LOW AH YOU

Description

Biographical informationLow Ah You was reported as having lived in the Roebourne district for many years.

Between 1877 and 1881 he was employed by E.H. Laurence, the Resident Magistrate at Roebourne. In 1881 he was employed by the Venn family. Early in 1882 he was carrying out a fencing contract and supervising other Chinese workers for Hicks and Stevenson.

Low Ah You died on 30 March 1882. His body was brought to Roebourne and buried in the cemetery. After a public meeting, Roebourne residents voiced objections to his burial in the cemetery. Mr Lawrence noted that Low Ah You was probably a Roman Catholic, ‘as he fasted once a week (and) had attended the services in the Church on several occasions.’ He stated that had also been ‘a faithful servant’ and had acted as ‘a most faithful interpreter in several Chinese cases in the Roebourne court under him.’ This was disputed by some townspeople with claims that the man had been dishonest, ‘swindling money’ for a joss house. His body was removed from the graveyard and moved to a plot outside the fenced cemetery.

Low Ah You owned a town lot and garden grant (C).Other nameLow Ah You (differentiated name)Date of death30 March 1882

Document

Person

Organisation

Employment

Job titleFencing contractorEmployerHicks & StevensonDate employed1882

Employment

EmployerEdward Hayes LauranceDate employed1877-1881

Employment

EmployerHarry Whitall VennDate employed1881

Connections

Subject (organisation)Hicks & StevensonSubject (place)RoebourneSubject (topic)Chinese heritage in Western AustraliaFencingLabourerRelated collectionAnne Atkinson Collection

Item information

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

Significant place

RelationTravelled toPlaceRoebourneDate[date unknown]

UWA Collected

LOW AH YOU

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA