[1]

In 1878, the Post Master General’s Postal Guide contained a notification: “Box holders may mark stamps. Box holders (but box holders only) are at liberty to mark their postage stamps on the back or face, or by perforation, so as to prevent their being stolen. If a mark be on the face it must be such as not to interfere with the clean appearance of the stamp. Stamps so marked will not be purchased.”

[2]

Elly {Kadoorie} left for Hong Kong - aged 15 - arriving there on 20th May 1880. After several years with the Sassoons (E D Sassoon & Co) mainly in the Northern Treaty ports, he borrowed $100 from Ellis and set up the broking firm of Benjamin, Kelly & Potts in Hong Kong.

Source: The Scribe, Issue 75, antomn 2002

[3]

See Group I - 13

[4]

See Group I – 15A

[5]

According to the Traders of Hong Kong: Some Foreign Merchants Houses, 1841 – 1899, Solomon Bard 1993, Brandao & Co. was a Portuguese Merchants located 34 Peel Street and was in business between 1863 and 1905.

Philippe November 2011

[6]

CORNABE, ECKFORD & CO.
The founders of this firm were Messrs. James Wilson and W. A. Cornabe, both of whom were in business in Amoy. Early in 1864 they established themselves as general merchants in Chefoo under the style of Messrs. Wilson, Cornabe & Co. At first the business consisted of buying produce and shipping it to southern ports, but later on the firm became shipowners and shipping agents. Later still, after Mr. Eckford had been admitted to partnership, the exportation of straw-braid was undertaken very successfully. In 1887 Mr. Cornabe returned to England, and in 1902 Mr. Eckford was obliged to leave China on account of ill health. The business now consists of the export of straw-braid, silk, silk piece goods, and other local products, and the import of coal, flour, indigo, yarn, &c. The firm hold numerous first-class shipping and insurance agencies ; they are proprietors of the Hokee Lighter Company, and are interested in the Chefoo Water-boat Company. They also own one of the largest steam Tussah silk filatures in the neighbourhood. For years there has been a branch of the business at Weihaiwei, and in 1906 two new branches were opened at Tsingtau and Dalny, so that the firm is now entrenched at all the commercial strategic points in North China.

Source: p 769 Wright, Arnold, : Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and Other Treaty Ports of China: Their History. People, Commerce, Industries, and Resources. London: Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Company, Ltd., 1908.

Cornabé & Co.

Before founding the firm of Cornabé & Co., William Alexander Cornabé, James Wilson, and Andrew Millar Eckford left Boyd & Company in Amoy to form a partnership in 1864 at Chefoo under the name Wilson, Cornabé & Company. The partnership of Wilson & Cornabé was dissolved in 1876 and the new firm of Cornabé & Co. was formed in 1876.

Cornabé & Co. opened an office in Wei Hai Wei not long after 24 May 1898 when the British leased the town. From December 1898 to 15 March 1899 the firm operated a Courier Post to Chefoo.

In 1899 the company name was changed again, this time to reflect the partnership with Andrew Millar Eckford, becoming Cornabé, Eckford and Company. The head office was still in Chefoo, with branches in Port Arthur and Wei Hai Wei. They represented a number of banks, steamship companies, sugar refineries and a large number of insurance companies.

By 1910 both founders were deceased, and the firm was in the hands of Vyvyan R. Eckford, Reginald H. Eckford and H.G. Smith as partners in Chefoo. The business now consisted of the export of wheat straw-braid, silk, silk piece goods, brush bristles and other local products, and the import of coal, flour, indigo, yarn, etc. They were owners of the Hokee Lighter Company and of one of the largest steam-operated mills for reeling Tussah silk in the area. They had a part interest in the Chefoo Water-boat Company. In Wei Hai Wei they jointly managed the Weihaiwei Light Co. By 1919 they were represented abroad in many important commercial centers.

By 1930, besides the head office in Chefoo, they had offices in Tsingtao (Kiaochau), Dalyn, Weihaiwei, Tientsin, Mukden and Harbin. In 1934 they suffered a catastrophic loss when their comprador absconded with a large sum. When the HKBC called in their loan the firm declared itself bankrupt. The Chefoo firm of James McMullan & Co., Ltd. then took over the company.

Michel Houde
1/26/2015

Article and illustrations in HKSC Journal # 331/16 Oct 2004

[7]

According to the “Straits Times Weekly Issue” of the 21 September 1892, the 26^th ordinary Board Meeting of the China traders' Insurance Company Limited was held that day.

Philippe

[8]

According to the Traders of Hong Kong: Some Foreign Merchants Houses, 1841 – 1899, Solomon Bard 1993, A.H. Chinoy was an Indian Merchants located 26 Graham Street and was in business between 1884 and 1920.

Philippe November 2011

[9]

See Group I - 35

[10]

See Group II - 30

[11]

See Group I - 41

[12]

See Group I - 54

[13]

See Group I - 76

[14]

See Group I - 42

[15]

See Group I - 79C

[16]

MESSES. PAUL PETTICK & CO.
The oldest and largest store-keepers at Foochow are Messrs. Paul Pettick & Co. Established since 1888 they enjoy an excellent reputation amongst both the European and native population. Of recent years they have disposed of their retail business to the Foochow Trading Company, and have concerned themselves solely with the wholesale import and export trade. They import goods from England, America, France, and Germany, and export native produce, such as camphor, feathers, lacquered wares, bamboos, curios, &c. The manager speaks various dialects, and the firm are constantly adding to their agencies. They are property owners, house-boat owners, &c., and are always in a position to provide tourists and travelers with guides, boats, and other similar requisites.

Source: p 838 Wright, Arnold, : Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and Other Treaty Ports of China: Their History. People, Commerce, Industries, and Resources. London: Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Company, Ltd., 1908.

[17]

See Group I - 113

[18]

TATA, SONS & CO.
This firm was established in the early fifties, and was one of the first Bombay houses to open a branch in Hongkong. In India the firm does a large business in cotton, yarns, pearls, and metals, and acts as agents lor the Swadeshi Mills, the Central India Mills, the Ahmedabad Advance Mills, the Hydro- Electric Company, the Tata Iron and Steel Company, the Union Fire Insurance Company of Paris, and The South British Insurance Company. The Tata Iron and Steel Company is the biggest Swadeshi enterprise in India, having a capital of two crores and thirty lakhs of rupees, and the object of the Hydro-Electric Company is to supply electric power to some fifty mills in the city of Bombay, which are at present run by steam-driven machinery. The electric power is to be generated from a waterfall at Lanowlee, some 80 miles from Bombay. Messrs. Tata, Sons & Co.'s headquarters are at Bombay, and there are branches at Shanghai, Kobe, Osaka, New York, Rangoon, London, Paris, and Tuticorin, as well as Hongkong. The partners in the business are Messrs. D. J. Tata, K. J. T. Tata, and K. D. Tata. One resides in Bombay, another in Paris, while the third spends most of his time traveling between the various establishments. The offices in Hongkong are at No. 6, Ice House Street, and the manager here is Mr. B. D. Tata. In Hongkong the firm trades in opium, Indian and Japanese yarns, Manchester piece goods, and sundries.

Source: p 228 Wright, Arnold, : Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and Other Treaty Ports of China: Their History. People, Commerce, Industries, and Resources. London: Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Company, Ltd., 1908.

[19]

See Group I - 132

[20]

See Group I - 134