Timeline

Updated on September 24, 2010

Hong Kong’s First

1278
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The first (and last) Chinese Emperor(s) who came visit Hong Kong was Zhao Shi 趙昰, the Emperor of Southern Song Dynasty 南宋 (1127-1279) and his younger brother Zhao Bing 趙昺. They sought refuge from the invading Mongolian army that had conquered most of the central kingdom, and lived temporarily in Hong Kong. Zhao Shi almost got drown fell off a boat and died months later in Gangzhou 碙州, an island we now call the Lantau Island. He was 10 years old. Zhao Bing succeeded his brother and was enthroned on May 10, 1278 at Meiyu 梅蔚, Gangzhou, the area known today as the Silvermine Bay 銀礦灣. The boy-king was killed a year later – he was carried by a court minister who jumped off a cliff - when the Southern Song collapsed completely. The last emperor of Southern Song was 8 years old. A part of a rock on which the brothers were said to have rested is displayed at the Sung Wong Toi Garden 宋王台花園 in Ma Tau Wai.
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1700s
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Built in the 1700s, the Temple of Water Immortal 水僊古廟 remains today the oldest surviving religious building structure on Hong Kong Island. The temple is situated in Stanley.
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1841
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The first Hong Kong census was conducted (by the British forces) and returned a population of 3,650. Another 2,000 who lived on boats were also counted.
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John Robert Morrison 馬儒翰, son of missionary Robert Morrison 馬禮遜, founded Hong Kong’s first English newspaper – the Hong Kong Gazette 香港公報. The newspaper was printed and published in Macau for circulation in Hong Kong. It was a semi-government gazette and its publication was funded by the British Superintendent of Trade, for whom Morrison junior worked as a translator.
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Hong Kong’s first post office opened on November 12 this year, three months after the Postal Department was established. It was situated where the Central Government Offices stand today. A new post office located on Queen’s Road Central near Pedder Street would replaced this one in 1846.
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Commander Edward Belcher 愛德華卑路乍 of the Royal Navy made the first ever survey of the Hong Kong Harbor (later named Victoria Harbor) aboard HMS Sulphur. Belcher would later be promoted to the rank of an Admiral.
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1842
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Indian trading house Abdoolally Ebrahim & Co 鴨都喇利 ran the first cross-harbor ferry service between Tsimshatsui and Central.
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The Canton Market 廣州市場, predecessor of the Central Market 中環街市 and the first market built in Hong Kong, opened this year.
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Under the pretext of reducing night robberies, Police Magistrate William Cain imposed the first curfew in Hong Kong in October this year, denying all Chinese, except night watchmen, the freedom to walk the streets after 11pm. Successive proclamation required Chinese on the street between 8pm and curfew to carry lanterns and passes issued by their European employers. Enforcement of the curfew was suspended in 1847 and resumed in 1850. It wasn’t until fifty five years after the introduction of curfew, that it was finally lift on June 21, 1897, in connection with celebration of Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee.
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1843
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Henry Pottenger 砵甸乍 was appointed the first Colonial Governor of Hong Kong. He held office until May 1844.
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Three government officials was appointed to the Legislative Council as its first official members. They were A.R. Johnston, a former Administrator of Hong Kong; John Robert Morrison, Chinese Secretary and Interpreter to the Superintendent of Trade and William Caine, Chief Magistrate.
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John Robert Morrison died from sudden sickness this year and became the first member of the Legislative Council to die in office. Morrison had attended no meeting of the Council as the first meeting was convened the year following his death.
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Thomas Bernard Collinson 哥連臣, Lieutenant, British Royal Engineers, produced the first map of Hong Kong. It was actually an ordnance map commissioned by the British arm forces.
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1844
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The first meeting of the Legislative Council was held on January 11 this year.
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The first ordinance passed by the newly established Legislative Council for enactment was Ordinance No. 1 of 1844, Slavery Ordinance.
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Robert Montgomery Martin was appointed the first Colonial Treasurer, who advocated the abandonment of Hong Kong as a colony as he saw no future in the territory. The position of Colonial Treasurer was renamed Financial Secretary in 1937.
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Charles May 查理士梅理 was appointed the first police chief. His title was Captain Superintendent.
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Hollywood Road 荷李活道 was to first road constructed in Hong Kong.
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1845
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Beginning from this year, Hong Kong government ran public opium dens in the city, which were located on Sai On Lane 西安里, Sai Ying Pun. The operation of the public dens finally ceased in 1910.
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1846
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Built on reclaimed marshland, the Happy Valley Racecourse became first sports ground put in use.
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Hong Kong Police Force took over, from the Harbor Master, the law enforcement of the territory’s sea area for the first time this year with the establishment of the Marine Region. The Captain Superintendent of Police Charles May oversaw the operation of the region, which in later years included in it White Russian rank and file officers.
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1848
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The Sisters of St Paul de Chartres established and ran the first orphanage in Hong Kong - Asile de la Sainte Enfance 聖童之家.
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1849
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Sponsored by warm-heart foreign merchants in Hong Kong, Kuan Huang 黃寬, who previously studied at the Morrison Education Society in Hong Kong, was able to enroll in the University of Edinburgh this year and became the first Hong Konger as well as the first Chinese to study abroad in a university.
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The first pleasure boat race, held in October, was organized by the Victoria Regatta Club.
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1850
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Answering the petitions of British merchants in Hong Kong to the Home Government to allow representation of the mercantile community in the law-making organ, the Legislative Council created the post of Unofficial Member. Two were appointed this year, and they were David Jardine of Jardine, Matheson & Co. and J.F. Edger of Jamieson, How & Co.
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1851
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The first Protestant Hakka 客家 Church was established by Swedish missionary Theodore Hamberg 韓山明 this year. Hamburg of the Basel Missionary Society arrived in Hong Kong in 1847 and became well versed in the Hakka dialect, in which this church’s service was conducted. The church was housed in 2 adjoining houses leased by Hamberg near Sheung Wan market.
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The first sports club to come into existence was the Hong Kong Cricket Club.
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1853
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The first Chinese language newspaper, Chinese Serial 遐爾貫珍 which also carried articles in English, went into circulation. It was established and published by Ying Wa College 英華書院, a London Missionary Society school formerly known as the Anglo-Chinese School.
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1854
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The graduation congregation of the Yale College (the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887) in 1854 was different from all congregations before – among the graduates was a Chinese from Hong Kong whose name was Yung Wing 容閎. This was the first time Yale had a Chinese graduate. This was the first time also China as well as Hong Kong had a son who received a degree from Yale. Yung was one of the first three Hong Kongers who went abroad to study. The other two were Kuan Huang 黃寬 and Wong Shing 黃勝.
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1855
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Kuan Huang 黃寬who enrolled in the University of Edinburgh in 1849 graduated this year with a bachelor of medicine degree and becomes the first Hong Konger, as well as Chinese, to qualify as a doctor of Western medicine
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1857
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Kuan Huang 黃寬carried on with post-graduate work and obtained a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Edinburgh this year. He was the first Hong Konger, as well as Chinese, M.D.
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The Ordinance for Checking the Spread of Venereal Diseases (No. 12 of 1857) enacted on November 24, 1857 effectively legalized prostitution. Brothels were required to be certified by the Registrar-General and pay a monthly due of four dollars. Owners of brothels were responsible to keep a list of prostitutes (termed as “inmates” in the Ordinance) residing / working in their houses, and ensuring that they were regularly medically examined. A year later in 1858, the new contagious hospital, the Lock Hospital, was established to treated diseased prostitutes. Ten years later in 1867, the Ordinance for the Prevention of Contagious Diseases established control of Chinese prostitutes, in Chinese brothels for Europeans.
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1858
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A Chinese juror was appointed for the first time and he was Wong Shing 黃勝.
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For the first time, government budget was presented to the Legislative Council for approval. It was approved.
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Chung Ngoi San Po 中外新報 began its circulation in Hong Kong as the frist newspaper published solely in the Chinese language. The newspaper was founded by Ng Choy 伍才, alias Wu Tingfang 伍廷芳, and Wong Shing 黃勝.
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1861
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The first private sector trade organ was established this year, known as the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce; the word “General” was added before “Chamber of Commerce” years later. The roster of the sixty two Founding Members was chiefly made up of personages of the mercantile community in Hong Kong. No less than two third were opium traders. The first meeting was held on May 29 this year at the Hong Kong Club.
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1862
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The first Hong Kong postage stamp was made available this year. Engraved by Jean Ferdinand Joubert and printed by line-engraved method by De La Rue in the U.K., the first set of stamps featured a portrait of Queen Victoria
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Teaching began this year at the new government secondary school, The Government Central School 中央書院. It was renamed Victoria College 維多利亞書院 in 1889 and then reorganized as the Queen's College 皇仁書院 in 1894.
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1863
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The Hong Kong silver dollar was made the colony’s first legal tender. The dollar was pegged to silver at a rate of 1 dollar to 24.44 grams of pure silver. Foreign currency continued to circulate alongside local issues, however, any payment made to the Hong Kong Government must be made in the local issued silver dollars.
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The first reservoir in Hong Kong, the Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, opened this year. It came about from a scheme devised by S. B. Rawling, a Clerk of Works to the Royal Engineers, who won a government competition for solutions to meet the keen demand for water. Rawling won GBP1,000 while GBP30,000 was set aside for the construction of the dam in 1860. An expansion completed eight years later would bring the total capacity to 68 million gallons.
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1864
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Ho Tsun-shin 何進善, alias Ho Fuk-tong 何福堂, was the first Protestant minister in Hong Kong. He was ordained by the London Missionary Society this year after studying theology in Malacca and Hong Kong under the guidance of the Rev. James Legge.
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The first supply of gas was made available in Hong Kong by the Hong Kong and China Gas Company. Selected buildings in Central tapped into the 24-km of pipeline network, which also lit up 500 street lamps.
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This is a very unusual photo of the Botanic Garden. See how well spaced
were these 26 men. The three men on each side in the front row posed with
their paper fans opened. I wonder who they were and what was the occasion
that brought this group together to the garden and have this photo taken.The Botanic Garden 兵頭花園 was the first public garden in Hong Kong

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1865
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The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Company opened this year as the first local bank in Hong Kong; all the other existing ones were branches of British or Indian banks.
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In the same year HSBC opened for business, the Central Bank of Western India, which was situated not far away, was robbed. The alleged bank robbers, the "Gutter Rats" gang 坑渠老鼠, took way $117,000 (approximately $60 million in today's values). The case was never solved. It was the first ever bank robbery in Hong Kong.
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1867
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Tung Hing Theatre 同慶戲園, situated on Po Yan Street 普仁街 on Hong Kong Island, opened this year to stage Chinese opera performances. This first theatrical hall in Hong Kong was re-named Chungking Theatre 重慶戲院 in 1890s and started screening movies from 1900s. It was closed in 1910s.
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1868
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The 6-storied Hong Kong Hotel was proclaimed the first skyscraper in Hong Kong. The hotel was located on Pedder Street and was, unfortunately, burnt down on February 13, 1926.
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The first fire-fighting brigade was made up of mostly volunteers. Established on May 23 this year, the Hong Kong Fire Brigade included 62 foreign residents and approximately 100 Chinese. The brigade was supervised by the Captain Superintendent of the Police Force. A handful of full-time officers were police secondment.
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1869
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Hong Kong’s first city hall wasn’t built nor run by the government. The construction was funded by public subscriptions and it was privately run. Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Victoria did the honor of inaugurating the city hall on June 28. It was located at where the HSBC headquarters building stands today, and was closed in 1933 when HSBC acquired the land.
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1870
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Englishman Grant Smith had every right to be regarded the father Star Ferry. In 1870, he started running a new cross-harbor ferry service with a twin-screw, wooden-hulled steam launch he bought from England that he renamed Morning Star 曉星號. Smith soon went into bankruptcy as there weren’t enough passengers to support the running of the launch. In 1888, Parsee opium merchant and baker (what a combination of professions) Dorabjee Nowrojee re-launched the ferry operation that became the Star Ferry of today.
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The first rickshaw was imported by a Tokyo-based American businessman to Hong Kong in 1870. According to some sources, rickshaw, which came from the Japanese word 人力車, Romanized as jinrikisha, may not be a Japanese invention. Some claim that it was invented by an American blacksmith Albert Tolman in 1848. Others attribute it to Jonathan Scobie, an American missionary to Japan, who invented it in 1869 to transport his invalid wife through the streets of Yokohama.
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1871
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The first Colonial flag was used between 1871 and 1876
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1872
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Arthur Edward Kennedy became the first (and the only) governor to make a mistake when taking his oath of office as the 7th governor of Hong Kong. An error was made in the oath tendered to him by the Acting Chief Justice, H.J. Ball, and consequently he had to be sworn in again 13 days later on April 29. There’s nothing to it. Barack Obama and John Roberts, two brilliant Harvard Law grads, had the same thing in 2009.

Whilst I was looking for the oath of office for the colonial governor, which is still nowhere to be seen, I did find the one for the Chief Executive, Hong Kong, SAR. Here goes:

I, [Name], swear that, in the office of Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, I will uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, bear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and serve the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conscientiously, dutifully, in full accordance with the law, honestly and with integrity, and be held accountable to the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

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1875
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The first lighthouse in Hong Kong was built this year at Cape D'Aguilar and named Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse 鶴咀燈塔. Declared a monument in 2006, the lighthouse is kept in good condition but no longer serves its original purpose.
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Thirty two years after its establishment, the Legislative Council was finally given a Chinese name on January 2 this year: Teng Lai Ku 定例局, literally translated as the organization that decides the regulations
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1877
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The first tunnel built in Hong Kong was a part of the water supply system - the Pok Fu Lam Tunnel. It measures 80 meters long and 1.5 meters in diameter.
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1878
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The first elevators in Hong Kong were installed in the six-stories high Hong Kong Hotel situated on Pedder Street. The hotel was the tallest building in Hong Kong at that time; all others were two to three stories high. The elevators were Otis Elevators, invented by American Elisha Graves Otis in 1853.
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1880
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Ng Choy 伍才, alias Wu Tingfang 伍廷芳, was the first Chinese appointed to the Legislative Council.
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c.1880
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Lai A-mui 黎亞妹 - orphan, wife of China’s first Chinese dental surgery practitioner and quasi-godmother of Sun Yat-sen - was the first woman appointed as a court interpreter in Hong Kong.
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1883
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William Doberck 杜伯克 (b.1852-d.1914) a well-known double-star astronomy scholar at his time, was appointed the first Director of the Hong Kong Observatory this year. He held this office until 1907.
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The Sanitary Board 潔淨局 was established as the first supervisory council in which a system of partial elections was incorporated, allowing selected individuals to vote for members on the board. It was renamed Urban Council 市政局 in 1936
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1885
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The Hong Kong standard time was first set on January 1 this year by the Observatory to Local Mean Time, which was GMT plus 7:36:41.
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Time service – a time ball, 6-feet in diameter, was raised up the mast in front of the Marine Police Headquarters at Tsimshatsui at about 12:50pm; the ball dropped at actually 1pm; this became the daily time service henceforth until 1933; the time ball tower was later moved to Blackhead Point in January 1908
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1887
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The Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese 香港華人西醫書院 opened this year inside the Alice Memorial Hospital. It was Hong Kong’s first medical college as well as school of postsecondary education.
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Ho Shan-po 何神保, alias Wyson Ho 何衛臣, was the first Chinese solicitor in Hong Kong. He was admitted on August 23. Ho, who studied law in Britain and was called to the bar there, was the son of the Rev. Ho Fuk-tong 何福堂. His kid brother Ho Kai, a solicitor and medical doctor, would one day became a prominent member of the society.
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1889
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Clara Eastmond became the first matron in a hospital, the Government Civil Hospital.
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Golf Club - Royal Hong Kong Golf Club, formed by 13 keen golfers, the 10th governor George William Des Voeux 德輔 became the club's first president
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Golf course (ground) – within the Happy Valley race course, special permission for use by members of the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club, the area was used for football, polo, hockey and military parades, golfers had to take their turn at using the ground; nets were used for bunkers, granite setts for the hole, by 1891, a small shed was built as a clubhouse
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The Hong Kong Golf Club became the first Hong Kong establishment to receive royal nomenclature, which was granted by Queen Victoria. It was followed by: Hong Kong Yacht Club, granted by Queen Victoria in 1894; Hong Kong Observatory, granted by King George V in 1912; Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, and Hong Kong Regiment, also known as The Volunteers, granted by King George V in 1951, both kept the title until they were disbanded respectively in April 1993 and September 1995; Hong Kong Police Force, and Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force, granted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1969; and lastly Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, granted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1978. All had their royal tiles dropped in 1997, except the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club that had done so a year earlier, and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, which is still using the royal title.
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1890
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Electric power station - located on Star Street 星街 Wan Chai, initial output 100 kilowatt.
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The first supplies of electricity began at 6pm, December 1 this year. The Hong Kong Electric Company 香港電燈 lighted the first streetlight in Central.
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c. 1890
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Chinese matron - Lai A-mui 黎亞妹, Alice Memorial Hospital
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1892
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Graduates of local medical school - Sun Yat-sen 孫中山 and Kong Ying-wah 江英華
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Chinese created a CMG – Ho Kai, Companion of St. Michael and St George
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1893
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Locally trained doctor to practice in Hong Kong - Kuan Sum-yin 關心焉
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The Ordinance No.5 of 1893, enacted on June 26 this year, required all dog owners, except farmers who kept dogs solely as watch dogs, to obtain licenses for dog keeping.
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1897
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Movie screened – short films produced by Frenchmen, Lumière brothers
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1898
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Golf course - 9-hole Deep Water Bay course of the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club, members rode round to the course in boats from Victoria Harbor or rode ponies over Wong Nei Chong Gap, whilst the caddies walked carrying the clubs and picnics
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1900
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Department store owned and operated by Chinese - Sincere Department Store, located on Queen's Road
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Department Store to hire women as salespersons - Sincere Department Store.
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1900s
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The first underground public lavatory appeared in Central. A total of six of them were built whereas only one remains open today.
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1903
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Cinema - Empire Cinematograph Theatre 奄派亞影畫戲院, located on Des Voeux Road C. near Jubilee Street where the Hang Seng Bank Building stands today, rebuilt in 1919 and became the Wo Ping Theatre 和平戲院
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Featured-length movie screened - La vie et la passion de Jésus Christ, a 44-minute French silent film
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1904
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Woman doctor - Alice Deborah Sibree
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The Greenwich Mean Time was adopted this year as the basis for Hong Kong standard time, which was set at eight hours in advance of GMT.
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On July 15, this year, for the first time Hong Kong was subject to racial segregation. The Peak District Reservation Ordinance, No.4 of 1904 was enacted that denied Chinese the right to reside in the peak area.
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1908
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Hong Kong doctor to open a medical school in China - Wong Sai-yan 王世恩, Guangzhou Guonghua Medical College 廣東光華醫學院
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1910
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Woman to join a Hong Kong-based assassination group, The China Assassination Corps 支那暗殺團 - Ding Xiangtian 丁湘田
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Railway tunnel - the First KCR Beacon Hill Tunnel; construction began in 1906, single lane tunnel of standard gauge, 2.2 km long; was the greatest engineering project in Asia of its time; closed when the electrified Second KCR Beacon Hill Tunnel was put in use; now occupied by town gas facilities.
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1911
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Powered flight - Belgian pilot Charles den Bron took off at the Sha Tin Airfield in his plane named Spirit of Sha Tin
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Golf course - 18-hole Fanling Old Course of the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club
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1912
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Police Chief to become Governor (the first and only) - Francis Henry May 梅含理; May was police chief between 1893 and 1901
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Chinese created a Knigth Bachelor – Ho Kai
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University – University of Hong Kong; teaching commenced in September, the university had three faculties: Medicine, Engineering and Arts, with a total of 71 students
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1913
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Scout Troop - the 1st Hong Kong Scout Troop of St. Joseph's College; the group was registered with The Boy Scout Association on May 1, 1914; Chief Scout was Major F.J. Bowen and the Scoutmaster was Albert Edwards
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1915
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Mining tunnel - Lin Ma Hang Mining Tunnel; 0.9 km long, 2.3 m diameter cross section; Lin Ma Hang 蓮麻坑, a village in Sha Tau Kok, had a lead mine operation till early 1960
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1916
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Degree congregation of HKU – held on December 14 for 23 students and 5 honorary graduates (4 would be added in the same year). The graduates were: 12 in Engineering - 傅秉常, 鄧應霖, 梁乃恒, 何永乾, 葉衍芳, 凌文禮, 韋榮翰, 韋榮駱, 黃泰初, Lau Chan, Lai Hau-yeung and Chan Iu-choo; 8 in Medicine – 周懷璋, 林宗揚, Cheah Tiang-eam, Cheong Chee-hai, Wong Hing-chuen, Teoh Cheng-toe, Teh Lean-swee and Lim Soon-kian; and 3 in Arts – 林棟, 李景康 and Li Tsok -lun
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Honorary graduates, HKU – the recipients of LL.D. were14th Hong Kong Governor Frederick J.D. Lugard 盧押, archaeologist Louis Finot 路易士芬諾, the Father of Railways in China - Tien Yow Jeme 詹天佑, French explorer and archaeologist Captain Paul Pelliot 伯希和, Robert Ho Tung 何東, Indonesia based industrialist - Pat Sze Cheung 張弼士, Indonesia based industrialist - Chang Yew Hin 張耀軒, Malaya based banker and industrialist - Loke Yew 陸佑 and medical doctor Lien Teh Wu 伍連德, known as the “Plague Fighter” because of his work in controlling plague in China in 1910s
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1918
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Local bank founded by Chinese – Bank of East Asia
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The first great fire happened on February 26 this year at the Happy Valley Race Course. The tragedy took over 600 lives.
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1919
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Murder in a theater - Comedian, Lee Siu Fan 李少帆, of the Guangzhou based Chinese opera company Juk Wah Chuen 祝華全 was shot dead while performing on stage at the Wo Ping Theatre; the gun shots came from the audience; the killer was never caught
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1920
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Chinese Professor - C.Y. Wang 王寵益, Professor of Pathology, HKU
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1921
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Chinese Scout Troop - 6th Hong Kong of the Ellis Kadoorie School 育才書院; Scoutmaster A. White
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1922
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Visit by the Prince of Wales – Edward, later King Edward VIII and after abdication the Duke of Windsor
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1924
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Bus service – provided by China Motor Bus
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Cinema screening sound films and color films - Queen's Theatre 皇后戲院, located on Queen's Road Central, rebuilt in 1961, closed in 2007.
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1925
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Woman University graduate - Irene Cheng, nee Ho-tung, 何奇姿, later changed to 何艾齡, HKU
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Airport - Kai Tak Airport, first flight records appeared, named after Ho Kai and his son-in-law Au Tak
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The first YMCA in Hong Kong opened in Kowloon on November 11.
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1926
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Chinese appointed to the Executive Council - Chow Shou-son 周壽臣
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Hotel fire - Hong Kong Hotel 香港大酒店, 6-storied building opened in 1868; located where the Gloucester Building and the Central Building are situated today; hotel closed after fire.
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1932
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Woman barrister - Teo Soon Kim 張舜琴
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Cinema with air-conditioning - King's Theatre 娛樂戲院, located at the corner of Wyndham Street and Queen's Road Central
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1936
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Air mail service - handled by Imperial Airways, connecting with their London - Australia route at Penang
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Commercial flight between London and Hong Kong, Imperial Airways
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1938
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Made-in-Hong Kong product show - Brands and Products Expo, Hong Kong 工展會, held at St Paul's College in Central, 40 companies displayed 200 types of products in 86 booths.
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Commercial flight between Paris and Hong Kong - 12-seater Dewoitine 338, the new Air France’s favorite tri-motor plane
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The Nurses and Midwives Association was founded this year, with the objectives of maintaining the standard of nursing care, promoting unity among nurses and midwives and protecting their interest.
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1941
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Wu Zung 胡忠was regarded as the first taxi boss in Hong Kong, he owned and run 40 cars. He was the father of property tycoon Gordon Wu of Hopwell Group.
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1944
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Woman Priest - Florence Li Tim Oi 李添嬡, Hong Kong Anglican Church
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1945
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Victory Parade at the Cenotaph in Central – held on August 29
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1946
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Local airlines company - Cathay Pacific, founded by Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow, became flag carrier of Hong Kong
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Census with first million-population
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Miss Hong Kong - Lee Nan 李蘭, born Leung Suk Chun 梁淑真, alias Chan Yuen Hung 陳婉紅
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1946The Civil Aviation Department 民航處 was founded on May 1 this year.
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1947
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During the first year when taxi service was regulated, 329 cars were licensed.
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1948
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Bishop - Bishop Enrico Valtorta 恩理覺主教
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Woman Justice of the Peace - Ellen Li 李曹秀群
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Woman solicitor - Patricia J. Loseby
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Woman to be created a CBE - Ellen Li 李曹秀群
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1949
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Military airfield - Sha Tin Airfield
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Woman police officer of the Chinese descent - Kimmy Koh 高建美
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Amusement Park - Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park 荔園遊樂場
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Double-decker bus - introduced by Kowloon Motor Bus
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Ship’s fire (of substantial scale) – S.S. Sai On 西安號客船, a ferry that ran between Hong Kong and Guangzhou (Canton), 200 people died
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Identification Cards issued to Hong Kong residents
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Movie of the Wong Fei Hung franchaise – The True Story of Wong Fei Hung Part I 黃飛鴻傳上集
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1950
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The first law aims to protect dogs and cats was legislated on January 13 this year. The “Dogs and Cats Regulation”, Cap 167, section 3 of Ordinance No.1 of 1950 prohibits the slaughter or sale of dogs and cats for food.
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1954
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Miss Kong Kong to win a Miss Universe title - Virgina Lee Wai Chun, 2nd runner-up in the third Miss Universe pageant
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1955
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Escalators - installed at the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club
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1956
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Miss Hong Kong to act in a Hollywood blockbuster film - Judy Dan 但茱迪, Miss Hong Kong in 1952, the film was The King and I
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Escalators installed in a building open to the general public - Man Yee Building, Des Voeux Road Central.
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1957
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Television station - Rediffusion 麗的映聲; it was a cable TV station.
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Lily Leung 梁舜燕 took the leading role in Hong Kong’s first TV drama series “A Blessed Family” 幸福的家庭 and became the first TV actress in Hong Kong. The show was broadcasted live by Rediffusion, Hong Kong’s first TV station.
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1958
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Building constructed with curtain wall facade - Tak Shing House, Des Voeux Road Central
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1960s
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Ferrari – believed to be known by a foreign resident
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Rubber dam - Plover Cove 船灣淡水湖, three inflatable dams were constructed
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1962
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Public library run by the government - The City Hall Public Library
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1964
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Concerts by The Beatles - 2 concerts at the Princess Theater 樂宮戲院
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1965
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For the first time, Hong Kong imported and paid for water supply from China - Dongjiang (East River of the Pearl River system) 東江. Today, about 70 to 80 percent of water supplies for Hong Kong come from Dongjiang.
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1966
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Woman Protestant Minister - Lee Ching-chee 李清詞, Church of Christ in China (HKCCC) 中華基督教會香港區會.
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Woman appointed to the Legislative Council - Ellen Li 李曹秀群.
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Miss Hong Kong to die by suicide - Lily Mo Chou 莫愁, born Wang Lizhen 王麗貞; 2nd runner-up of 1959 Miss Hong Kong pageant and Shaw Brothers actress; age 32.
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On November 19 this year, TVB, or Television Broadcasts Limited, launched a live variety show called “Enjoy Yourself Tonight” 歡樂今宵; little did it know that the show would continued for the next twenty seven years until 1994, and became one of the world’s longest-running live variety show.
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1967
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Wireless commercial television station - Television Broadcasts Ltd. (TVB)
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Television live coverage - Macau Grand Prix by TVB
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Road Tunnel - the Lion Rock Tunnel; 1.43 km dual-one single bore tunnel connecting Kowloon Tong and Sha Tin; also a water supply tunnel as part of the Plover Cove scheme to Kowloon; the Second Lion Rock Tunnel, 1.41 km, opened in 1978
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1970
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Papal Visit - Pope Paul VI
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Rolls Royce fleet owned by the Peninsula Hotel - seven Silver Shadow
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1971
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Locally produced television program in color - Enjoy Yourself Tonight 歡樂今宵, TVB
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Common law marriage, which had been practiced by the Chinese residents, was no longer protected by law since this year’s enactment of the Marriage Reform Ordinance. All marriages were required to be registered to become legal.
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1972
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Meeting of the Legislative Council at which the Chinese language was allowed to be used - meeting on October 18; 129 years after the establishment of the Council, and 82 years after the appointment of the first Chinese member.
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On January 1 this year, Hong Kong began to use UTC as official time standard. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC, French: Temps Universel Coordonné) is a time standard based on International Atomic Time (TAI) with leap seconds added at irregular intervals to compensate for the Earth’s slowing rotation.
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1973
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Televised beauty pageant -  Miss Beach Pageant 沙灘小姐選舉, the beauty queen was Meg Lam Kin Ming 林建明
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1974
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Commissioner of Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) - Jack Cater 姬達
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1975
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McDonald's Restaurant - opened at Paterson Street in Causeway Bay
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Woman meteorologist - Elaine Koo Mu-pin, nee Hui 古許慕彬
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1978
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Rubber dam for irrigation and floor control - Tai Po Tau 大埔頭, 37m x 38.1m, supplied by Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
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1984
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Chinese woman to fill the post of Director of Social Welfare - Anson Chan 陳方安生
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1986
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Woman Judge - Helen Ann Lo 羅凱倫, later Helen Griffiths, District Court Judge
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Governor died in office (and the only one) - Edward Youde 尤德
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1988
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Cardinal - Cardinal Wu Cheng-Chung John Baptist 胡振中樞機
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Chinese appointed Chief Justice - Yang Ti-Liang 楊鐵樑
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1989
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Chinese appointed Police Chief - Li Kwan Ha 李君夏
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Woman bus driver - Leung Wai-yu
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1990
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Lydia Selina Dunn 鄧蓮如 was created the first Baroness of Hong Kong, she was the first and the last
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1993
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Anson Chan 陳方安生 was the first Chinese as well as the first woman to fill the post of Chief Secretary, Hong Kong Government
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1995
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Woman pilot - Perveen Crawford, nee Khan, private plane
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1997
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Chief Executive, Hong Kong SAR - Tung Chee-hwa 董建華
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President of the Provisional Legislative Council - Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai 范徐麗泰
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Woman to fill the post of Secretary for Justice - Elsie Leung Oi-sie 梁愛詩, she was also the first junior lawyer to fill this post
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1998
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Woman President (speaker) of the Legislative Council - Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai 范徐麗泰
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Hong Kong woman to become a Canadian Senator - Vivienne Poy (nee Lee) 利德蕙
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2005
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Woman to fill the post of Group General Manager, HSBC - Margaret Leung Ko May-yee 梁高美懿
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2006
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Hong Konger to fill the post of general manager of an airport in China - Vivian Cheung, nee Lee 張李佳蕙, Zhuhai Airport
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Woman billionaire - Nina Wang Yu Sum, nee Kung 龔如心
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Hong Konger appointed as Director-General of WHO (World Health Organization) - Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun 陳馮富珍
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2007
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Bank CEO investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on insider dealing charges - David Li Kwok Po 李國寶, Bank of East Asia
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Woman to chair the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce - Lily Chiang 蔣麗莉
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Woman to fill the post of the head of the Medicine Department, HKU - Karen Lam Siu-Ling 林小玲
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2008
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Chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce to be indicted by the ICAC - Lily Chiang 蔣麗莉
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Airlines company bankruptcy - Oasis Hong Kong Airlines, founded by Raymond Lee and wife Priscilla in 2005, liquidated with a loss of $1 billion
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2009
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Jail sentence for offender of insider trading - Ma Hon Yeung 馬漢揚, former VP of BNP Paribas Capital was sentenced to 26 months in prison

- TO BE COMPLETED -