The present Chek Lap Kok village and Tin Hau Temple in Tung Chung
The inhabitants of the island practiced farming and quarrying. Quarrying started in early 19th century to mid 20th century, mainly at the north coast of the island. There were about 200 people living on the island in the 1950s. The number of inhabitants rose sharply in the 1960s. The population started to fall with the decline in agricultural and quarrying activities. There were only some 20 families remaining on the island when the government announced the plan for the construction of a new airport in the early 1990s.