Looking through the maps of this area at https://www.hkmaps.hk/viewer.html, this quarry at Lei Yue Mun Point was one of the last sections in this neighbourhood to be quarried: on Map 1903.1, the 'Quarries' labels are down the west and southwest sides of this peninsula, the area labelled Sam Ka Tsuen on the modern map, but at that time the land at Lei Yue Mun Point was untouched.
This land would likely have been off limits while the Pottinger Battery, just a little way up the slope, was in use. That would suggest quarrying didn't start here until some time after WW2.
The Aerial Survey Photo shown as Map 1963.2 is the earliest map or survey at hkmaps.hk that clearly shows the point being quarried. However, in that photo the quarry is already quite extensive so quarrying must have started several years earlier.
Quarrying had stopped by 1970, as on Map 1970.1 this area is labelled 'Ruins'.
It looks as though quarrying at the point started in the 1950s or 1960s, and had stopped by the end of the 1960s.
Found this report on the Internet which gives many details about quarries in Hong Kong including occupational health and workplace safety. Below is an excerpt about Lye Ye Mun Quarries:
In the 1940s to mid-1950s, the government had issued new permits to four quarry companies at Lei Yue Mun, namely Dai Hing Quarry Company (大興石廠), Lei Hing Quarry Company (利興石廠), Tung Fong Quarry Company (東方石廠) and Wong Yin Quarry Company (旺賢石廠). These were the ‘second generation’ quarries and located at the back of Tin Hau Temple and extended towards east.
The ‘first generation’ quarries at Lei Yue Mun were established in early-19th century and included four companies; Tong Ren Tang (同仁堂), Tong Tai Tang (同泰堂), Tong Fu Tang (同福堂) and Tong Li Tang (同利堂). These companies were located along the Hoi Pong Road (海傍道), or previously Ha Wan (下環) area and extended towards Yau Tong (油塘) or previously Sam Ka Tsuen (三家村).
Quarrying works at the ‘first generation’ sites were carried out mainly by hand whilst the works by the ‘second generation’ companies were done by machines and explosives until the temporary prohibition of using explosives in 1967. In view of the decreasing demand and strict imposition of blasting requirements after 1967, the ‘second generation’ quarries were subsequently closed gradually.
The remaining rock face of Wong Yin Quarry Company at the far end of the Ma Pui Village and ancillary structures were generally left untouched after 1967-68. Some concrete structures such as pier and storage bins can still be identified easily now.
The sea front old strcutures including seawall, pier and buildings are so extensive in comparing the size of quarry just cut from the exposed rock face, in addition, there have no major road in connecting this area to rest area of Kowloon for collecting the rock source for loading to ship.
Any one have idea if this old structures are mainly for quarry operation or military purpose.
Talked to a resident there recently, had an interesting story to share, don't know the accuracy of these stories so i'll leave it here.
The granite was generally transported via ship to a larger ship in open sea for export (allegedly to Europe). The pier was built by the quarry company/owner for that purpose. The story I've heard about the quarry ceased operation during turmoil, 1967 one I supposed (which matches the comment above about stopped operation during 1967/8), because the police found out this quarry was where rioters obtained fuels, the explosives, hence it got shut down.
Thanks to Roadchie in providing the possible reason in constructing the extensive seafront structures in there, is mainly as transit point in collecting granite from other area in HK before transporting to mainland China/oversea by large ship.
Based on the quarry map of HK published in 1991, the nearest quarry is located at the back on Devil Peak in finding rock type of Wolframite or Beryl while the production were very small. It thus reasonably believes that the platform and associated seafront structures were constructed for rock collection instead of quarry excavation purpose. The rock cut face at the back is to provide more platform space for storage purpose.
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Looking through the maps of…
Looking through the maps of this area at https://www.hkmaps.hk/viewer.html, this quarry at Lei Yue Mun Point was one of the last sections in this neighbourhood to be quarried: on Map 1903.1, the 'Quarries' labels are down the west and southwest sides of this peninsula, the area labelled Sam Ka Tsuen on the modern map, but at that time the land at Lei Yue Mun Point was untouched.
This land would likely have been off limits while the Pottinger Battery, just a little way up the slope, was in use. That would suggest quarrying didn't start here until some time after WW2.
The Aerial Survey Photo shown as Map 1963.2 is the earliest map or survey at hkmaps.hk that clearly shows the point being quarried. However, in that photo the quarry is already quite extensive so quarrying must have started several years earlier.
Quarrying had stopped by 1970, as on Map 1970.1 this area is labelled 'Ruins'.
It looks as though quarrying at the point started in the 1950s or 1960s, and had stopped by the end of the 1960s.
Wong Yin Quarry Company (旺賢石廠)
Source:
Quarrying in Hong Kong Since Second World War
Found this report on the Internet which gives many details about quarries in Hong Kong including occupational health and workplace safety. Below is an excerpt about Lye Ye Mun Quarries:
In the 1940s to mid-1950s, the government had issued new permits to four quarry companies at Lei Yue Mun, namely Dai Hing Quarry Company (大興石廠), Lei Hing Quarry Company (利興石廠), Tung Fong Quarry Company (東方石廠) and Wong Yin Quarry Company (旺賢石廠). These were the ‘second generation’ quarries and located at the back of Tin Hau Temple and extended towards east.
The ‘first generation’ quarries at Lei Yue Mun were established in early-19th century and included four companies; Tong Ren Tang (同仁堂), Tong Tai Tang (同泰堂), Tong Fu Tang (同福堂) and Tong Li Tang (同利堂). These companies were located along the Hoi Pong Road (海傍道), or previously Ha Wan (下環) area and extended towards Yau Tong (油塘) or previously Sam Ka Tsuen (三家村).
Quarrying works at the ‘first generation’ sites were carried out mainly by hand whilst the works by the ‘second generation’ companies were done by machines and explosives until the temporary prohibition of using explosives in 1967. In view of the decreasing demand and strict imposition of blasting requirements after 1967, the ‘second generation’ quarries were subsequently closed gradually.
The remaining rock face of Wong Yin Quarry Company at the far end of the Ma Pui Village and ancillary structures were generally left untouched after 1967-68. Some concrete structures such as pier and storage bins can still be identified easily now.
Structure Constructed in Lye Ye Mun Quarries
The sea front old strcutures including seawall, pier and buildings are so extensive in comparing the size of quarry just cut from the exposed rock face, in addition, there have no major road in connecting this area to rest area of Kowloon for collecting the rock source for loading to ship.
Any one have idea if this old structures are mainly for quarry operation or military purpose.
Shut down during 1967 Riots?
Talked to a resident there recently, had an interesting story to share, don't know the accuracy of these stories so i'll leave it here.
The granite was generally transported via ship to a larger ship in open sea for export (allegedly to Europe). The pier was built by the quarry company/owner for that purpose. The story I've heard about the quarry ceased operation during turmoil, 1967 one I supposed (which matches the comment above about stopped operation during 1967/8), because the police found out this quarry was where rioters obtained fuels, the explosives, hence it got shut down.
Structure Constructed in Lye Ye Mun Quarries
Thanks to Roadchie in providing the possible reason in constructing the extensive seafront structures in there, is mainly as transit point in collecting granite from other area in HK before transporting to mainland China/oversea by large ship.
Based on the quarry map of HK published in 1991, the nearest quarry is located at the back on Devil Peak in finding rock type of Wolframite or Beryl while the production were very small. It thus reasonably believes that the platform and associated seafront structures were constructed for rock collection instead of quarry excavation purpose. The rock cut face at the back is to provide more platform space for storage purpose.