HF/Richard Hale: At one time Hong Kong was home to a thriving pearl cultivation industry which appears to have been initially centred on Tolo Harbour. “Tai Po was the centre of the local pearl industry. As far as we know, pearls were first collected from the nearby sea in AD 761 during the fourth year of the reign of the […]
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IDJ has sent an article about Stone Cutters (or Breakers) and their working lives in Hong Kong… The article was originally published in 1952 by the Building Contractor’s Association which subsquently became the Hong Kong Construction Association which exists today. The images shown here have also been supplied by IDJ but are not in the 1952 article. They are all located […]
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HF: The SCMP of 6th April 2016 contained an article about the preservation of Ho Hung Yee’s umbrella stall. It will be dismantled and “may” be permanently exhibited at the Hong Kong Museum of History. The article begins: “Atop the slopes of Central’s Peel Street, a modest crowd stood admiring a historic umbrella street stall for the last time on […]
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Lawrence Tsui: My father, Paul Tsui moved from Hong Kong Island to live in Fanling in 1925 when he was around ten. He spent his teenage years before the War growing up in Fanling, travelling daily on the KCR to go to Wah Yan College at Nelson Street in Mongkok. Incidentally, decades before the KCR was built [the “British Section” […]
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New information in red. Chris Yuen: The article, Night soil collection in Hong Kong – honey buckets…information needed, asks for further information: “Night fragrance” is indeed an euphemistic term for night soil. Two articles in Apple Daily (2002 and 2013) provide some information: http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/supplement/culture/art/20020529/2625572 http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20130204/18156297 In 2002, there were about 80 units that required the night soil collection service. The service […]
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Mary Anne Le Bas has sent an SCMP article, Six home-grown Hong Kong trades at risk of dying out, published on 21st June 2015. The last of these is about one of the few remaining Hong Kong companies that make neon lights. Leung Lap Kei, who runs the China Neonlight Advertising Company, says that, “in the 80s and 90s, the […]
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HF: This article is the result of several people’s research into industrial development, lighthouses, log ponds, manufacturing, mining, reservoirs, salt, shipyards, tea, timber mills, transport, utilities and other related topics on Lantau Island. If you can provide information on any of the subjects below, or add to the list, it would be good to hear from you. I can then […]
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Mary Anne Le Bas has sent an SCMP article, Six home-grown Hong Kong trades at risk of dying out, published on 21st June 2015. The fifth of these is a product that has been around for around 200 years. The company was founded by current manager Yuen Yee Lum’s great-great-grandfather in Guangzhou, in 1835. Mr Yuen believes his is the last company making […]
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HF: Producing salt from the sea is one of the oldest industries in Hong Kong. I have information, however slight, that it was produced in at least these locations. Kwun Tong Mui Wo (Lantau) San Hui (Tuen Mun) Tai O ( Lantau) Yim Lin Ha (Sha Tau Kok – NE NT) Yim Tin Tsai (Sai Kung) Wong Ka Wai (Tuen […]
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Mary Anne Le Bas has sent an SCMP article, Six home-grown Hong Kong trades at risk of dying out, published on 21st June 2015. The fourth of these is about the last remaining letterpress company in Hong Kong. Between the 1970s and 90s there were over 200 such companies around Sheung Wan and Central. All of these have now closed or […]
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