CHINA. MAIL, PAGE 32
HONG KONG CENTENARY NUMBER
1841
A Century Of Progress
IT is appropriate that the century
of
Colony the
Hong of Kong in 1941 should likewise be the centenary of the founding of
of the premier frm
European manufacturing chemists and drug- gists in the Far East. A. S. Watson and Co, Ltd. Like that of the Colony with which its growth and develupament have been contem - poraneous, this business was mo- dest in its beginnings, being start- ed at Possession Point ma shed by Dr F. H Young, a naval surgeon.
WHEN
nat
The original shanty was used solely as a dispensary for the Ser- vices stationed in Hong Kong, and therefore designated the "Hong Kong Dispensary," a name still associated with the retail and of the Com- dispensing section pany's business The premises were replaced in 1845 by perman- ent quarters in what was then the chef thuroughfare of the island, Que's Bond. The founder, Dr. Young, returned to England in 1850, and after his departure several others in turn married on the business until the arrival of Mr. A 5. Watson in 1858, who bestowed upon the firm the name by which it is now known. Upon Mr. Watson's retirement in 1866 the main interest in the concern passed into the hands of Mr. Bell, who afterwards sold it to Messrs. Hunt and Johu D. Humphreys
Business Expands
The letter became sole proprietor In 1874, and from that time on- wards the business expanded.
Mr Humphreys was indefatig- able in his efforts to further the development of the firm, and two years later opened
the aerated
water factory, which has subse- quently proved to be one of the most flourishing of the Company's enterprises. The success attained in this venture was so encourag- Ing that a wine and spirit depart- ment was added, and eventually a Chinese proprietary medicine de- partment. Branches were estab- lished under European manage- ment at Canton, Amoy, Foochow. Shanghai, Bankow, Tientsin, and Manila. These, however, with the exception of the one at Canton, have since been closed, being re- placed by agencies. Upon his re- tirement in 1896 Mr. Humphreys relinquished the general manage-
ment
to Messrs. John D. Hum- phreys and Son, and in 1904 the head- Its Company transferred
Building. quarters to Alexandra which is a familiar landmark to every visitor as well as resident of Hong Kong.
Two Factories
A. S. Watson and Co., Ltd., who are known throughout China as "Wat-Tson-Tsee Tai-yeuk-fong- "Watson's Great Dispensary"—— gained their reputation largely on account of the great popularity of their aerated waters; for no matter in what part of the hinterland of South China one may travel one may be sure to find their bottled beverages on sale. There are two factories, one in Hong Kong, the other at Canton, together occupy- ing an area of approximately eight acres, and affording employment to more than 350 persons under European supervision. It is of in-
the terest to note that
flavour which enjoys the greatest popu- larity is sarsue (sarsaparilla), and the Chinese rendering of the name
become
in the
શ
has "Sar-sae-shui”
expression household vocabulary of the Cantonese peo- ple,
Flower Pagoda Cakes
Another department which has likewise achieved immediate suc- cess is that for the manufacture and sale of Chinese proprietary medicines. The modern labora- stuff of British tory, with its technicians, stands as an eloquent testimony to the continuous efforts of the firm to provide at reason- able prices specific preparations and medicines of all kinds. Among these may be instanced an anthel- mintic preparation, which is
favourite with great
Chinese mothers, who know it under the exotic name of "Far-tap-peng”—- "Flower Pagoda Cakes."
#
The department of the firm's business which is most familiar to the permanent resident of Hong Kong as well as to the tourist is the pharmacy, represent- ed by two dispensaries, one on the island in Alexandra Building, and the other across the harbour in Kowloon, which are justly re- garded as the headquarters in South China of the pharmaceutical trade.
a lavish scale the principal feature "Established of the celebration.
1841" in large letters and figures formed of small coloured oil lamps formed the central device; at each
in end was a large crown
gas with the "V.R." and the figures this "1841, 1891."--and outside
lamps. another star of coloured
arches The whole of the
and cornices of the verandahs of the extensive premises were outlined with lamps of the same descrip- tion, and the general effect was so at attractive that Queen's Road this point was for several hours almost impassable owing to the dense throng of Chinese who as- sembled to enjoy the sight.
Hong Dinner
On the 24th January a dinner
The was given at the Hong. whole of the staff and a number of guests were present, dinner be- the large ing served in one of casual
rooms of the new building, which had been decorated with banners The and ferns for the occasion, toast of the evening, "Continued prosperity to the Firm," was pro- Mr. posed in a neat speech by Mancell, and ably responded to by Mr. T. H Talbot, the manager, and Mr. Chan A. Fook, manager of the Chinese department. Sever- al other toasts were also drunk, that of the managing director, Mr. J. D. Humphreys, being received with the greatest enthusiasını. At the conclusion of dinner an ad- journment was made to an ad- joining room, where the more ac- complished portion of the party instru- by means of vocal and mental music made the hours pass with the greatest rapidity.
Jubilee Celebration
Hong Kong, January 21, 1891. The
Dispensary Hong Kong afforded magnificent Jubilee show to large crowds during the three nights of the celebrations. The business of A. S. Watson & Co., Limited, having been estab- its lished in 1841 it celebrated Jublice at the same time as the Colony, and made illuminations on
L.
seen
Exchange Memories
resident
of
& Co., but bet-
re-
Dun-
Mr. L. Dunbar,
Dunbar ter known to Hong Kong sidents as owner of Liberty Bay, Bay, Diana Bay and Confusion three of the finest China ponies on the local race track, is guiding the destiny of the oldest flour concern in the Colony. Fifty-six years ago Mr. bar's father, convalescing from a bout of typhoid, paid a visit to Hong Kong from Portland, Ore- gan, staying at a hotel that stood on the site now occupied by the National City Bank of New York, and it was not long before he had established business connections which ultimately led to the export of flour from America in the fol- lowing year.
It was during his period of active interest in the flour busi- ness in Hong Kong that the record shipment was made, 550,000 sacks by s.s. "Minnesota".
To-day, his son, born in Port- land, Oregon, and arriving here in 1915, is carrying on a family tradition, but under much greater handicaps-fixed exchange and no free distribution.
Mr. Dunbar remembers well two very successful years in Hong Kong, when he sold 21⁄2 million sacks and followed this up in the next year with 24 million, ap- proximately H.K.$5,000,000 and H.K.$4,500,000 respectively, when approximatley forty-five gold dole lars bought one hundred Hong Kong.
While on the subject of exTM change, Mr. Dunbar, has seen G$120 changed for HK$100, and G$105 for HK$100, while be a- cured G$08 for HI$100 one time he went on leave!
He can recall how Rennie, agent of the Portland
Flouring
GILMAN'S
REACH
THEIR CENTENARY
one
The name of Gilman is recorded the of in the earliest archives Colony. Mr. Richard James Gil- man,
of Dent & Co.'s tea tasters, established himself in. business in Canton about the year 1841, and in Hong Kong shortly after that date, in partnership with a Mr. Abram Bowman under the firm name of Gilman Bowinan & Co. The title of the firm was subsequently changed, on the re- tirement of Mr. Bowman, to Gil- man & Co.
Fortunes High
a
During the first quarter of century of the firm's existence its fortunes appear to have been in the ascendant, and branches were established in Hankow, Shanghai, Foochow and Japan. The original Mr. R. J. Gilman went home in 1855, having amassed a large sum of money, but continued his part- nership in the firm. In 1862 the partners were Messrs. B, J. Gil man, A. B. Hudson, R. J. Ashton, W. H. Vacher, (later to become one of the promoters of Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Con-
Mills, one of the big mills on the Pacife Coast, pinced a large per- with centage of profits, coupled financial backing by Sir Paul Chater and Mr. F. K. Mody, into a flour mill in Junk Bay, only to see his project end in dişmal failure, after which be committed: suicide. The machinery was later sent to Kobe,
The nearest flour mills to Hong Kong are in and around Shanghai and these mills had a capacity of over 70,000 sacks per day before the Sino-Japanese "hostilities.
poration, Ltd.), W. H. Green, and a large and comprehensive mer- chant business was carried on by the firm.
The London Agents of Gilman & Co. were Ashton & Co., of which firm Mr. Ellis J. Gilman was a partner. It may be recall- ed that the old firm of Ashton & Co. was also the original London Agents for Hong Kong & Shang- hai Banking Corporation during the early days of the latter, prior to the establishment of the Bank's own London Branch Office.
The connection of Gilman & Co. with the corporation of Lloyd's in London dates from the early fifties, during which period they have acted as agents for the cor- poration in Hong Kong and Foo- chow.
Ching Tea
Thirteen
Not Unlucky
This year, Mackintosh's Ltd. will complete 28 years of business, for they opened their store on June 13, 1913-an inauspicious date the superstitious will prob- ably say.
These 28 years have been years Their of continuous progress. original premises were at 18, Des Voeux Road, approximately where the Gas Company's Showroom is now situated in Gloucester Build- ing, and Mr. Mackintosh had a staff of one-a coolie! The win- dow-dressing, the advertising, the and the serving of customers book-keeping were all attended to by Mr. Mackintosh, and how well he laid the foundations of the business and how assiduously he attended to these multifarious duties is borne out by the fact that to-day, in Alexandra Building, the staff consists of six Europeans and over forty local employees.
increase With the steady
in business which necessitated these increases in staff and premises, there came additional managerial duties, and here Mr. F. A. Mac- kintosh, the Managing Director. with his 38 years' experience of local conditions, provides the driv- ing force, guiding the business with care and skill, but rigidly keeping to his original policy of "Quality first". Brief mention of the Sole Agencies which Mackin- Coats, tosh's have-Aquascutum "K" Shoes, Henry Heath Scotts' Hats, Braemar Woollies and Austin' Reed's “Summit" goods, in addition to general agencies such as Aertex Shirts and Underwear, Refrigeratous, Van Heusen Shirts and Pure Wool Wear, Viyella Wines, Motors and. Exports. The present Directors of the Company are Mr. G. Miskin and Mr. C: Blaker, Hong Kong and Mr. J. A Taylor in London.
Having its roots in the Old China Tea trade, Gilman & Co. extended its operations to a num- ber of different merchant ventures and, through varying tides of for- tune, has been intimately connect- ed with the commercial life of the Colony up to the present day.
The old frm: et Gilman & Co. continued until the year 1917, at which date it was purchased by Mr. Duncan Patersori and convert- ed into a private limited liability. During recent years company. the Company has developed in many directions, and now has ac- tive departments handling Insur- ance, Shipping, Textiles, General Imports, Radios,
-
and
Collars and Allon & Solly hosiery gives an indication of the high standard of goods in which the firm exclusively deals,
1941