CHEN SEE David

Description

Biographical informationChen See David was born in April 1878 in Canton, China. He migrated to Western Australia in June 1896 (or December 1892). He was five feet and ten inches in height.

He was married to Jane Chen See. They had nine children all born around Fremantle:
1) Edward, born 1903 (BDM 1903/2607);
2) William, born 1904 (BDM 1904/3090);
3) Samuel, born 1906 (BDM 1906/2700077);
4) Joseph, born 1907 (BDM1907/2700579);
5) Katie, born 1909 (BDM 1909/2700211);
6) Annie, born 1911 (BDM 1911/2700397);
7) Una, born 1913 (BDM 1913/2700746);
8) Thomas David, born 1915 (BDM 1915/2700154);
9) Mabel, born 1916 (BDM 1916/2700571).

In 1903 he applied to become a naturalised citizen but the Governor routinely dismissed all requests after the late 1890s. From his application we learn that he also went by the name David Chen See Warley, and arrived in December 1892 and had lived and worked as a grocer in Fremantle, Geraldton and Perth. In 1903 he was married with one child (yet BDM records do not indicate any children born before 1904) and living at 14 Norfolk Street, Fremantle. He was baptized a Christian in December 1902. (SRO, S675, Cons 527, 1903/3672).

He worked as a merchant at 17 Adelaide Street, Fremantle, in 1916 and living in Market Street (Cockburn City Rates Book 1915). He also owned a 50 acre market garden along Forrest Road, Bibra Lake, Location 541 (Cockburn City Rates Book 1915)

He travelled overseas between May 1918 and June 1919. He left Western Australia permanently in October 1919 aboard the 'SS Minderoo' and became the manager of China's largest department store, the Sincere Company in Hong Kong.

A 1923 map of Cockburn Sound shows him still owning land on the northern shore of Lake Yangebup (Plot 541), just south of Bibra Lake .

[See Chen Sang]Other nameChen See (David) (differentiated name)CHEN SANG (may also be)CHEN SEE WARLEY DavidDate of birth1st April 1878

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