Wong Chong family of Cobar, New South Wales, taken about 1916:.png?timestamp=1618762574703)
Castlemaine storekeeper and interpreter Charles Lee Suey and daughters. Verey Collection
Yip Hoy Family (c 1902) outside their bakery/store in Sircom St Croydon
left to right: Yip Quang Jake (Jack or John), Yip Cum Gee (Cissy), Yip Hoy, Yek How nursing Yip Mei Li (May)
front: Yip Quang Mow (Charlie), Yip Quang Lum (George), Yip Quang Yake (William)
Missing is Yip Mud Gee (Maggie) then in Georgetown married to Ng (James Ah) Kee Her first child, James Jnr was born about the same time as her mother's last child, May
Possible meanings of Cantonese names
Margaret (Maggie) - Mudgee Mud = not a Chinese word but Mu Gee = Adorable branch 慕枝
Cissy - Cumgee Cum/Gum = golden Gee = branch 金枝
Liang Gee Liang Gee Bright /shiny branch 亮枝 or Liang Gee = Good branch 良枝
Gum Lin/Lein Gum Lin = Golden lotus 金蓮
May or Lilly possibly Mei Li = Beautiful plum. Mei Lin = Beautiful lotus 美蓮
Stillborn unnamed girl b.1904. Proposed name Hoi Lin = Victorious lotus 凱蓮
Jack - Quang Chet/Jak Guang Chet = Vast pool or lustre 廣泽
William - Quang Yake Guang Yake = Vast benefit/profit 广益
Charlie - Quang Mow Guang Mow = Vast riches /splendid 广茂
George - Quang Lum Quang Lum = Vast forest 广林
Still born unnamed girl b.1904. Proposed name Hoi Lin = victorious lotus
from James Sing in the TULLY THEN & NOW Facebook page.
Probably the most well known Chinese Australian family in Queensland... the See Poys. Many of the Chinese in Tully, including my own family used to sell their produce to them. This is Tom See Poy's story as told by my father. I'm not sure how accurate it is but if anyone can confirm the details that would be great. (James asked me to stress this is from his father’s recollection and he does not know how accurate it is. - Marjorie).
Tam Sze Pui came to Australia during the Palmer River gold rush from the same place as my great grandfather Tam Gee Kee so they could have been from the same clan or even related. His childhood was one of poverty and limited education. As a young man, he immigrated to Queensland with his father and brother in the hope of finding gold. He soon discovered that life was hard and dangerous on the goldfields. Changing his name to Tom See Poy, he decided to leave the Palmer and move to the town of Geraldton (now Innisfail) where many Chinese had begun moving to escape the hardships and disappointments of the goldfields.
At this time, anti-Chinese sentiment was very high in Australia. Competition in the goldfields between European and Chinese miners, and the use of cheap Chinese labour were the main contributing factors. Because of this resentment, legislation was enacted that prohibited Chinese from owning land. Under the law, only white British subjects could buy land; Chinese and other non-whites could only lease it. In the late 1800s, Far North Queensland was still greatly undeveloped, with very few settlements and almost no infrastructure. To encourage development in the area, the Queensland government gave out parcels of ten acre lots, but only white British subjects were allowed to apply.
The problem with the land in Far North Queenlsand was that it was covered in thick, dense rainforest. Clearing it was an arduous and expensive task. To solve this problem, the land owners came up with an ingenious idea. They would lease the uncleared plots to the Chinese for a cheap sum of one shilling per acre, per year. The Chinese would clear the land, but after one year the land owners would take back the land and lease it out for five pounds an acre! Because the Chinese only had one year to use the land, they started growing a crop that would enable them to turn a good profit in 9 to 12 months... the humble banana.
Tom and his brother cleared their first plot of land and grew their first banana crop in 1881, but quickly realised that they weren't going to strike it rich doing it that way. They started their own company that leased and cleared huge swathes of land and cultivated it for bananas. Within years Tom's company was the largest Chinese-owned business in Far North Queensland and was responsible for giving jobs to hundreds of Chinese immigrants. Soon, Geraldton had more Chinese residents than the state capital of Brisbane.
When the law finally changed and Chinese were allowed to own property, Tom bought his own farms and created a large family business. His department store See Poy and Sons became the largest department store in North Queensland, and sold everything from toys and shoes to groceries, furniture and cars.
Tom See Poy died in Sydney on 18th April 1926. He was honoured by the residents of Far North Queensland with one of the longest funeral processions in the history of the region. In 1981, Tom and the whole See Poy family were honoured by the Queensland government with a commemorative plaque for their contribution to the state and Tom's family home was added to the Queensland Heritage Register. Although mostly known in Far North Queensland as the owner of the regions largest department store, among the early farmers, he will always be know as the Chinaman who helped start the banana industry in Australia.
