WONG KING

Description

Biographical informationWong King was born in September 1869 in Canton, China. He migrated to Western Australia in March 1896.

He worked as a boarding house keeper in Fitzgerald Street, Geraldton, from 1911 to 1918. He was charged in 1911 with supplying liquor without a license. The boarding house was in regular trouble with the police for operating as a gaming house. It was regularly raided by police. From 1918 Wong King also had interests in a market garden on Meeberrie Station, Yalgoo (B).

In January 1922 he was still living in Fitzgerald Street, Geraldton. He was raided by the police who found four small jars containing opium hidden in a secret compartment in a box. He pleaded guilty but stated that he had acquired the opium for medicinal purposes, a doctor having ordered him to take it. Sergeant Teahan said it was an insult to the court to ask it to accept that such a large quantity of opium (20 ounces) could have been purely for medicinal purposes. He was fined £20.

In June 1924 Wong King was charged in Geraldton with possession of 4 ounces of opium. He pleaded guilty and stated that he had acquired the opium for medicinal purposes. He was fined £20 with 9s costs.

He was fined again in 1930, this time £50, for being in possession of two ounces of liquid opium and a further £25 for having opium scales. An Ah Toy was fined £10 at the same time for smoking opium.Other nameWong King (differentiated name)Date of birthSeptember 1869

Organisation

Wong King's Boarding House, Geraldton

Person

FOOK William

Employment

Job titleGardenerDate employed[date unknown]

Connections

Subject (organisation)Wong King's Boarding House, GeraldtonMeeberrie Station, YalgooSubject (place)Fitzgerald Street, GeraldtonYalgooSubject (topic)Chinese heritage in Western AustraliaBoarding house keeperMarket gardeningGaming HouseOpiumGamblingIllicit liquorRelated collectionAnne Atkinson CollectionRelated linkNAA War Registration File 1916-1920 <Not digitised #4283857-4283858>Opium Charge 1922Opium Charge 1930Opium Charge 1924

Item information

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

Significant place

RelationPlace of birthPlaceCantonDate1869

Significant place

RelationImmigrated toPlaceAustraliaDate March 1896 (WA)

Significant place

RelationTravelled toPlaceGeraldtonDate[date unknown]

Significant place

RelationTravelled toPlaceMeeberrie StationDate[date unknown]

UWA Collected

WONG KING

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA