Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock

Plan of the Kowloon Dockyard in the 1900s
Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock c. 1908
Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock c. 1908

Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock was a Hong Kong dockyard, once among the largest in Asia.

History

Founded in 1863 by Douglas Lapraik and Thomas Sutherland,[1] the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company (known as Hong Kong Kowloon and Whampoa Dock Company). In 1865, it was known as Kowloon Docks located on the west Kowloon coast between Hung Hom and Tai Wan, facing Hung Hom Bay in the Victoria Harbour. It is also known as Whampoa Dock for short. The "Whampoa" part of the name comes from the Huangpu, formerly Whampoa, area of Guangzhou (formerly Canton), where the company owned another dockyard.

On the eve of Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, the dockyard was heavily bombarded by Japanese aircraft due to its importance, causing many casualties.

In the mid-1960s, the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company was controlled by Douglas Clague through Hutchison International but he was forced to leave following financial difficulties with Hutchison International. Hutchison International was acquired by Li Ka Shing's Cheung Kong Holdings and eventually merged with Whampoa to become Hutchison Whampoa. In 1985, the dockyard land was transformed into a private housing estate, the Whampoa Garden, the second-largest private housing estate in Hong Kong, after Mei Foo Sun Chuen. The only portion of the dockyard that exists is Bulkeley Street. The dockyard is now part of the Whampoa Garden site residential complex.

The dockyard operations merged with Swire's Taikoo Dockyard on the Island to become Hong Kong United Dockyard on the new territories western shore of Tsing Yi Island Wok Tai Wan.

Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock helped converted Hong Kong Tramways second and third generation tram cars built by United Electric and English Electric. These cars were eventually retired from 1924 to 1930 as the fourth-generation cars were introduced.

Other facilities:

Ships

Ships built at this yard include:

See also

References

  1. Swiggum, S. (2013). "Douglas Steamship Company, Ltd.". theshipslist.com. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  2. 1 2 Wildy, Merv (14 July 2003). "Allied Chinese Ships WWII". Archived from the original on 29 October 2003. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  3. "The story of HMS Li Wo and her crew". forcez-survivors.org.uk. 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
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