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AH TAI HOY (CHENG) (female)

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School of Social Sciences

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GOON TAM HOY

Description

Biographical informationGoon Tam Hoy (also known as Yuan Tan) was born 10 October 1909 in Kwongtung, China.
There is conflicting information about his parents: his immigration file lists Yen Hoy as his father. Possibly a relative of Yen Hoy, but the familial connection was embellished in order to be granted an exemption to enter Western Australia to work at J. W. Wing Furniture Factory.
Later on Goon Tam Hoy provides the name of his father as Goon Yin Guan and his mother as Pang See (same name as his wife's mother so likely to be an administrative error). Family knowledge indicates his father was Gang Poy or Yuan Jin Pei and his mother's name was Young Fong.
Goon Tam's grandfather was Yuan Yi Dong or Yuen Yi Dung (family knowledge).

Husband of Ah Tai Cheng.
Father of 7 children all born in Western Australia:
James
Moya
Allan
Philip
Stephen
Kevin
Michael

In China, he worked as a salesman in a silk shop.

An application was made in late 1935 for Goon Tam Hoy to join J. W. Wing to be, "put to work in the factory to learn the trade and look after his father's interests" [Letter dated 13 November 1935]. The application listed his father as Yen Hoy. Yen Hoy had returned to China in March 1930 but had remained there given his "defective eyesight" hence the application for his son to be granted permission to enter Western Australia. If Goon Tam Hoy was born in October 1909 or 1910, it is worth nothing that Yen Hoy was in Western Australia in 1909 and only returned to visit China at the end of June 1910. It is likely that Goon Tam Hoy's familial connection to Yen Hoy was embellished for the purpose of being granted an immigration exemption.

Approval for Goon Tam Hoy to enter the Commonwealth was granted in February 1936 and he arrived in August 1936 on a twelve month visa. [Goon Tam Hoy's Immigration File, NAA Item ID: 31659691]

He was granted a one-year extension in August 1937 and this was reviewed annually with approval to stay another year granted around August of each year. Some questions about his behaviour towards his co-workers were raised around 1940 and consideration was given to arranging for his return to China but this did not occur.

In 1942, he stopped working at J. W. Wing but may have done some casual work later on. Details of any other employment between 1942 and 1947 are unknown. In 1947, he was living at 107 Albany Road, Victoria Park and recommenced at J. W. Wing from November 1947.

In May 1948, his visa was extended to June 1952 but on the express understanding that his wife return to China before the expiration of her visa in September 1948.

In July 1948 was fined £10 for selling 8 bottles of beer (Daily News, 22 July 1948, p. 8 and West Australian, 23 July 1948, p. 22).

In September 1948, Goon Tam Hoy wrote to the Immigration Department (presumably through an interpreter): “Owing to the troubled state of affairs in Singapore it will be extremely difficult for her and the two children to return there. My wife originally came from Singapore and she and the family are depending on me for their upkeep. At the present time my financial position is insufficient to meet expenses for their departure.” (Page 137 of Immigration file)

Timber and other furniture making materials were extremely scarce in the post-war years and there was no work for him at J. W. Wing. By December 1948 was working at the Esplanade Hotel in Perth as a cook (Page 130 of Immigration file).

He was declared a prohibited immigrant in March 1949 (Page 121 of Immigration file). Appears to have ignored requests to leave the country, instead applying for a Certificate of Identity (Page 117 of Immigration file) and as a Non-European who arrived during the War (Page 101 of Immigration file). Perhaps on the basis that he returned to J. W. Wing around 1950, he was granted permission to remain in Australia in February 1950 (Page 100 of Immigration file). In May 1950 he was granted an extension until May 1955 (Page 96 of Immigration file).

By May 1951 he was working as a wood machinist for the Western Australian Salvage Company in Marquis Street, West Perth, as J. W. Wing went into liquidation (Page 90 of Immigration file).

There are several references to Goon Tam Hoy in newspapers such as a case involving ducks stolen from him (Daily News, 16 December 1950, p. 1 and West Australian, 23 December 1950, p. 10) and an account of evicting one of his tenants (West Australian, 8 December 1954, p. 4).

Around May 1954 was living at 106 Royal Street, East Perth, a house he had purchased. He also owned the cottages at numbers 100, 102 and 104 Royal Street (Page 87 of Immigration file). By March 1955, was working for George Nash & Co, 5 Nash Street, East Perth (Page 83 of Immigration file).

An extension to his Certificate of Exemption was granted in May 1955 allowing him to stay until May 1960 (Page 77 of Immigration file). In September 1960 was granted permanent residency (Page 25 of Immigration file).

By November 1960 had opened the 'Hong Kong Cafe' at 187 William Street in partnership with Tommy Tang and Hing Sun Lee (Page 24 of Immigration file).

After living in Australia since 1936, and applying for extensions on a regular basis for 25 years, he was naturalised as an Australian citizen in December 1961 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 14 December 1961, p. 4583).Other nameYUAN TANDate of birth10th October 1909Date of death2nd March 1963

Person

AH TAI HOY (CHENG) (female)

HOY Allan

HOY James

HOY Kevin

HOY Michael

HOY Moya (female)

HOY Philip

HOY Stephen

YEN HAY HOY

YUEN KUM

Photograph and slide

Ah Tai Micky Goon Tam - photo

Gang Poy - Goon Tam Hoy's father

Goon Tam Hoy (and unidentified person) Hong Kong Restaurant - 1960s

Goon Tam Hoy - undated photo

Goon Tam Hoy in the Hong Kong Restaurant - 1960s

Goon Tam and Albert (Micky) Yuen

Young Fong - Goon Tam Hoy's mother

Yuen Family Picnic

Yuen Family Picnic - Jarrahdale c.1936 Photo #1

Document

Goon Tam Hoy's request for citizenship - 1960

Goon Tam Hoy's signature

Organisation

Hong Kong Restaurant, Perth

J. W. Wing & Co. Ltd Furniture Factory, Perth

Goon Tam Hoy around the age of 38 (source: National Archives, PP239/1, W1960/14137).

Family

SpouseAH TAI HOY (CHENG) (female)ChildHOY JamesHOY Moya (female)HOY AllanHOY PhilipHOY StephenHOY KevinHOY MichaelOther relativeYEN HAY HOYYUEN KUM

Connections

Subject (person)Tommy TangHing Sun LeeSubject (organisation)J. W. Wing & Co. Ltd Furniture Factory, PerthHong Kong Restaurant, PerthEsplanade HotelWestern Australian Salvage Company, PerthGeorge Nash & Co., East PerthSubject (place)107 Albany Road, Victoria Park106 Royal Street, East Perth5 Nash Street, East Perth Marquis Street, West Perth187 William Street, Perth5 Nash Street, East PerthSubject (topic)Chinese heritage in Western AustraliaCabinet makerCookRestaurateurIllicit liquorRelated collectionAnne Atkinson CollectionCelebrating 200 Years - National Foundation for Australia-China Relations Project

Item information

ContributorSchool of Social SciencesSource of informationNAA Immigration File 1935-1963

UWA Collected

GOON TAM HOY

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA