LEE FAY (2)

Description

Biographical informationLee Fay arrived in Western Australia in November 1897. He worked for several different companies as a cabinet maker, including See War, Tock Sing, Washing Bros, Cooper and Sing Hing. He had a reputation as a skilled and efficient worker. (SRO, S165, Cons 3560, 1909/074)

Lee Fay was the proprietor of the Lee Fay Furniture Factory with premises at 432 Murray St, Perth, in 1907, 110 Roe St, Perth, in 1908 and 386 Murray St, Perth, in 1916. The business moved to 47 Marquis St. West Perth, in 1919 and 396 Murray St, Perth, in 1920 (F).

In 1907, Lee Fay was charged by the Chief Inspector of Factories, Frank Vincent, with employing a Chinese cabinet maker after November 1903 (when the Factories Act came into operation). The man employed, Lee Neu (or Lee New) had worked as a cabinet-maker in Victoria and been in WA briefly around 1901. Lee Fay appealed the decision on the basis that the term 'factory' should apply to any Australian factory. The Supreme Court referred the matter to the High Court who in turn remitted it back to the Supreme Court. The case was dismissed in 1909.

Lee Fay went bankrupt in 1909 after the business partnership commenced with Lee Yin in 1908 failed. Their trading name was Sam Lee & Co.

Lee Fay was fined 40 shillings in October 1918 and £5 in February 1919 for 'Breaches of the Factory Act'. He was fined 22 shillings in April 1918 for 'Being Found in a Gaming House' and £5 in April 1919 for 'Assisting in a Gaming House' (B). He applied for a CEDT in 1919 but did not use it. He did however, travel overseas between November 1922 and April 1924 (D).Other nameLee Fay, 1875- (differentiated name)LEE FOY (also known as)

Document

AAC_Box-006_0280

AAC_Box-006_0281

AAC_Box-006_0282

AAC_Box-006_0283

AAC_Box-006_0284

AAC_Box-007-7_0241

AAC_Box-007-7_0245

Lee Fay (2) CEDT 1919 (NAA: Item ID 1740820)

Lee Fay (2) CEDT 1922 (NAA: Item ID)

Lee Fay (2) v Frank Vincent (NAA: Item ID 1695409)

Organisation

Lee Fay Furniture Factory

Lee Fay pictured around 1922 on his Certificate for Exemption from the Dictation Test (source: National Archives, K1145, 1922/104).

Significant place

RelationPlace of birthPlaceCantonDate[date unknown]

Significant place

RelationImmigrated toPlaceAustraliaDateNovember 1897

Employment

Job titleStorekeeperDate employed[date unknown]

Connections

Subject (organisation)Lee Fay Furniture FactoryWashing Bros Furniture FactorySubject (topic)Chinese heritage in Western AustraliaRelated collectionAnne Atkinson Collection

Item information

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

UWA Collected

LEE FAY (2)

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA