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Young, Clara (1888 - )

Born
21 September 1888
Eaglehawk, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Alternative Names
  • Lick Yew (full Chinese)

Details

Clara Young was born in Eaglehawk, near Bendigo in Victoria in 1888. She did not attend school but was educated at home. She told customs officers she did not leave the house much as her father did not allow it. She left Australia for China in June 1900 on S.S. Eastern with her parents and siblings. Despite being born in Australia, her father, George Young, applied for exemption from the 1890 Chinese Act for the whole family although he provided authorities with photographs of himself and his three sons, none were provided of the women in the family. In China she lived with her family in a village near Guangzhou described as 'Gar (or Yar) Yew'.

She returned to Australia on 29 January 1917 on S.S. Eastern from Hong Kong. Statements on her immigration file state she married William Goo Gung when she was seventeen years old, c.1905-1906. As no record of their marriage as been found nor any suggestion that Clara was in Australia at this time it seems they were married in China. Clara stated in 1917 that she was to join William Goo Gung in Sydney and that they had no children.

Sources used to compile this entry: 'Prosperous Chinese miner [photograph]', Australasian, 31 March 1900, p. 703; Victorian and New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages; NAA(Vic), MP56/12, item 6; NAA (Vic), B13/0, 1917/3260.

Prepared by: Sophie Couchman, La Trobe University

Associated with

Family

Published Resources

Newspaper Articles

  • 'Prosperous Chinese miner [photograph]', Australasian, 31 March 1900, p. 703. Details

Images

Title
George Young (En Young Fun) and family
Type
Photograph
Date
31 March 1900
Place
Australia - Victoria - Eaglehawk
Details

Created: 10 October 2003, Last modified: 20 October 2005