HF: Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen,衙前圍村, (“the walled village in front of the yamen”), also known as Hing Yau Yu Tsuen, 慶有餘村, (“overflowing prosperity”) in San Po Kong, at the northen end of Kai Tak airport is the only walled village left in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The SCMP: Occupying an area of nearly 50,000 square feet…600 year-old square-shaped Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen […]
» Read more
HF: The SCMP of 26th July 2015 carried a report about the death of Ho Hung Yee who ran an umbrella stand on at the top end of Peel Street for decades. The article begins…”A fixture of the Central street scene dubbed the “Umbrella Man” for the decades he spent helping Hongkongers stay dry has died at the age of […]
» Read more
IDJ: The Wang Chau oyster beds spread along the Yuen Long Creek and also along its mouth in the shallow Deep Bay. They are owned by Lam Uk Tsuen, one of the six villages in the Wang Chau area. The oysters are reared at all times of the year. From November to April the oysters of Lam Uk Tsuen are […]
» Read more
Hugh Farmer: IDJ has sent the following image and extract. I added the map. New information in red. Here’s the location of Fuk Sau Lane, Sai Ying Pun. IDJ has also sent this ” interesting clear and detailed view of rope making in a Kowloon street in August 1945.” https://www.flickr.com/photos/23057174@N02/7742172682/sizes/l/in/set-72157630976475156/ Related Indhhk articles The Hongkong Rope Manufacturing Co Ltd. […]
» Read more
Hugh Farmer: On a visit to the HK Museum of History on 6th Feb 2014 I noticed this enticing snippet from the Information Services Department 1960s. “Most home utensils such as baskets and strainers were woven from rattan rather than bamboo as in the past. Demand was high for bamboo-made fishing and farming tools, such as fish traps, cages for […]
» Read more
A Bygone Industry in Hong Kong – Rickshaw Makers’ Stores By Fung Chi Ming The rickshaw is long out of date, but in days past it was a widely used form of urban transport. For public hire and for private use, it also created new employment. The first rickshaw in Hong Kong was of Japanese construction. But, as time went […]
» Read more
In our Queries and Answers 5 Eric Spain had an enquiry about salt production in Mui Wo. He remembers seeing some RAF aerial photographs which showed salt pans there. [presumably immediately before, during or shortly after WW2?]. Frank Watson and Namussi added information to Q+A 5 which is linked below. HF: Further information can be found in a post I made on gwulo.com […]
» Read more
IDJ has sent two more images of stone breaking, or “cutting” as the second image is titled, in Hong Kong. Related Indhhk articles: Stone breaking in early 20th Century Hong Kong Film of quarry stone breaking by hand 1953 – location The Index contains several articles about quarrying and the transportation of stone in Hong Kong.
» Read more
HF: Lime-making in Hong Kong has an extremely long history, at least 1,000 years, probably longer. This article by Wong Tak-yan appeared in the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch Journal of 1984. The article begins: And is divided into the following sections: *Uses of Lime *Raw Materials used in the making of lime *The process of making lime -burning […]
» Read more
James Chan: The following appears in the Hong Kong Museum of History. It would be very interesting to hear more about this traditional industry that has died out. “Traditional New Territories markets had speciality cotton padded quilt shops but many “mountain” goods” and firewood shops also had a sideline in the quilt business. Essentially a seasonal trade a quilt shop […]
» Read more