Format: Person

Linked To

Spouse

Sing Tay (female)

Child

Subject (organisation)

Related collection

Anne Atkinson Collection

Contributor

School of Social Sciences

Document

Subject of (9)

Person

Organisation

Subject of

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HEA SAM

Description

Biographical informationHea Sam was born about 1855 in Hokon, China. He migrated to Western Australia in 1873. He was five feet and six inches in height. He was the husband of Sing Tay, father of Mary, born 1887, William, born 1888 and Maggie (May) born 1890.

He worked as a fisherman at Sharks Bay under a labour contract from 1873 to about 1876. When his contract expired, he became a market gardener with a vegetable garden at Cannington.

In 1884 he owned a market garden in Peninsula Road, Maylands, employing five Chinese.

In 1890 he had a fruit and vegetable shop in Market Street, Fremantle, where his third child was born in a room above the shop. His wife died on 4 June 1893 at the age of 24.

Hea Sam was recorded in 1910 as leasing a market garden in Roberts Street, Osborne Park, employing six workers.

He travelled back to China between July 1910 and March 1912. His immigration paperwork indicated he was blind in one eye and was missing his left thumb.

Hea Sam is believed to have died in China, but the place and date is unknown. He has descendants from the 3rd to the 5th generation still residing in Western Australia.

In 1982, a Western Australian newspaper article described him as "possibly the first Chinese market gardener in this State." (see Anne Atkinson Collection Box_007_Green_Box_0055)

A digitised file of him is available at the National Archives of Australia (K1145, 1910/131 - see 'Related Link' below).Other nameHea Sam (differentiated name)Hea San (also known as)Date of birth1855

Document

A news report on the passing of Maggie Yuen

AAC_Box-007-6_0122

AAC_Box-007-6_0139

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AAC_Box-007-7_0002

AAC_Box-007-8_0208

Box 007 Miscellaneous Notes 0038

Dr Anne Atkinson's index card (Hea Sam)

Hea Sam and Sing Tay's children - BDM WA Register

Person

AH FOOK (1)

HOWE Mary (female)

HOWE Rose (female)

JET FAR Edward

Sing Tay (female)

William Sam (Wing Chong Sam)

YUEN Maggie (female)

Organisation

Wing Wor Kee & Co., Fremantle

A profile photo attached to Hea Sam’s Certificate for Exemption from Dictation Test form, dated 21 June 1910 (source: K1145, 1910/131, page)

Significant place

RelationPlace of birthPlaceHokonDate1855

Significant place

RelationImmigrated toPlaceAustraliaDate1873

Significant place

RelationTravelled toPlaceSharks BayDate[date unknown]

Employment

Job titleGardenerDate employed[date unknown]

Employment

Job titleFishermanDate employed[date unknown]

Family

SpouseSing Tay (female)ChildYUEN Maggie (female)William Sam (Wing Chong Sam)HOWE Mary (female)

Connections

Subject (organisation)Hea Sam's Market Garden, MaylandsHea Sam's Market Garden, Osborne ParkSubject (place)Shark BayCanningtonPeninsula Road, MaylandsMarket Street, FremantleRoberts Street, Osborne ParkSubject (topic)Chinese heritage in Western AustraliaGreengrocerMarket gardeningShop keeperFishermanRelated collectionAnne Atkinson CollectionRelated linkNAA CEDT File 1910

Item information

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

UWA Collected

HEA SAM

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA