Ir Dr. S.W. Poon

Adjunct Professor

Department of Real Estate and Construction

The University of Hong Kong

Abstract

This talk is based on research review of archives and interviews with relevant personnel of the quarrying industry.

In 1844 granite was shipped to China as recorded by the then colonial government. During 1850s and 1860s, granite blocks were transported to China, New South Wales, San Francisco and Siam as building materials as well as paving slabs.

Between 1928 and 1933, Hong Kong granite was substantially used for projects of the Mausoleum in Nanjing, the Memorial Auditorium and the Memorial Cenotaph in Guangzhou in remembrance of Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

This talk will cover the reasons why Hong Kong’s granite was one of the important produce in the 18th and 19th Century, with particular focus on the risk of the business and superstitions of the industry.

Biodata

Dr. Poon is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Real Estate and Construction, The University of Hong Kong.

He is a Chartered Structural Engineer, a Corporate Member of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and a Member of Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management.

He worked in consulting firms for several years before commencing teaching and research at the universities in Hong Kong and Singapore.

In the last two decades his research interest has focused on Historic Lighthouses in Hong Kong and nearby Places, Exportation of Quality Granite to the Pacific Rim in the 19th and 20th Century and Heritage Waterworks in Hong Kong.

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