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York Lo: Cost Plus Bazaar (美廉市場) and Mark V (美發) Left: Chinese advertisement for Cost Plus Bazaar at the Ocean Terminal in 1964 featuring some of the Japanese furniture. The store opened daily from 10 to 10 (WKYP, 1964-7-19) American retailers, big and small, have been the key driving force of industrial development in HK and China for the past […]
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HF: Tymon Mellor’s article, Sha Lo Wan Mine, includes, “A local company, The Bank Line (China) Ltd was interested in production of the ore for shipment to Japan, through Andrew Weir & Co, a local “reputable firm” as advised by the superintendent of Mines in a memo dated 7th January, 1953.” Here is an introduction to this British shipping company […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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The ship Queen Elizabeth was an ocean liner operated by Cunard Line. In tandem with the Queen Mary both ships provided a weekly luxury service between Southampton in the U.K and New York via Cherbourg, France. Whilst being constructed in the mid-1930s by John Brown and Company at, Clydebank, Scotland, the build was known as Hull 552. Hull 552 was […]
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HF: Initial notes on Charles Herbert Arnhold. I have been unable to find an image of the gentleman, whose connection to Arnhold & Company Ltd, is the subject of this article, and would be grateful to any reader who can send me one. Further up Hong Kong’s Peak, an event of vast importance for the future of the firm took […]
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