Group portrait of the Shing family Canterbury NSW 1909-10
This photo was taken in the studio of Cheun Chan of Shek Ki in Hung Shan, Canton
Harry Fay (Ah Fie Ping Kee) on behalf of his brothers Mew Bing Ping Kee, Mew Seven Ping Kee, Mew Lun Ping Kee all partners in Hong Yuen & Co of Inverell in 1926 was given permission for his mother, sister and her two sons to visit for a year.
In 1998 Ping Kee (Louie Mew Ping)and Ah Way took the 4 sons to China, and the sister was born there. Father died there in 1924
Ah Way mother
Mrs Kee Chun nee Louie Kee sister
Lawrence Kee Chun 10 nephew
Sydney Kee Chun 4 nephew
Rosena Constance Chan (nee Ah Poo / Appoo)
Rosena Ah Poo was born at the Ironbark Chinese Camp in 1875 to interpreter James Ah Poo and his wife Elizabeth (nee Heroult). She grew up in a large and well regarded family, and she married Bendigo fruiterer and businessman Samuel Chan on 14 March 1900 at the age of 25. The occasion merited comment in the Bendigo press, with the Independent reporting that “Miss Appoo, a native of Bendigo, was the daughter of the late Mr. James Appoo…who will be remembered as having been Chinese interpreter in the Bendigo law courts since the earlier days of the goldfield….[the bridal party] proceeded to the residence of the bride’s mother at Emu Point, where the wedding breakfast was partaken of. The bride was the recipient of many costly and handsome presents.” Unfortunately Samuel died relatively young, and Rosena was widowed in 1910 with five children. She continued to live in the family home in Myers Street until the 1950s. Rosena Chan is buried in Bendigo Cemetery's Methodist section with her husband Samuel.
In this photo Rosena is pictured with her children Florence, Hilda, Sylvia, Len and Norman.
(AP0197 Collection Golden Dragon Museum)
Mong family in traditional processional costume circa 1890.
The photo was taken in Ballarat's photographic studio, Yeoman & Co.
Some of these exquisite costumes will be on display in our upcoming exhibition, Re-awakening the Dragon, opening 5 October.
We've been able to explore our Chinese processional collection thanks to
Deakin University - Arts and Education and Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for supporting our curatorial and collections internship.
James Sing, a 4th generation Chinese Australian from Far North Queensland, is trying to piece together his family history.
His great grandfather Tam Gee Kee arrived at the Palmer River goldfields in the 1870s. James has photos of people who may be a family from Melbourne; are they descendants of a sibling of Tam Gee Kee? He's very keen to identify this family.
The early Chinese families of Australia were very closely connected, and there is a possibility that someone will recognise the people in the photo (which is from the late 1920 or 1930s). Please get in touch if you can help.
Sing Family of Thursday Island:
From James Sing
Hi Anthony. I thought you might be interested in this photo of the Sing family in Australia. I haven't connected all the names to the face yet. I do know that the Mum and Dad are my great grandparents Lily and George. The guy on the far left is Johnny Sing. The guy second from the right is my grandfather, James Sing, and the little boy is Roy Sing from Innisfail. I'm not sure which one is Louie Sing, which is the lady you are related to through marriage.
Old family photos like these will really help to extend our family tree. Treasures like this are invaluable, for once we piece the names and important dates together, we'll be able to pass this on to future generations. Look at the matriarch, dressed traditionally in silk tunic and pants with Quin- fashioned coiffure --shaved forehead with the mandatory Manchul plait coiled into a bun at the back; the patriarch Westernised, no queue, in British tropical whites; the girls in Edwardian dresses, where a generation earlier they would be decked out in silk. What were the couple's full names? Other Cantonese would have called her by her fathers' clan name: was his name Sing a given name or a clan name? Where the kid's given traditional names as well ?Were any of the boys educated in Canton?
Thanks to Estelle and Mel Kingsley (daughter and grand-daughter of Louisa Sing) the children have been identified:
from back left, clockwise: John, Louisa (Louie), Lily, Cecilia, (Lizzy) Jimmy, Arthur (front row right to left) Linda, David, Bill, Roy and Emily
Mel Kingsley They were all given Chinese names at birth but were known by their western names. My grandmother is Louisa / Louie was her nickname but her Chinese name was Chili - pronounced Chi Lee. Aunty Emily's Chinese name was Hen Lee.
Mel Kingsley Great grandfather (father in photo) was known as George Sing & Great Grandmother (mother in photo) name was Ah Bow Lum Sing.
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TorakichiOkiMrsSonHideoOkiKumamotoJapan30(SonHideoOkiJapanYAWATAMARU22.8.1907ThursdayIslandNIKKOMARU28 (1).jpg
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NAA: SP244/2, N1950/2/4918
Choy Hing family photograph noting adopted child Pauline Ah Hee, James Choy Hing, Mrs James Choy Hing,2 of James Choy Hing's children and Pauline Ah Hee
James Choy Hing b.1869 arrived 1889Merchant Daughter 7, son 4, adopted daughter 12 500 pounds equity business 20 Campbell St
Fanny Choy Hing b.1879 canton 18 arrived in Sydney Son 4y Daughter 6y 10 Alberta St Sydney
Pauline Ah Hee b. Dubbo1894
Kwong Sue Duk (1853-1929): His Life and Family in Australia
By Rosalie Hiah, Kwong Sue Duk Foundation (June 2001)
Kwong Sue Duk was a prosperous and generous Chinese gentleman who had four wives and twenty-four children, and made Australia his chosen home, during and after the nineteenth century northern Australian gold rush period.
Kwong Sue Duk was born in Guangdong Province, China, in 1853 and ventured abroad to the California goldfields at an early age to seek his fortune. After several years, he earned enough money for his family and passage home to Toishan, China, then embarked on an education in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In 1874, Kwong Sue Duk married his first wife, Gee An Gow.
In 1875, after the birth of his first son (Kong Sing), Kwong soon heard of the gold rush of Australia and took a ship to Cooktown, North Queensland. He made several trips home to China and in 1879 a daughter (Jon Gee) was born. In 1882, Kwong arrived in the prospering township of Southport in the Northern Territory, where he eventually established a successful general trade store and real estate enterprise, operating under his business name, Sun Mow Loong. He became well respected and influential amongst the Chinese and European communities and was consulted over many matters concerning the Chinese.
In 1884, Kwong Sue Duk married his second wife, Chun Ngor Gwei, and obtained his naturalisation certificate in Australia. Kwong moved to Palmerston (early Darwin) and in March 1887 he met and married his third wife, Yuen Yuk Lau. He returned to China and another daughter (Toy Mee) was born to his first wife. Not long after the birth, he travelled back to Australia to tend to his thriving businesses and to buy a number of rental properties. In 1888, Kwong's third wife gave birth to a daughter, Ly Kin.
He returned to China in 1889, and subsequently brought out his first wife and three children to Palmerston, where she later bore him another daughter (Sum Gwai). Kwong and his three wives lived in harmony and supported the family together. Over the next twelve years, eleven more children were born - Thomas, Edward, Leslie, Elsie, Fred, Lim, Maizie, William, Kathleen, May and Lily. By 1902, there were sixteen Kwong children. Kwong prospered well in the remote Northern Territory, purchasing rental properties and at least five large gold mining leases.
In January 1897, a tropical cyclone damaged much of the town, including Kwong's properties. His first wife had difficulty adjusting to the harsh conditions and in 1898 he travelled with her to China where she chose to remain with their four children. In 1899, Kwong met and married his fourth wife, Wong Kwei Far, and returned with her to Palmerston.
The cyclone of 1897 and the dwindling economy of the Northern Territory had left Kwong Sue Duk in a poor financial state and in 1902 he sought relief in the growing economy of the Cairns region in North Queensland. The family set up a store and business in Cairns where he sold mostly Chinese goods. In the back of the store he had an office where he dispensed Chinese herbal remedies. Displaying their respect for him, both Chinese and European patients called him 'Dr Kwong'. Whilst in Cairns, five more children were born, Harry, Annie, Maud, Victor and Kong Won, to third and fourth wives. Kong Won died at an early age and to compensate for this loss, Kwong later adopted Violet and her brother, Lawrence.
In 1907, Kwong Sue Duk and his large family boarded a ship for Hong Kong to visit his family and to select suitable wives for his sons. In 1909, Ida, the youngest of the 24 children, was born. He returned in 1910 to settle in Townsville, Queensland, and in 1913 most of the family followed. Kwong established another successful Chinese herbal medicine practice in Little Flinders Street.
In 1917, Kwong made another major move to Melbourne, the thriving capital of Victoria, where a large Chinese population existed, with more eligible bachelors for his daughters (who were now of a marriageable age). Kwong Sue Duk continued his herbal medicine practice in Melbourne and country Victoria, including the townships of Ballarat and Bendigo.
Whilst the children were establishing their own lives, wives two, three and four moved to stay with them, and Kwong Sue Duk travelled to visit them all. In 1925, at the age of 72 years, he visited his son in Shanghai and his family in Hong Kong. In 1927, he returned to Melbourne to visit his children and their families, and then retired to live in Townsville where many of his eldest children had settled. He continued with his herbal medicine practice from Townsville until he died at the age of 76 on the 17th February 1929.
Many of the children of Kwong Sue Duk established careers and families in North America and South East Asia. However, a large proportion of the descendant families settled in Australia, and through the years have played important roles in the development and colour of the Australian community. Kwong Sue Duk's descendants now number around 860, and include five generations spread across eleven countries of the world.
SOURCES:
Rosalie Hiah and Warren Lee Long, 'Kwong Sue Duk' in Northern Territory Dictionary of Biography, Vol.3, 1996
Nui Bo and Victor Kwong, 'Biographical Sketch of Kwong Sue Duk' 1982.
