Young Chinese League social activities

Details

Founded in 1932, the Young Chinese League was established to bring people of Chinese descent together, to meet and share social, cultural and sporting activities. The club merged out of two former social clubs, the Chinese Progressive Association and the Chinese Athletics Association, both clubs that had begun in the 1920s with much the same principle. The idea was to provide a supervised environment where interests of the Chinese community could be advanced. Social clubs like the Young Chinese League provided an outlet for young Chinese to meet prospective partners and advance ties within the Chinese community. The club organised social activities that would provide a family atmosphere for its members.

Early club meetings were held at the Chinn’s family home at 104-106 Little Bourke Streets, Melbourne, courtesy of one of the founding members, Frank Chinn. The building was big enough to house many of the social events the Young Chinese League committee organised including social dances, table tennis and Mah Jong evenings. Charity dances were also held to raise money for the Chinese Relief Appeal in the 1930s. In 1938, the League raised over 360 pounds. Dances were held to raise money for many of the sports that league members played, as well as to raise money for maintenance of the popular Chinese parade dragon. In 1959, a special dance was held to raise money for the football club, men attending were requested to bring a 5-shilling donation to go towards the Accident fund for last year’s injured players. Special dance classes were held on Tuesday evenings in the lead up to the annual debutante ball, with boys enlisted to act as partners.

The Young Chinese League for a time did compete in table tennis tournaments. In 1962, they were challenged by the Indonesian Students Association to play tennis. Further challenges in 1963, this time from the Borneo Student’s Association to play tennis and table tennis.

Family activities such as the annual picnics were held for many years at Aspendale, then Carrum Beach and later Chelsea. The picnics kicked off the social calendar for the Young Chinese League each year. The picnics were open to all Chinese Australians including non-members and it was an opportunity for members of the Chinese community to renew acquaintances, with some coming from interstate. Members of the league were encouraged to bring their friends as well, opening up the opportunities for the Chinese and Australian communities to meet.

Family activities also included children’s treats at Christmas. For this parents would have to submit their child’s name and age. The treats would be handed out in the build up to Christmas and Santa would attend. There were also special ladies nights.

For many years a popular fundraiser for the club’s football team, as well as dances, was theatre nights. Tickets would be bought in bulk for popular shows of the day. When theatre nights declined the League took on other popular social fads of the 70s and 80s through to the 90s such as cooking classes, wine tasting, bush dances, harness racing nights, golf and pokie weekends, as well as car rallying and scavenger hunts.

Sources used to compile this entry: Museum of Chinese Australia history collection - Young Chinese League newsletters - 1955, 1956,1957,1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1969,1972,1979, 1982 and 1997.

Prepared by: Brendan O'Donnell, Monash University

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Images

Title: Alma Quon and her Joy Belles
Type: Photograph
Date: c. 1955
Place: Australia - Victoria - Melbourne?; Details

Title: Cecil [?] Lew Ton, aged 18 in Young Chinese League
Type: Photograph
Date: c. 1936
Place: Australia - Victoria - Melbourne; Details

Title: Frances Lew Ton, Agnes Lee and Marjorie Hughes, Brighton beach, c1935
Type: Photograph
Date: c. 16 February 1935
Place: Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Brighton; Details

Title: Group portrait at a Young Chinese League function 1920s
Type: Photograph
Date: 1920s
Place: Australia - Victoria - Melbourne; 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: Mooomba Parade, Melbourne in the mid 1950’s
Type: Photograph
Date: c. 1955
Place: Australia - Victoria - Melbourne; Details

Title: Procession with Chinese Dragon
Type: Photograph
Date: 1960s
Place: Australia - Victoria - Melbourne?; Details

Title: Publicity photograph taken of Philip and William Lew Boar as part of a war effort charity
Type: Photograph
Date: c. 1939 - c. 1945
Place: Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Little Bourke Street; Details

Title: Two men dressed for dragon parade
Type: Photograph
Date: c. 1925 - c. 1930
Place: Australia - Victoria - Melbourne; Details