Talk: Reflections on the Waglan Island Lighthouse

Description

In his talk “Waglan Island and the Coastal Lighthouses of China in 19th Century,” scholar and archivist Richard Wong will uncover the story behind the construction of 34 lighthouse stations built by the distinguished Scottish engineer David Marr Henderson, who served more than three decades with the Imperial Maritime Customs Service. 

Referencing Henderson’s original architectural plans, rare historical photographs from the Royal Geographical Society archives in London and other archival sources, Wong will share the history and current status of these famous lighthouses, including Waglan Island. Built in 1891, the Hong Kong’s notable southern pre-war lighthouse stands out for its technological advancement. It features an apparatus mounted on a mercury float for smooth rotation, making it one of only two lighthouses in Asia with such modern equipment at that time. 

Speaker Wong graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and previously worked on the Lighthouse Heritage Research project at City University of Hong Kong.

A wine reception will be held at 18:45 on 17 September followed by the talk at 19:30.