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Parent

FONG Sydney

Spouse

WAN TONG CHU

Sibling

Subject (organisation)

MV Centaur II

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School of Social Sciences

Person

Other relative (6)

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Photograph and slide

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FONG Irene Rose (female)

Description

Biographical informationIrene Rose (Poo Chung) Fong was born on 14 April 1907 in Arp Lay Tsui village Toi Shan, China. She was the first child of Sydney Fong by his first wife (name unknown), whom he married in China.

Irene's mother died in February 1914 and she was looked after in the village until she moved to live with her father in Geraldton in about 1918. She travelled with Arthur Tack Fong, son of Louey Ling Tack. She was granted permission to enter Australia for "educational purposes". After she arrived, Irene was educated at Stella Maris Convent in Geraldton. In 1920 she studied Piano and Shorthand at the Presentation College in Geraldton. On 2nd December 1925 "in view of special circumstances" Irene was granted permission to remain in Australia (letter from Home & Territories Department).

Irene was a good pianist and played the organ at St John’s Presbyterian Church, Geraldton. She met her husband, First Officer Tong Chu Wan, when his ship visited Geraldton. On 10th February 1936 she left Geraldton on the MS Centaur for Singapore with her father and step-mother and half-brother Athol ('Chummy') for her wedding.

She married WAN Tong Chu at the Presbyterian Church in Canton, China in March 1936 which was followed by a reception at the Asia Hotel. They spent their honeymoon in Hong Kong, before taking up residence in Shanghai. They had two children – a daughter, Shirley, and a son, Brian. Her husband became a customs official and they lived in various places in China (Chefoo, Shanghai and Canton).

In a letter to her father, Sydney Fong, in October 1937, Irene related some of her experiences in China since the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese war. In company with her husband, she arrived at Shanghai on August 10th and three days later hostilities commenced between China and Japan. She stayed with her husband and daughter at Shanghai until August 25th, and with her infant daughter she then joined a number of British refugees, who were given safe escort to Hong Kong.

The family returned to Western Australia and according to her daughter Shirley Yahaya in an interview with Kaylene Poon, during the war years (1940-1945), Tong Chu established the Rendezvous restaurant in High Street, Fremantle, with Jack Sheedy's father and Sir Frederick Samson (a mayor) as partners.

Irene and family returned to China with the family in 1945 as her husband, Tong Chu had joined the Chinese merchant navy, and the family travelled with him. With the rise of the Communists, the family returned to Perth in 1949 and Irene and her husband established a giftshop and a number of well known Chinese restaurants: the first restaurant, Pink Lotus was opened in 1956/7 and then the Ming Palace in 1969/70. The third restaurant was The Canton.

Irene died on 27 May 1972 at Perth and is buried in the Presbyterian-section of Karrakatta Cemetery.Other nameIrene Fong (also known as)Fong Poo Chung (also known as)Irene Wan (also known as)Date of birth1907Date of death1972

Person

FONG Athol Dennis

FONG Colin Ian

FONG Dellace Myra (female)

FONG Joyce Mavis (female)

FONG Melvin Kenneth

FONG Oswald Sydney

FONG Sydney

WAN TONG CHU

Document

AAC-Box-001-0698

AAC-Box-001-0699

Box-003-Notes-Leads-0098

Box-007-Sorb-Box-0182

Organisation

Ming Palace Chinese Restaurant

Pink Lotus Chinese Restaurant

Rendezvous Chinese Restaurant

The Canton Chinese Restaurant

Photograph and slide

Irene Fong

Irene and Tong Chu Wan

Photographs of Arthur and Irene Fong (NAA Item ID: 38659)

Photograph of Fong Irene aged 48 in 1955. From a Christmas Day family photograph generously shared by the Fong family.

Family

ParentFONG SydneySpouseWAN TONG CHUSiblingFONG Oswald SydneyFONG Melvin KennethFONG Dellace Myra (female)FONG Joyce Mavis (female)FONG Athol DennisFONG Colin IanFONG Shirley Moya (female)

Connections

Subject (organisation)MV Centaur IIRelated collectionCelebrating 200 Years - National Foundation for Australia-China Relations ProjectAnne Atkinson CollectionRelated itemAAC-Box-001-0698AAC-Box-001-0699

Item information

ContributorSchool of Social SciencesSource of informationNAA File on Chinese Children Admitted for Education PurposesGeraldton Guardian, Sat 30 Aug 1924, Page 4Geraldton Guardian, Sat 1 Feb 1936, Page 1Sunday Times, Sun 17 May 1936, Page 5Geraldton Guardian, Tue 19 Oct 1937, Page 2 SOCIAL AND PERSONALShirley Yahaya interview with Kaylene Poon

UWA Collected

FONG Irene Rose (female)

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA