Chan Kwong Yiu

To cater to the nightlife in Yau Ma Tei, Man Sang Lung Foreign Wine Store opened 24 hours a day, even at times of Typhoon Signal No.10.It could be regarded as a predecessor of today’s convenience stores. The store sold Chinese wines, canned food, cigarette, fruit, medicine, coke, preserved fruit, fruit juice, biscuit, Lotus branded ice-cream, etc. Foreign wines was a special item. The annual fee of a wine license was more than $1000. It was not common for a grocery store selling foreign wine in the past. Most of the customers were the blue-collar such as coolies and boat people working at the waterfront. At night groups of customer met and chat at the door of Man Sang Lung. They had some beers and peanuts while discussing current affairs. When opinions differed, disputes broke out, which was common. Most of them were male. Occasionally, some foreigners visited the store with dancing girls, making Man Sang Lung sound like a laymen’s bar.

Title	Man Sang Lung at night
Date	24/03/2011
Subject	Community
Duration	2m29s
Language	Cantonese
Material Type	Audio
Collection	Oral History Archives
Repository	Hong Kong Memory Project
Note to Copyright	Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project
Accession No.	YMT-CKY-HLT-001

Chan once delivered goods to opium-smoking dens at the mezzanine of 226 Reclamation Street. As the authority regularly raided the cabins, opium dens were relocated frequently. They would immediately restore when the authority loosened its grip. Gambling dens were covered by two doors. The outer one was an iron gate. If visitors wanted to go in, someone would stretch his heads out of the window and ask who it was out there. Doors would be opened only when visitors’ identity secured.

Title	Migratory Opium Dens
Date	21/04/2011
Subject	Community
Duration	0m49s
Language	Cantonese
Material Type	Audio
Collection	Oral History Archives
Repository	Hong Kong Memory Project
Note to Copyright	Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project
Accession No.	YMT-CKY-HLT-002

Many customers of Man Sang Lung were night owls. Chan Kwong Yiu made deliveries to places such as ballrooms, guesthouses and hotels in Yau Ma Tei. In the past there were many ballrooms around Saigon Street and Nathan Road. They included Man Kok Ballroom, Sing Sing Sing Ball Room (next to Majestic Theatre at Nathan Road), and Mickey Ballroom (close to today’s Federal Restaurant). There were many guesthouses in Woosung Street and Jordan Road. ‘Peace’, ‘Golden Terrace’ and ‘Palace’ were inns offered cubicle apartments. Major hotels in Yau Ma Tei included ‘Nathan’, ‘Sun Sun’ and ‘Shamrock’. Small apartments were found everywhere in the inner streets of Yau Ma Tei.

These hotels, guesthouses and apartments were common place to make sex deals between dancing girl and their customers who paid tips generously. Since Kowah Hotel was located at a 13-story building, he was most reluctant to visit Kowah Hotel. Though the hotel was equipped with a lift, only customers were allowed to use it. Delivery boy had to climb the stairs. People of different social status were treated differently. Sun Sun Hotel had 5 floors. Some Cantonese opera performers also booked a room durably to play mahjong. Chan was familiar with the staffs of Sun Sun. He used to take a shower there after he had finished his work at night.

Title	Delivery to places of public entertainment at night
Date	24/03/2011
Subject	Community
Duration	1m45s
Language	Cantonese
Material Type	Audio
Collection	Oral History Archives
Repository	Hong Kong Memory Project
Note to Copyright	Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project
Accession No.	YMT-CKY-HLT-003

Once there were a row of Dai Pai Dongs in Yung Shu Tau. In the past Chan often delivered beef and wine to the concentration camp. In fact Dai Pai Dongs also offered liquids, but they were more expensive. To cater the need of regular customers, Dai Pai Dongs’ crews voluntarily provided phone no. of grocery stores and suggested their customers to make orders by phone.

Title	Wine to Dai Pai Dongs
Date	24/03/2011
Subject	Community
Duration	1m16s
Language	Cantonese
Material Type	Audio
Collection	Oral History Archives
Repository	Hong Kong Memory Project
Note to Copyright	Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project
Accession No.	YMT-CKY-HLT-004

Chan Kwong Yiu founded Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop at the ground shop of Tai On House which was opposite to Kam Wah Theatre at Canton Road. It was because the restaurant was close to Kam Wah Theatre, Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter (Pitt Street section) and Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market at Waterloo Road. Chan believed there would be many potential customers on the spot. Moreover, Chan had lived and worked in Yau Ma Tei since he was young. He had developed a deep affection to Yau Ma Tei. Therefore he started his business on Canton Road. . Later as he typhoon shelter was reclaimed, the cinemas were demolished, and the market got less prosperous radically. Chan Kwong Yiu had heard about the possibility of Fruit Market’s relocation. He was afraid that his business would be further worsened. Today, workers from Fruit Market made up about 80% of all the morning customers. Tai On opened earlier to meet the needs of them.

Title	Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop was founded next to cinema and Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter
Date	24/03/2011
Subject	Community
Duration	1m32s
Language	Cantonese
Material Type	Audio
Collection	Oral History Archives
Repository	Hong Kong Memroy Project
Note to Copyright	Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project
Accession No.	YMT-CKY-HLT-005

Boat dwellers was a major group of customer. Every time they visited the restaurant with the whole family. They were willing to spend generously on food. Chan Kwong Yiu seldom delivered aboard in the past. The typhoon shelter was a self-sufficient community where rice shops, grocery stores, and water provision were run aboard.
Getting water was a challenge for the boatmen. There were boats selling water in the shelter. Sellers took water from ashore and then sold it in barrels.Vessels at the typhoon shelter were either dwelling boats or fishing boats. The wealthy boat dwellers may spend nearly $100,000 to decorate their boat. Chicken reared aboard were known as ‘Tanka Chicken’.

The typhoon shelter shrank gradually when the reclamation began. Public housing estates were also constructed one by one. Boat dwellers moved ashore one after another. Economic landscape at waterfront was no more. A walkway nicknamed Shanghai Street was formed on sea surface between rows of boats in the typhoon shelter. Restaurants and schools were also run onboard. Many boat people escorted customers at Public Square Street Hotels were available on the vessels. With just a few dollars, customers could enjoy one-night’s experience aboard. Songs, cooked seafood, mini-cinemas, and live sex performances were all provided aboard.

Title	The heyday of Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter
Date	21/04/2011
Subject	Community
Duration	2m45s
Language	Cantonese
Material Type	Audio
Collection	Oral History Archives
Repository	Hong Kong Memory Project
Note to Copyright	Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project
Accession No.	YMT-CKY-HLT-006

Heng Kee, a famous Dai Pai Dong serving charcoal stove hot pot, was opened at Hamilton Street. At night Heng Kee was very popular and crowded. On the section of Hamilton Street between Canton Road and Shanghai Street there were dozens of tables and chairs. Vehicles could not access at night. Heng Kee outmatched other competitors nearby. Today it was relocated into a ground shop close to 8 Waterloo Tower.

Title	Dai Pai Dong serving hot pot on streets
Date	21/04/2011
Subject	Community
Duration	1m17s
Language	Cantonese
Material Type	Audio
Collection	Oral History Archives
Repository	Hong Kong Memory Project
Note to Copyright	Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project
Accession No.	YMT-CKY-HLT-007