WAN TONG CHU

Description

Biographical informationWan Tong Chu was born on the 24th December 1910 in Dung Gwoon Village, Canton, China.

He chose a career in shipping. It was on a voyage to Geraldton in the 1930s that he met Fong Irene. He and Irene got engaged and they were married in the Presbyterian Church in Canton, China in March 1936. They spent their honeymoon in Hong Kong before taking up residence in Shanghai. They had two children – a daughter, Shirley, and a son, Brian.

He shifted to a position as a customs official and the family lived in various places in China (Chefoo, Shanghai and Canton). The family returned to Australia during the war years (1940-1945).

During the war period, Wan Tong Chu established the Rendezvous restaurant in the High Street, Fremantle, with Jack Sheedy's father and Sir Frederick Samson (a mayor) as partners. After the war the family returned to China and Wan joined the Chinese merchant navy.

After the Communist Revolution in 1949 the family returned to Perth and 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.

Wan died in 1999 in Perth.Other nameTong Chu Wan (also known as)Date of birth24th December 1910Date of death1999

Organisation

Person

Wan Tong Chu. Photograph provided by the Fong family. Reproduced with thanks.

Family

SpouseFONG Irene Rose (female)

Connections

Subject (person)Frederick SamsonSubject (organisation)Pink Lotus Chinese RestaurantRendezvous Chinese RestaurantMing Palace Chinese RestaurantThe Canton Chinese RestaurantSubject (topic)Chinese heritage in Western AustraliaRestaurateurRestaurantRelated collectionAnne Atkinson CollectionCelebrating 200 Years - National Foundation for Australia-China Relations Project

Item information

ContributorSchool of Social SciencesSource of informationInformation provided by the Fong Family

UWA Collected

WAN TONG CHU

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA