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Lo Lei Wo
Lo Lei Wo
Former Director & Factory Manager, National Battery Factory Limited
Sex: Male Birthyear: 1929 Age at Interview: 81 Education: Junior Secondary Occupation: Factory Foreman Theme: Industry When Lo Lei Wo joined the Hing Wah Battery Factory, the factory did not provide staff quarters while workers could only sleep on cardboards laid on the work bench at night. Their beds were removed the next working day. Since those work tables were filthy and topped with manganese dioxide and graphite, workers had to try hard avoiding physical contact with these chemical dirts before sleep.
Title Sleeping in the factory during his apprenticeship Date 16/11/2010 Subject Industry Duration 53s 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. LKF-LLW-HLT-001 In the 1950s Lo Lei Wo lived in a tenement building in Mong Kok. He and 13 families lived on a single floor and shared a kitchen. The sub-landlady had two stoves in the kitchen while each household had only one. The residents used wood scraps for cooking and choking fumes were released. The households had breathing problems and the fumes blackened the house and the roof.
Title Living in a crowded tenement building and using wood scraps for cooking Date 16/11/2010 Subject Industry Duration 1m3s 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. LKF-LLW-HLT-002 The boss of Hing Wah Batter Factory was good at managing workers. He never pointed out their mistake face-to-face. Lo Lei Wo worked at Hing Wah from a junior position. He was willing to do more than required. His tasks even included cleaning the toilet. He was much admired and trained by his boss and thus felt a strong gratitude towards him.
Title Being admired and trained by his boss Date 23/11/2010 Subject 工業 Duration 1m35s 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. LKF-LLW-HLT-003 Lo Lei Wo focused himself in the actual production of the factory. He had little knowledge of the general economic trend of the larger society. After learning from a bank officer, He finally understood that there were economic recessions in Hong Kong and overseas in 1973 to 1974.
Title Working in an isolated environment Date 23/11/2010 Subject industry Duration 45秒 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. LKF-LLW-HLT-004 Lo believed that setting up new business could be a great start of an entrepreneurial career. He would have more opportunities of meeting different people and businesses. In contrast, when working in Hing Wah, life was more monotonous and regular as he had to stay in the factory for the whole day.
Title Setting up his business as a great exploration of his career Date 23/11/2010 Subject industry Duration 47s 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. LKF-LLW-HLT-005 In Hing Wah's hay days, bonuses for staff could reach half a year's salary. This was how Lo Lei Wo earned his capital for business start up. Lo led a decent lifestyle. He never played mahjong or danced at night clubs. He reviewed that after he came to Hong Kong from his native village, he had gone through so much to build his career. He had a family, and everything he did was for his children.
Title Leading a decent lifestyle and working hard for his family Date 23/11/2010 Subject industry Duration 1m12s 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. LKF-LLW-HLT-006 Lo Lei Wo regarded “worker” a better term than 'boss' when describing himself. He recalled that many people believed in a preset destiny, which means everyone was predestined to be a worker or a boss. After Lo's business failed, many pointed out with hindsight that he was born to be a worker, i.e. he made a successful worker but not a business owner.
Title Preset destiny of being born to be a worker Date 23/11/2010 Subject industry Duration 1m15s 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. LKF-LLW-HLT-007