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Chinn Family

Gallery

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    Oddfellows Lodge, Weldborough, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Albert 'Moses' (Tung Yot) Chinn
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    L-R: Albert 'Moses' (Tung Yot) Chinn (?uncertain), Tue Gee Chinn, unknown, unknown, Mr Chung Gon (senior), unknown.
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    L-R: Albert 'Moses' (Tung Yot) Chinn, Anne Wong Hee(?), Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn and Reginald (Tung Hee) Chinn, in Melbourne. ca 1940s.
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    Arthur (Tung Chin) Chinn
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    Arthur 'Chinny' (Tung Chin) Chinn in Melbourne
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    Australian friends of the Chinn family
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    Celebrating Double Ten in the 1930s. Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn, third from left with Taiwanese consuls and the Consul General, and their wives
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    Chinese Progress Association. 2nd Annual Ball, 26/11/24., 26 November 1924, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Chinn brothers at Victoria Market, ca 1960s, by Unknown creator (see disclaimer)
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Alternative Names
  • Chinn family (also used)
  • Ma family (full Chinese)

Details

Maa Mon Chinn (1846-18 May 1923) was a highly respected clan headman, storekeeper and tinminer who lived in Weldborough, North East Tasmania, for most of his life. Weldborough was one of the centres of a community of over 700 Chinese miners who worked the tin fields along the valley of the old Ringarooma River, from the 1870s to the 1910s.

Maa Mon Chinn came to Tasmania from Guangdong province with his father, and older brother, Maa Pahn, in the 1860s, to make money from tin mining. At that time Maa Mon Chinn was in his mid-teens. They were among the first Chinese to emigrate to Tasmania. The father died in Weldborough (believed to have been murdered on his way to Morina), and was initially buried there. Later Maa Pahn returned to China and took his father's bones back with him to be reburied in the family's village.

Lula Kow Yonn (aka Lula Mak) (1870-1951) migrated directly from Guangdong to the isolated Chinese tin-mining community of Weldborough in 1886, at the age of 16, betrothed to marry Maa Mon Chinn, who was then 40 years old. Over the next 22 years, they had a family of seven sons and four daughters. As tin-mining declined, most of the family migrated to Melbourne in the 1910s, where the middle and younger sons developed a fruit and vegetable wholesaling business in Little Bourke Street. The eldest son, Harry, had earlier moved to Sydney.

Although the family name was Maa, they adopted Chinn as their English surname, and the family in Melbourne lived in the former Munster Arms Hotel, at 104-106 Little Bourke Street, behind Her Majesty's Theatre.

Partly because of the size of their building, with its many rooms, and partly because of the community spirit of the fourth son, Frank, the Chinn household became a central focus for community activity in Chinatown from the 1920s to the 1960s. Meetings, table tennis games, and small parties and dances were held there. The Young Chinese League, formed in 1932, was based for many years in their home, and Frank was its longest-serving President, a record of 31 years.

Sources used to compile this entry: Macgregor, Paul, 'Dreams of Jade and Gold', in Epstein, Anna (ed.), The Australian Family: Images and Essays, Scribe Publications, Melbourne, 1998, pp. 25-35; Museum of Chinese Australian History collection.

Prepared by: Paul Macgregor, independent researcher

Archival Collections

Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History)

  • Negative collection (4x5 inch), N45; Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History). Details
  • Photographs of Frank Chinn and his family's belongings, c. 1985 - c. 1986; Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History). Details

Published Resources

Book Sections

  • Macgregor, Paul, 'Dreams of Jade and Gold', in Epstein, Anna (ed.), The Australian Family: Images and Essays, Scribe Publications, Melbourne, 1998, pp. 25-35. Details

See also

  • '[unidentified article]', Australasian Post, 23 October 1947. Details
  • Loh, Morag & Winternitz, Judith, Dinki-di: The Contributions of Chinese Immigrants and Australians of Chinese Descent to Australia's Defence Forces and War Efforts, 1899-1988, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1988. Details

Images

Title
Oddfellows Lodge, Weldborough
Type
Photograph
Details

See also

Title
Albert 'Moses' (Tung Yot) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Albert 'Moses' (Tung Yot) Chinn (?), Tue Gee Chinn, Mr Chung Gon (senior), with other unidentified friends
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Albert 'Moses' (Tung Yot) Chinn, Anne Wong Hee (?), Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn and Reginald (Tung Hee) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Date
1940s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Arthur (Tung Chin) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Arthur 'Chinny' (Tung Chin) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Australian friends of the Chinn family
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Celebrating Double Ten in the 1930s. Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn, third from left with Taiwanese consuls and the Consul General, and their wives
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Chinese Progress Association 2nd Annual Ball
Type
Photograph
Date
26 November 1924
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Chinn brothers at Victoria Market, ca 1960s
Type
Photograph
Date
1960s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Queen Victoria Market
Details
Title
Chinn brothers at Victoria Market, ca 1960s
Type
Photograph
Date
1960s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Queen Victoria Market
Details
Title
Chinn daughters and family friends, in Queensland
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Queensland
Details
Title
Chinn family at 62 or 66 Chaucer St, St Kilda, Melbourne, c1960s
Type
Photograph
Date
1960s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - St Kilda
Details
Title
Chinn family portrait
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Dance function (possibly Chinese Progress Association dance) in Melbourne, circa 1920s
Type
Photograph
Date
1920s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Daughter of Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Daughter of Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Dorothy 'Biddy' (Tue Foang) Chinn and friend
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Dorothy 'Biddy' (Tue Foang) Chinn and son Ming Balintong
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1950
Details
Title
Dorothy 'Biddy' (Tue Foang) Chinn and son Ming Balintong
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1947
Details
Title
Dorothy 'Biddy' (Tue Foang) Chinn with children of her friend
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Dorothy 'Biddy' (Tue Foang) Chinn, Ming Balintong, Wing Chinn and friends
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Dorothy 'Biddy' (Tue Foang) Chinn, Mrs Poy and Albert 'Moses' (Tung Yot) Chinn with Ming Balintong
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Dorothy Chinn and Mrs Amy Moo Tong Young playing Chinese instruments
Type
Photograph
Control
N45-152
Details
Title
Edward ('Teddy') Chung Gon, his father Mr Chung Gon, Tue Gee Chinn with two friends on either side
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn (3rd from right?) and friends by a car at a picnic in Melbourne
Type
Photograph
Date
1920s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn (with flowers, possibly second from left) and friends at a picnic in Melbourne.
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn and Donald Lee, Melbourne
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn and Mrs Amy Mou Tong Young
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn and opera star Lila Pirani
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn at 16 or 17 years old
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1913
Place
Australia?
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn at 74, showing decoration from Taiwanese Government, 1971
Type
Photograph
Date
1971
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn at about 19 or 20 years old
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1916
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn making a presentation to Taiwanese Consul at a function in the 1950s
Type
Photograph
Date
1950s
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn, 22 years old
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1919
Place
Australia?
Details
Title
Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn, Chinese Consul and wife
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Friends of the Chinn family
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Grandchildren of Mick (Tung Tarn) Chinn (Possibly children of Wing Chinn, Mick's son) in Melbourne
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Group photograph of unknown man driving, George Tock beside him, Ettie Tock (nee Sam), Florence Sam and Miss Chinn in the back. 1910
Type
Photograph
Date
1910
Place
Australia - Victoria
Details
Title
Harry (Tung Chow) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Harry (Tung Chow) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1908 - c. 1920
Place
Australia - New South Wales - Sydney?
Details
Title
Harry (Tung Chow) Chinn and friend
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Jan O'Hoy, Ming Balintong and friend holding 1955 pennants
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1960
Place
Australia - Victoria?
Details
Title
Leslie Kong, Consul from Taiwan, his wife and Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Date
1940s - 1950s
Details
Title
Lula Kow Yonn and her younger children
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1913
Place
Australia - Tasmania
Details
Title
Lula Kow Yonn with Tutoy Chinn, Tue Gee Chinn and Len Heng
Type
Painting
Date
c. 1891
Place
Australia - Tasmania
Details
Title
Lula Kow Yonn with youngest children Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn and Arthur (Tung Chin) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1910
Place
Australia - Tasmania - Weldborough
Details
Title
Maa Mon Chinn and eldest son Harry (Tung Chow) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1908
Details
Title
Maa Mon Chinn and eldest son Harry (Tung Chow) Chinn
Type
Painting
Date
c. 1888
Place
Australia - Tasmania
Details
Title
Mabel Wang, Tue Gee Chinn and Daisy Quon at Young Chinese League Ball
Type
Photograph
Date
1969
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Members of the Chinn family
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1903
Place
Australia - Tasmania - Weldborough
Details
Title
Mick (Tung Tarn) Chinn and wife
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Ming Balintong
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Ming Balintong (or Wing Chinn) and possibly Margaret Kong
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1946
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Little Bourke Street
Details
Title
Ming Balintong and friend
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria?
Details
Title
Ming Balintong and friend in Melbourne
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Ming Balintong and friends at function
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Ming Balintong?
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1938 - c. 1946
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne?
Details
Title
Ming Balintong's wedding in Melbourne to Ann Hutchins
Type
Photograph
Date
10 June 1972
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Reginald (Tung Hee) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Reginald (Tung Hee) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Reginald (Tung Hee) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia?
Details
Title
Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Date
1920s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn and daughter
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn and husband Harry Wong, 1934
Type
Photograph
Date
1934
Details
Title
Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn with unidentified child
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Thelma and Lionel Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Tue Gee Chinn
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia?
Details
Title
Tue Gee Chinn and Dorothy 'Biddy' (Tue Foang) Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Tue Gee Chinn and friends of the Church
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Tue Gee Chinn in front of church (?) building
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1950
Details
Title
Unknown function showing: Chinese Consul's wife, Frank (Tung Foo) Chinn and Tue Gee Chinn
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Vance (Tung Gow) Chinn dressed as a manservant outside Her Majesty's Theatre
Type
Photograph
Date
1920s - 1930s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Vance (Tung Gow) Chinn dressed as a soldier beside Her Majesty's Theatre
Type
Photograph
Date
1920s - 1930s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Little Bourke Street
Details
Title
Wedding of Edward Chung Gon and Gladys Sym Choon, in 1939
Type
Photograph
Date
1939
Place
Australia - South Australia - Adelaide
Details
Title
Wedding of Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn, and husband Harry Wong
Type
Photograph
Place
Hong Kong
Details
Title
Wedding of Wing Chinn and wife
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Wedding of Wing Chinn and wife
Type
Photograph
Place
Hong Kong?
Details
Title
Wedding portrait of Harry (Tung Chow) Chinn and Florence Winch
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1915
Place
Australia - New South Wales - Sydney
Details
Title
Wedding portrait of Mr Lew Fatt in Melbourne
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Wedding portrait of Ruby (Tue Gnoak) Chinn and Harry Wong in Hong Kong
Type
Photograph
Date
1930s
Place
Hong Kong
Details
Title
Wedding portrait of Sylvia Chew and Roy Lee Dow
Type
Photograph
Details
Title
Wedding portrait of Tutoy Chinn and Charles Wong Hee
Type
Photograph
Date
28 September 1904
Place
Australia - Tasmania - Launceston
Details
Title
Weight lifter from Taiwan
Type
Photograph
Date
1950s - 1960s
Place
Australia?
Details
Title
Wing Chinn
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Wing Chinn in Little Bourke Street
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Little Bourke Street
Details
Title
Young Chinese League football team, 1947
Type
Photograph
Date
1947
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Little Bourke Street
Details

Created: 12 February 2003, Last modified: 20 September 2005