Format: Person

Linked To

Parent

Spouse

YUEN KUM

Sibling

Child

Subject (organisation)

Chung Wah Association

Related collection

Anne Atkinson Collection

Contributor

School of Social Sciences

Person

Photograph and slide

Subject of (3)

Document

Subject of (2)

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YUEN Maggie (May) (female)

Description

Biographical informationYuen Maggie (née Sam) was born in November 1890 in Fremantle, Western Australia (BDM 1444/1890). She was the youngest daughter of Hea Sam and Sing Tay. She was known in the family as May.

Maggie was born above her father's fruit and vegetable shop in Market Street, Fremantle and went to Princess May School in Fremantle. Her father leased a market garden in Roberts Street, Osborne Park when she was still a young child and she was required to work with her brother and sister in the garden. She later helped her sister and brother-in-law in their fruit and vegetable shop in Brisbane Street, Perth. She was later employed as a companion and help.

She married Kum (Gum) Yuen at West Perth on 15 June 1910 (BDM 100297/1910). They had five children:
1) Reymond, born West Perth 1910 (BDM WA 100027/1911), d. 1926;
2) Willis (William), born Chung Gwok, China, 1915;
3) Albert Roy (Mick), born Mascot NSW 1924;
4) Roise May, born West Perth 1926, d. 1990;
5) Mary, born Perth 1931.

In 1912 she travelled to China with her husband and six weeks old son to visit her husband's birthplace and family in Chung Gwok Village, Zhongshan. She stayed in the village for 13 years while her husband returned to Western Australia and established a furniture manufacturing business in Perth. He returned to visit twice in that period. During his second visit, in 1915, their second son was born. After her husband's third visit to China she returned to Western Australia with him and the children via Sydney where the ship arrived. She was an active member of the Chung Wah Ladies' Committee which organised and catered for dances and concerts and extended hospitality to Asian seamen stranded at Fremantle. She lived at 243 Newcastle Street, Perth, for 31 years, then moved in 1957 to 22 Blackford Street, Mount Hawthorn. [In 2025, the Newcastle Street house is still extant and thought to now be number 227 Newcastle Street.]

She died on 23 May 1982 in West Perth and was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery next to the graves of her husband and eldest son (Chinese Section AA, Plots 0121 & 0121A).Other nameYuen, Maggie (differentiated name)May Yuen (also known as)MAGGIE SAM (also known as)Date of birthNovember 1890Date of death23 May 1982

Person

HEA SAM

HOWE Mary (female)

SAM William (SAM Wing Chong)

SING TAY (female)

YUEN Albert (Mick)

YUEN KUM

YUEN Mary Joan (female)

YUEN Reymond

YUEN Roise May (female)

YUEN Willis (William)

Photograph and slide

Photograph of Yuen women

Yuen Family Picnic

Yuen Family Picnic - Jarrahdale c.1936 Photo #1

Document

A news report on the passing of Maggie Yuen

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

Maggie Yuen, probably in the back yard of her Newcastle Street home, date unknown. Courtesy of the Hoy family.

Family

ParentHEA SAMSING TAY (female)SpouseYUEN KUMSiblingHOWE Mary (female)SAM William (SAM Wing Chong)ChildYUEN ReymondYUEN Willis (William)YUEN Albert (Mick)YUEN Roise May (female)YUEN Mary Joan (female)

Connections

Subject (organisation)Chung Wah AssociationSubject (place)Market Street, FremantleBrisbane Street, Perth243 Newcastle Street, PerthSubject (topic)Chinese heritage in Western AustraliaMarket gardeningShop assistantRelated collectionAnne Atkinson Collection

Item information

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

Significant place

RelationPlace of birthPlaceFremantleDate1890

UWA Collected

YUEN Maggie (May) (female)

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA