York Lo: J. Ullmann (烏利文) – Swiss Watchmaker and Jeweler in HK and China Pictures of the interior and exterior of J. Ullmann’sTientsin store in the 1900s. (Directory and Chronicle of China, 1905) Founded in HK in the 19th century by a Swiss native of the same name, J. Ullmann & Co was a leading watchmaker not just in Hong […]
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“This firm was founded in 1902 by Mr. E. C. Wilks, as a marine engineers’ and surveyors’ bureau. Mr. Wilks was joined in 1903 by Mr. W. C. Jack, formerly Ingenieur en Chef of the Tonkin River Mail Service, and late assistant manager at the Kowloon establishment of the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company. During the five years of […]
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York Lo: The Four Taxi Kings – Blue, Central, New and Star From the 1920s to 1960s, taxicab service in Hong Kong was heavily regulated with medallions only awarded to taxicab companies rather than individuals and as a result, the industry was dominated by a few firms. Among these firms, the four most prominent were Blue, Central, New and Star and […]
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York Lo: Harpers – the Family, the Dealership and the first 50 years of Ford automobiles in Hong Kong Left: Harper House on Ma Tau Wai Road in To Kwa Wan (now BMW Building); Right: 1938 Ford ad by Harpers promoting the new Ford Ten. For close to a century, Wallace Harper & Co (also known as Harpers) has been […]
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York Lo’s recent article, J.H. Vaughan – An American Shipbuilder in Hong Kong, mentions that the yard built the replica of the USS San Pablo for the well known film The Sand Pebbles. The article has prompted IDJ to send the following: The Sand Pebbles – Production Notes THE BACKGROUND When the late Richard McKenna’s first and only novel, “The Sand Pebbles,” […]
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New Information HF: The Hong Kong Printing Press seems to have operated from 1888 to 1980 according to the website linked below dedicated to the company. The site appears to have been researched by descendants of family members who were involved in the company for several generations. I would like to hear from anyone contributing to the website linked below. […]
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York Lo: The Kings of Industrial Buildings – the Chung brothers of E.Wah Aik San Left: Cheung Kung-hai and his younger brother Chung Ming-fai (left) at a government land auction in the 1970s during their heyday. Right: Property tycoons at the 1979 government auction. Second row left to right: Li Ka-shing (hand raised), Teddy Wang of Chinachem, Cecil Chao and […]
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York Lo: Sam Lee Chuen (三利泉製衣廠) – Raincoat pioneer Sam Lee Chuen ad from the 1930s Founded in 1925 by Chan Ka-chuen (陳家泉, 1885-1950), Sam Lee Chuen Garment Factory (also known as Sam Lee Chuen Wing Kee) was a pioneer in manufacturing raincoats and other outerwear in Hong Kong. Aside from raincoats, it also made trousers and a variety of […]
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For latest updates please see items highlighted in blue. HF: Joseph Mansfield left a comment attached to this article in late July 2023 saying he was researching the history of the Netherland Club of New York founded in 1903. Joseph was particularly interested in a president of the club J.A. de Lanoy who was an employee of the Asiatic Petroleum […]
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York Lo: Shing Y. Tang (鄧典初) – Pioneer of the HK Nail and Metal Windows Industry SY Tang (second from right) and his fellow CGCC colleague Leung Chan-fai (梁燦輝,second from left) distributing rice in Yuen Long with local Yuen Long leaders Chiu Lut-sau (趙聿修, first from right) and Tang Tung-kwong (鄧同光, first from left) (Ta Kung Pao, 1960-5-25) While the […]
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