Nick Cranfield, in Shanghai, has been researching the history of the SS Tien Loong. And discovered: The SS Invergoil was built by Harland and Wolff at Belfast in 1922 and launched on 21st September 1922. It was delivered to the British Mexican Petroleum Company on 9th November 1922. But subsequently sold to Moller & Co of Shanghai in 1936 and […]
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Elizabeth Ride has sent a British Army Aid Group (BAAG) report from 1st March 1945, An Outline of Conditions in Occupied Hong Kong which was compiled in early 1945 for use by the Civil Affairs Committee which was to take on the rehabilitation of HK after the planned allied invasion. HF: The report is lengthy so I am going to divide it […]
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HF: Our article, 1924 Report on the Commerial Development of the Port of Hong Kong, begins by mentioning the visit of Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice to Hong Kong in 1920. Fitzmaurice, as a partner in a firm of Consulting Engineers, had been invited to offer advice as follows:- Fitzmaurice’s suggestions had not been taken up by the end of 1923. The […]
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Thanks to SCT for proofreading the following: “By the middle of the 1950s a group of Chinese shipowners had been established in Hong Kong, operating small but expanding fleets of second-hand vessels. By dint of their origins in the environs of Shanghai and their common interest in shipping, they knew each other well enough and took to meeting regularly over […]
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HF: I finished my first ferry crossing on the Sea Coral 8 at Kwun Tong Pier coming over in about twenty minutes from Sai Wan Ho Pier with Captain Freddy Chiu in charge of the vessel and its dozen or so passengers. All photos are mine taken on the 25th September 2014. I used a camera, remember them? So they […]
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Elizabeth Ride has sent a 1942 map and several WW2 BAAG reports about WS Bailey & Co, more usually known as Bailey’s Shipyard. Elizabeth says, The Intelligence Summaries sent on nearly all the information brought to BAAG by their underground agents, but added their comments if they thought it sounded improbable. HF: Where the original report is difficult to read […]
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François Dremeaux has kindly sent extracts from his MPhil dissertation Les Messageries Maritimes á Hong Kong (1918-1941). He says “I did my MPhil about the Messageries Maritimes in Hong Kong during the interwar period. More than a subject, it is also a passion!” HF: François has translated the extracts from the original French and I have slightly amended his translations […]
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Elizabeth Ride: I’m afraid this material is very raw, but I hope will be of interest and value to those researching ship building and shipyards during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War Two. I apologise for the the state of some of the documents, which were obviously attacked by white ants while they were stored in GHQ […]
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Stephen Davies’ article, Admiralty Floating Dock No.18 – in HK 1945 to 1955, mentions the Harbour Tug Empire Sam. Here Stephen provides further information about the ship. [HF: Curiously I am unable to find a photo of the Empire Sam.] Stephen posted a comment attached to this article on 18th July 2022 “which shows a lovely model of PL 2[see below], so […]
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Hugh Farmer: On the 25th September 2014 I took the ferry from Sai Wan Ho to Kwun Tong, walked from there passing through the industrial area of Yau Tong and caught the ferry back to Sai Wan Ho from Sam Ka Tsuen ferry pier. I took pictures of the piers, ferries, crew and passengers…of the slow boats… a tribute to […]
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