SHEM Harold

Description

Biographical informationShem Harold (aka See Chong) was born around 1897 in Melbourne, Victoria (BDM 1897/20967). He moved to Western Australia with his family in the early 1900s. He was Chinese by nationality. He was five feet seven inches in height. He was the brother of Shem Alex.

In 1898 he travelled back to China with the family and lived in Canton for a couple of years. The family then moved to Macao in Hong Kong and stayed there until 1906. In about 1907 he, his father, sister Suey Lind and brother See Fun Albert travelled to Melbourne and then Perth, leaving his mother, sister Suey Land and brother See Kong behind in China. He went to school in Perth and attended Scotch College from 1912-1914.

He married Elsie Adeline PON and they had three daughters, all born in Perth: Gladys, born 1916 (BDM 102038/1916), Winifred, born 1919 (BDM 101315/1919) and Norma, born 1924 (BDM 100527/1924).

He was a partner in Ah Sam and Co, 112 Barrack Street, Perth (E). He travelled overseas between July and November 1927.

He was president of the Chung Wah Association in 1947. In 1950 he and the family were living at Robin Street, Mount Lawley (Daily News 18th April 1950, pg 10).

He died in South Perth in 1975 at the age of 80. On his death certificate, his father's name recorded as Kwan Ah Shem and mother's name as Ling (BDM 1975/101570).Other nameKwan Ah Shem Lee FunQuan See Chong (also known as)Shem See Chong (also known as)Date of birth1897Date of death22nd April 1975

Person

Jan (female)

QUAN AH SAM

SHEM Adeline Elsie (female)

SHEM Albert

SHEM Alexander

SHEM SEE KONG

SHEM SUEY LAND (female)

SHEM SUEY LIN (female)

Document

Perth Chinese Cut by Half 1947

Harold Shem pictured around the age of 32 in 1927 on his Certificate Exempting him from the Dictation Test (source: National Archives, K1145, 1927/77).

Family

ParentQUAN AH SAMSpouseSHEM Adeline Elsie (female)SiblingSHEM AlexanderSHEM SUEY LAND (female)SHEM SEE KONGSHEM AlbertSHEM SUEY LIN (female)

Connections

Subject (organisation)Chung Wah AssociationSubject (place)Robin Street, Mount LawleyRelated collectionCelebrating 200 Years - National Foundation for Australia-China Relations ProjectAnne Atkinson Collection

Item information

ContributorSchool of Social SciencesSource of informationNAA CEDT File 1927NAA Customs File 1952-1963 » Not digitised #33099159

UWA Collected

SHEM Harold

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA