York Lo: Shanghainese Builders in Hong Kong (Part One) – the Pre-War Pioneers (Yaik Sang, Sung Kee Zee and Dao Kee) Having contributed to the building of pre-war Shanghai into the leading metropolis in the Far East, Shanghainese builders and construction firms played a critical role in the post war construction boom in Hong Kong as the city emerged as […]
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IDJ has sent a series of articles about managers at Taikoo Dockyard: The first manager Philip Forster Nicholson, 1907-1910, “was succeeded by James Reid, who was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire,[Scotland], and passed his early life at Troon, serving his apprenticeship with the Ailsa Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. He remained with this company to rise to Chief Ship Draughtsman and Assistant Yard Manager […]
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York Lo: International Industrial Building (國際工業大廈) in Kwun Tong Left: International Industrial Building in Kwun Tong; Right: ad for International Industrial Building when it first opened in 1966 (WKYP, 1966-3-28) Located at 175 Hoi Bun Road in Kwun Tong waterfront is a 50 years-old, colorful 13 story factory building by the name of International Industrial Building (not to be confused […]
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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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“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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York Lo: Alhambra Watch (平安表行) Left: Chiu Chun-fai (left) and Luk Ying-tai at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Shanghai Street store of Alhambra Watch in 1958 (WKYP, 1958-8-17); Right: Omtis’ congratulatory ad to Alhambra Watch on the opening of its Tai Po Road store in 1963 (WKYP, 1963-4-28) Operated by its founder Frank Chiu Chun-fai (招振揮) and his family, […]
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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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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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The Hongkong Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. (HKECC) was founded in Hong Kong in 1922. Clement Cheung, Manager – Archives and Records at the HK Heritage Project has given permission for the following information to be posted here: During its early years, the company was a civil contractor undertaking building, foundation and government works projects. In 1923, HKECC acquired the sole […]
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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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