- Born
- c. 1866
Jincun, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China - Died
- c. 1942
Jincun, Guangdong Province, China - Occupation
- businessman and tea merchant
- Alternative Names
- Yee Wing (also used)
- Yee Wing, Charles (given name)
- Yee Wing, Peter (also used)
- 余榮 (traditional Chinese characters)
- Summary
Although Yee Wing is referred to in some publications as 'Peter', the family all knew him as 'Charles'. Charles Yee Wing or Wing Yee.
Details
Yee Wing was born in Canton (Guangzhou) in 1866. There is some doubt as to date he arrived in Australia in any event he was naturalised in New South Wales in 1883.
He arrived in Sydney in 1882 and it possible he spent some time in the Newcastle area prior to then. In 1883 he was trading as a tea merchant and thereafter appears to have been involved in a number of businesses. It is thought that in the late 1880's he became involved in Tiy Sang a fruit business at the Sydney markets. The business particularly traded in bananas. By 1893 Yee Wing was the Managing Director of Tiy Sang. This business was successful and eventually had investments in Coffs Harbour, Fiji and elsewhere in the Pacific Islands. It is thought that in some of the activities he was in partnership with Quong Tart. At the time of his marriage in 1906 he still gave his occupation as tea merchant. Yee Wing was one of the founders of the ill-fated China Australia Mail Steamship line and was also involved in other businesses in Australia and China including Sincere, Wing On and the Bank of Canton. It is suspected that in the 1930's Yee Wing's businesses like many others faced difficult times although very little is known about this period. Late in his life he was involved the management of the Canton Cement Company.
Concurrently with his business career he was very active in Chinese nationalist politics. He was treasurer of Kuomintang (KMT or Chinese Nationalist Party) from 1916 to 1919, and was one of those responsible for constructing the KMT building in Sydney (which it still occupies). In 1924 he became President of the KMT in the South Pacific and it is thought held that position until 1931. In 1933 he helped established the Australian KMT headquarters in Canton (Guangzhou). He was an active fundraiser in the South Pacific for the nationalists in the war against the Japanese. It is known that he was close to Sun Yat Sen.
He married Susan Kezia Beck in 1906 and they had at least 12 children. Their marriage certificate describes Yee Wing as a widower. Few details are known about the deceased wife, however it is known that Yee Wing had several children by an earlier marriage in China. Following Susan's death in March 1938, Yee Wing appears to have sold off or closed those of his business activities that remained in Australia and distributed the assets amongst his surviving Australian children. He returned to China. Alas as part this exercise he burnt many photographs and family records. In China he married again and had a son and a daughter. It appears Yee Wing was caught in Hong Kong when the Japanese invaded that colony but was able to make his way to his home village of Jincun where it is understood he died sometime in 1942.
Events
- 1883
- naturalised
- 1906
- marriage - Susan Kezia Beck
Sources used to compile this entry: Fitzgerald, John, 'Transnational networks and national identities in the Australian Commonwealth: The Chinese-Australasian Kuomintang, 1923-1937', Australian Historical Studies, vol. 37, no. 127, 2006, pp. 95-116;
Fitzgerald, John, Big White Lie: Chinese Australians in White Australia, University of New South Wales Press, Sydney, 2007, 143, 147, 159-60, 162, 188-90;
Fitzgerald, Shirley, Red Tape and Gold Scissors [Chinese language version.], 1996;
Fitzgerald, Shirley, Red Tape and Gold Scissors: The Story of Sydney's Chinese, State Library of NSW Press, Sydney, 1996;
Ng Kumlin Ali, Bessie, Chinese in Fiji, University of the South Pacific, Institute of Pacific Studies, Suva, Fiji, 2002;
Ng Kumlin Ali, Bessie, 'Quong Tart and early Chinese business in Fij', The Journal of Pacific Studies, vol. 28, no. 1, 2005, pp. 78-88;
Xiangyi, Mo & Mo Yimei,, William J. Liu, O.B.E. - Pathfinder, 1893-1983, Australia-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New South Wales, Crows Nest, NSW, 1991;
Yong, C. F., 'The banana trade and the Chinese in NSW and Victoria, 1901-1921', ANU Historical Journal, vol. 1, no. 2, 1964, pp. 28-35;
Yong, C. F., 'The Chinese revolution of 1911: Reactions of Chinese in New South Wales and Victoria', Historical Studies, vol. 12, 1966, pp. 213-229;
Yong, C.F., New Gold Mountain: The Chinese in Australia 1901-1920, Raphael Arts, South Australia, 1977; See also: Who's Who in Australia 1922, Who's Who in Australia 1927, NAA, A1/1, 1916/12445, NAA, A1/1, 12/15772
If you have any information concerning Yee Wing please email the writer - Tony at yeewingfamily@gmail.com..
Prepared by: Tony Wing, family historian
Related Subjects
Published Resources
Books
- 先施公司二十五週紀念册 [The Sincere Co., Ltd.: twenty fifth anniversary], Shang guan yin shua gong chang cheng yin, Xianggang, 1924?. Details
- Fitzgerald, John, Big White Lie: Chinese Australians in White Australia, University of New South Wales Press, Sydney, 2007, 143, 147, 159-60, 162, 188-90. Details
- Fitzgerald, Shirley, Red Tape and Gold Scissors [Chinese language version.], 1996. Details
- Fitzgerald, Shirley, Red Tape and Gold Scissors: The Story of Sydney's Chinese, State Library of NSW Press, Sydney, 1996. Details
- Ng Kumlin Ali, Bessie, Chinese in Fiji, University of the South Pacific, Institute of Pacific Studies, Suva, Fiji, 2002. Details
- Xiangyi, Mo & Mo Yimei,, William J. Liu, O.B.E. - Pathfinder, 1893-1983, Australia-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New South Wales, Crows Nest, NSW, 1991. Details
- Yong, C.F., New Gold Mountain: The Chinese in Australia 1901-1920, Raphael Arts, South Australia, 1977. Details
Journal Articles
- Fitzgerald, John, 'Transnational networks and national identities in the Australian Commonwealth: The Chinese-Australasian Kuomintang, 1923-1937', Australian Historical Studies, vol. 37, no. 127, 2006, pp. 95-116. Details
- Ng Kumlin Ali, Bessie, 'Quong Tart and early Chinese business in Fij', The Journal of Pacific Studies, vol. 28, no. 1, 2005, pp. 78-88. Details
- Yong, C. F., 'The banana trade and the Chinese in NSW and Victoria, 1901-1921', ANU Historical Journal, vol. 1, no. 2, 1964, pp. 28-35. Details
- Yong, C. F., 'The Chinese revolution of 1911: Reactions of Chinese in New South Wales and Victoria', Historical Studies, vol. 12, 1966, pp. 213-229. Details
Images
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-
- Title
- Eighteen KMT representatives at the 2nd KMT Convention
- Type
- Photograph
- Details
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-
- Title
- Eighteen KMT representatives at the 2nd KMT Convention
- Type
- Photograph
- Date
- August 1927
- Details
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-
- Title
- Rear of Shanghai Café, Chinese Chop Suey House & Restaurant at 65-67 Campbell Street, Sydney
- Type
- Photograph
- Date
- 6 August 1934
- Place
- Australia - New South Wales - Sydney - Campbell St
- Details
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-
- Title
- Seven staff members of the Canton Registry Office
- Type
- Photograph
- Date
- May 1931
- Place
- China - Guangdong - Guangzhou (Canton)
- Details
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-
- Title
- Thirty representatives of the 1st KMT convention in front of the new KMT headquarters in Sydney
- Type
- Photograph
- Date
- May 1922
- Place
- Australia - New South Wales - Sydney
- Details
Created: 25 January 2009, Last modified: 31 March 2011
