GOOEY LEW John

Description

Biographical informationGooey Lew John was born in August 1870 in Canton, China. He migrated to Australia in April 1887. He lived in Tasmania and Victoria before moving to Western Australia in about 1904. He was the husband of Gooey Wong Hee. He was five feet five and a half inches in height.

In December 1900, he returned to Western Australia from Singapore, via the SS Saladin, bringing his 10-year old son, James Louey, with him. (SRO, S675, 1900/0777)

In September 1901, with his name recorded variously as John Louey and John Luey, he applied for permission to bring his wife and 15-year old son to Western Australia. At the time he was a market gardener in Wellington St, West Perth and leasing land from William Clements. He was advised that wives and children were not debarred from entering the country. The name of his son was not recorded. (SRO, S675, Cons 752, 1901/2204).

John Gooey Lew and Gooey Wong Hee had eight children born in Western Australia: Willie (b. 1903), George (b. 1905), Minnie (b. 1906), Charles (b. 1908), Amy (b. 1911), Arthur (b. 1914), Violet May (b. 1916) and Dorothy Thelma (b. 1919).

He started a market garden in Albert Street, North Perth, in 1904. He worked as a fruit and vegetable hawker in 1910 and lived in Charles Street, North Perth (Truth, 26 March 1910, p. 3). In 1923 he was recorded as working as a market gardener and hawker in Charles Street, North Perth. Later he had a fruit and vegetable shop also in Charles Street. He also rented land from Levi Green at 'Green's Siding' (now Carmel, Location 702) and established a market garden there.

He travelled overseas in the late 1890s, and from April to August 1923.

He died at Perth in 1959 at the age of 92 (BDM WA 102280/1959).

N.B. Anne's Dictionary also has him recorded as John Louey.Other nameGooey Lew John, 1870-1959 (differentiated name)LEW GOOEY (may also be)Ah Gooey (also known as)Date of birthAugust 1870Date of death1959