FONG HING

Description

Biographical informationFong Hing (aka Kwong Hing] was born on 28th April 1895, in Toi Shan [Taishan District, Guangdong Province], China. He migrated to Western Australia in May 1918.

His father, Fong Fulson, became the Managing Director of See Sing & Co., traders and tailors in Roebourne, Western Australia. In 1911 Fong Fulson applied for Fong Hing to join him for "Educational Purposes". The application was denied. In 1916 Fong Fulson applied again, this time for both Fong Hing and Kwong Sam Kee to join him as assistants in the See Sing & Co. business. At this time Fong Hing had been working for four years as a shop assistant in the Chung Mel Drug Store, Canton. The Minister granted permission to travel (i.e. an exemption) on 21st September 1917 on the understanding that they would temporarily take the place of Fong Warley and Fong Ham, two See Sing & Co. business partners who had decided to return and spend time in China. The exemption was granted on the condition that Fong Hing and Kwong Sam Kee would leave for China within three months of the return of Fong Warley and Fong Ham.

Fong Hing and Kwong Sam Kee arrived on the SS Minderoo on 21st May 1918. They both worked as shop assistants in See Sing & Co., Roebourne, from 1918 to 1921. In 1919 they applied for permission to settle permanently, but this was denied. Instead they were told again that they would need to leave within three months of Fong Warley and Fong Ham returning. Annual approval of their exemption became increasingly difficult and in May 1920 a further approval was only agreed after Fong Lim and Ah Lik, the two managers of the See Sing & Co., Broome branch left the country. In October 1920 Fong Hing and Kwong Sam Lee applied to return to China for a holiday. Fong Warley returned in November 1920. Fong Hing and Kwong Sam Kee left from Derby on 28th March 2021 on the SS Gorgon. In February 1922 Fong Fulson and Fong Warley altered the deed of See Sing & Co to make Fong Hing and Kwong Sam Kee both partners in the business.

On 28th October 1922 Fong Hing and Kwong Sam Kee arrived back in Western Australia from China on the SS Minderoo using Chinese Merchants papers. They continued their work in Roebourne. On the 31st October 1923 they were told that See Sing & Co was not engaged in sufficient foreign trade to justify ongoing exemption and that one of them must return to China. On the 8th November 2023 Fong Fulson left for China and it was agreed that both Fong Hing and Kwong Sam Kee could stay until Fong Fulson returned. By the time Fong Fulson returned in September 2024, the sole remaining partner, Fong Warley, had also returned to China and so Fong Hing and Kwong Sam Kee were allowed exemption in place of Fong Warley and Fong Ham. Fong Hing continued on annual extensions until 17th December 1926 when he left on the SS Gascoyne.Other nameFong Hing (differentiated name)KWONG HING (also known as)鄺興 (Chinese name, as shown on the Chinese Passport, 16 June 1921)Date of birth28 April 1895

Photograph of Fong Hing aged 26 from his temporary passport 1921. (source: NAA: A1, 1926/17451)

Employment

Job titleShop assistantEmployerSee Sing & Co.Date employed[date unknown]

Family

ParentFONG FULSON

Connections

Subject (person)KWONG SAM KEESubject (organisation)See Sing & Co.SS GorgonSS MinderooSS GascoyneSubject (place)RoebourneBroomeSubject (topic)Chinese heritage in Western AustraliaShop assistantShop keeperRelated collectionAnne Atkinson CollectionRelated linkNAA File for See Sing & Co. 1916-1927NAA War Registration File 1916-1920 <Not digitised #5102573>

Item information

ContributorSchool of Social SciencesSource of informationAsian immigrants to Western Australia, 1829-1901 (Atkinson, 1988)

Significant place

RelationPlace of birthPlaceTaishan District, Guangdong Province, ChinaDate28 Apr 1895

Significant place

RelationImmigrated toPlaceAustraliaDate May 1918 (WA)

Significant place

RelationTravelled toPlaceRoebourneDate[date unknown]

UWA Collected

FONG HING

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA