Ice Works Causeway Bay [c.1874-c.1974]

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Submitted by Klaus on Sat, 2020-07-04 17:48

Current condition:

Demolished / No longer exists

Date Place completed:

c.1874-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)

Date Place demolished:

c.1974-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)

For details see Hongkong Ice Company, Ltd.

In about 1874, the factory started ice production with its first machine at Causeway Bay (Great George Street at the praya). The company was sold to Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co in 1879.

In 1918, Hongkong Ice was acquired by Dairy Farm Company, Ltd., which then changed its name to the Dairy Farm Ice and Cold Storage Company. In 1924, the factory was rebuilt ("DAIRY FARM BUILDS a state-of-the-art ice factory at East Point.") including a large cold-storage building.

When Victoria Park was reclaimed in the mid-1950s, a canal was left non-reclaimed to allow access to Victoria Harbour.

Still appears on the 1957 map on Gwulo. The canal was finally reclaimed in the early 1970s and became Gloucester Road afterwards. The closure of the Ice Works is estimated to be 1974. In 1979, Windsor House opened on this place.

Update: 2021-01-26

tngan reported that the ice works had a conveyor belt across the canal and further to the seashore. This is shown in the upper photo from 1968 (merged from two aerial photos that were taken from different angles so that they do not match perfectly).

Around 1970, the canal was reclaimed and the conveyor belt now ran over solid ground. So the ice could still be transported and loaded onto barges at the sea shore. This is shown in the lower photo from 1972.

The conveyor ran underground to the sea shore (so Victoria Park Road could be built on top). The conveyor ended in a white tower, this can be seen on the right photo from 1973.

Tags:

causeway bay

factory