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Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union (Melbourne)

Gallery

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    Believed to be teachers from Presbyterian Chinese Mission School or from the Women's Mission Union., by Lafayette, Melbourne, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Believed to be teachers from Presbyterian Chinese Mission School or from the Women's Mission Union., c. 1905, by Alma Studio, 13 Paisley St, Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Nancy Williams, c. 1921, by University Studio (George H. Lang), 306 Lygon St, Carlton, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Students at Presbyterian Women's Mission School, including Joyce May Tock, 1890s, by Stewart & Co, 284-286 Bourke Street, courtesy of S. Millard (private hands).
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    Tong family, c. 21 June 1912, by Yeomans, 116 Bourke St, Melbourne, courtesy of S. Millard (private hands).
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  • Click to view this Print (front)

    Believed to be teachers from Presbyterian Chinese Mission School or from the Women's Mission Union., courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
    Details

Details

It is not known when the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union (PWMU) was established by the Presbyterian Missionary Union. From at least the late 1890s the group ran a pre-school for Chinese children and adults at the Chinese Mission Hall at 26 Heffernan Lane which is believed to have been established by Mrs Ann Bon. This became the Presbyterian Chinese Mission School in 1907. Many of the Chinese children who lived in Little Bourke Street attended this preschool. A Chinese women's group was also established by the PWMU. This group were taught English and helped with church work including fundraising and charitable activities.

Sources used to compile this entry: Couchman, Sophie, 'Tong Yun Gai (Street of the Chinese): Investigating patterns of work and social life in Melbourne's Chinatown 1900-1920', MA thesis, School of Historical Studies, Monash University, 2001; Gillison, Joan, 'Bon, Ann Fraser (1838-1936)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bon-ann-fraser-5284/text8911, accessed 12 September 2011. MacDonald, Isobel, 'A woman of many parts', Messanger(Presbyterian, Victoria), February 1951. Thanks to Mike Harrison for drawing my attention to the links between Mrs Ann Bon and the Presbyterian Women's Mission Union school for Chinese children.

Prepared by: Sophie Couchman, La Trobe University

Related Concepts

Archival Collections

Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History)

  • Lew-Boar family collection, RLB; Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History). Details

S. Millard (private hands)

  • Shirley Millard private collection, 1890s; S. Millard (private hands). Details

Published Resources

Theses

  • Couchman, Sophie, 'Tong Yun Gai (Street of the Chinese): Investigating patterns of work and social life in Melbourne's Chinatown 1900-1920', MA thesis, School of Historical Studies, Monash University, 2001. Details

Images

Title
Bible Lessons with the Chinese in Melbourne
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1902
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union group
Type
Photograph
Date
1890s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details

See also

Title
Believed to be teachers from Presbyterian Chinese Mission School or from the Women’s Mission Union.
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne?
Details
Title
'Con' (missionary teacher?)
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1905
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Footscray
Details
Title
Nancy Williams
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1921
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne?
Details
Title
Students at Presbyterian Women's Mission School, including Joyce May Tock
Type
Photograph
Date
1890s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Little Bourke Street
Details
Title
Tong family
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 21 June 1912
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Unidentified missionary teachers
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne?
Details

Created: 10 May 2001, Last modified: 12 September 2011