Early Chinese Workers in Walliston
The chinese
Ref: Memories of Walliston
In WA the end of transportation of convicts in 1868 again meant a labour shortage in the colony. Accordingly in 1874 and again in 1878 the Legislation Council authorised the expenditure of over five thousand pounds to import Chinese coolies. The few who did arrive worked to a three year contract and it was suggested that more be allowed to enter WA. However, the stirrings of national sentiment and the fledging rise of trade unions in the eastern colonies meant that this proposal would be looked at askance. In a letter to the Colonial Secretary’s Office dated 25th January 1881 and signed by Victoria, New South Wales, South Australian, Queensland, Tasmania and New Zealand representatives, the eastern colonies expressed “an earnest hope that Her Majesty’s Government will take such steps as may be deemed expedient to procure it’s reversal.
The Secretary of State declined to interfere in the decisions of the Western Australian Government. However, hostility towards Asian labour continued to grow, especially after the developments of the goldfields. Here Afghan traders caused resentment over their monopoly of the carrier trade. By 1897 legislation to slow Asian immigration was enacted in WA. In 1901 under the new Commonwealth of Australia, the Immigration Restriction Act was passed.
This Bill was the formal beginning of the White Australia Policy. It enacted a dictation test on all coloured immigrants with the view according to Atlee Hunt, secretary of Dept. of External Affairs that “It is not desirable, that persons should be allowed to pass the test.
One Paul Soong Quong of Fremantle petitioned the Prime Minister regarding the severity of the Bill and stressing the needs for Chinese labour in the State.
In 1903 a Naturalisation bill was passed federally which denied coloured immigrants the right to vote or to hold crown lands. Moreover, it removed a provision of the earlier bill which allowed wives to accompany their husbands to Australia. By 1906 a compromise policy would allow wives in for a period of six months providing the husband was a long- standing resident.
Such was the political background against which the seventeen Chinese of Walliston entered and worked in Australia. It is not surprising that in such an anti-Chinese age they maintained a low profile, working quietly and industriously on their fertile leases on the corning of Canning and Pomeroy Roads. The land was leased originally from Mr. Fernighough and when it was sold to Mr. Annetts the leases continued under the new ownership.
They lived in two groups, possibly because they came from different counties in China. One group, Chuck Sing’s, lived in the tin roofed wooden building on Canning Road. The other group, Ah Jack and Tommy Hing lived up behind the big shed on Halleendale Road. The former building was still standing in 1975, but has since been demolished. The buildings were neatly constructed and well maintained with trellises of creepers to screen for privacy and shade and neat gardens about them. Seasonal Chinese worker who came lived behind where Herb’s shed is now in Pomeroy Road.
Chuck Sing is believed to have been born in Canton in 1870. Ah Dan came from Canton in 1890 and was established as a market gardener in Walliston in 1916.
Other men remembered are Yam, Chum Mee, Young Sing Lee, Ah Ming and Jim Sing. A group of Chinese also lived at Carmel where Wilson and John’s had their nursery. Tommy Hing later went down to Payne’s place in Lesmurdie.
The Chinese were an accepted part of the local community as market gardeners. They grew fields of strawberries, cauliflowers, cabbages, tomatoes, beans and possibly ginger, because gifts of Chinese preserved ginger are well remembered still at Walliston. They had a deep dam from which they drew up the water in wooden bucket which were also used to bring back the picked produce.
On Saturday mornings they did their round of the area with the horse and cart. The horses were well cared for and were housed near Annett’s shed. They had a big black Percheron horse. Jack Rouse bought one of the foals. The cart was used to take vegetables to the railway station, a practice which lasted till the train stopped in 1949. One story tells of deliberate spoilage of the grain sacks for their horses by a resident who slit the sack. Another chap noticed this and repaired the damage. His kind deed resulted in a generous supply of produce whenever his family visited the market gardens.
Many Walliston residents remember Chuck Sing and Ah Dan sitting outside their homes after a long diligent day at work, smoking the traditional bamboo pipes which gurgled, and singing loudly in Chinese. The pipes were all 1 and a half – two inches outside diameter with the bottom sealed off. The rest, almost 3 feet long was hollowed out. Towards the bottom was a thin piping of bamboo or copper. The tobacco was put in the smaller pipe and lit with homemade tapers. The larger pipe had water in it which filtered the smoke as it was drawn up into the mouth. Some local residents believed the Chinese to be opium smokers, and there were many checks by the police but no evidence was found to support this idea. In fact, Mr. F.W. (Pop) Wallis was offered a smoke and knew it to be only tobacco. Furthermore, many Chinese in Australia were supporters of the anti-opium movement initiated by Melbourne Chinese in 1905 which led to an interstate Chinese convention requesting the federal government not to allow opium imports. The Chinese well knew how detrimental to their lifestyle and how precarious their position in the Australian community would be if they condoned such opium smoking.
The Chinese wee always conscious of being neat and tidy in appearance. They wore traditional dark coolie clothing and were either barefooted or dressed in scuffs closed across the toes. Some still wore the traditional plait, tied at the end with raffia, but Chuck Sing had short hair, possibly cut after 1912 in support of the new order republic of Sun Yat Sen in China. The pigtail or queue was seen as a symbol of reactionary Manchu rule and cutting it off was a statement of support for the Republic. Chuck Sing was known to send money home to China and had a son there, who many years later joined the communist Party which greatly disturbed Chuck Sing.
The Chinese remembered their own ceremonies, in particular Chinese New Year. Mr. Frank Wallis recalled taking a car load of men into North Perth to their annual feast. He said he had a very good time. Their generosity is a theme well remembered in Walliston. On Christmas Day they would send over to their neighbours, huge baskets about 4 feet in diameter and 3 feet deep. These were filled with vegetables and packets of dried ginger, Chinese nuts and novelties, also small gifts. There was a box of Chinese “soups spoons” in a shed at “Orangedale” many years ago. Other residents recall gifts of enormous cauliflowers upon the return of a honeymooning couple and more than generous provisions of vegetables to an indigent family in the district. The Wallis family are proud possessors of a sturdy wood and bamboo abacus given to F.J. Wallis by one of the Chinese communities.
They also practised herbal medicine. Frank Wallis remembered cutting his hand open with a scythe. The Chinese carefully gathered some grasses and bound the cut, which healed leaving no scar. He got on well with his Chinese neighbours as he was quiet and did not interfere with them, However, they were subjected to harassment from local youths, who apart from slitting their feed sacks, cut on of planks that lead down 2 or 3 feet to the water level in their soak hole. When he stood on it to draw water the plank broke and he fell in.
Eventually the Chinese left the district. They were not forced to leave but probably old age and loneliness contributed to their desire to return to their ancestral home. They believed that “upon the roots of the tree rest falling leaves” and that to return home for their old age was natural. Moreover, because of the early Parliamentary Acts few would have been allowed to have any family to live in Australia with them and they must have been terribly lonely for they are very family orientated. Chuck Sing gave 2 shillings for good luck to Yvonne Armstrong when she was born. She still has it. Ah Dan returned to Singapore in 1909 but came back to Australia to live many years later. Chuck Sing lived on until the 1950’s when he died at Walliston. During his illness Florrie Halleen would send over soup and milk to his home, leaving it on the post outside to be collected. Chuck Sing was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.
Reference.
Pat Wallis: Memories of Walliston
Authority given by: Yvonne Armstrong nee Wallis
Virginia O’Keefe: Researcher.
EARLY CHINESE WORKERS IN WALLISTON
prepared by Yvonne Armstrong (nee Wallis)
1868 saw the end of convicts arriving in W.A. Around 1878 we saw the arrival of some Chinese nationals who could enter W.A. on a 3 year contract. This was not seen as a positive outcome by some parties, but against this political background, 17 Chinese men arrived in Walliston. By 1916 they had established their market gardens. They lived in two groups. I believe they came from different providences in China.
One group led by Ah Jack and Tommy Hing lived in a big shed up along Hallendale Rd and the other group led by Chuck Sing lived in a tin roofed wooden building along Canning Rd. This building was still standing in 1975 but has now been demolished. It was leased to Chuck Sing by Mr. Fernighough and when it was later bought by Mr. Herb Annetts the lease continued.
Sing Gardens has been named in his honour,
The area was close to the creek that passes under Canning Rd. between Pomeroy Rd and Orangedale Rd. The men were not allowed to bring their wives and families according to the Govt. Act but in 1906 a bill was passed that allowed wives to visit if the husband was a long-standing resident. I don’t believe any of the wives managed to visit, but the men worked hard, and were all respected by their neighbours. Lovely stories were told of friendship between the local orchardists, and it was known to be a safe stop for folks travelling thru from further afar.
Lovely baskets of vegetables would arrive at Christmas and if there was any celebration Chuck Sing would deliver a basket. These baskets were filled with vegetables, dried ginger, Chinese nuts, a treat for the families. The Chinese men loved to smoke using their long traditional style bamboo piped in the evening. Some stories suggested that they were smoking Opium but Pop told me that it was tobacco. I believe the police never had any evidence to suggest it was opium.
The men were very neat and tidy and the men wore the traditional plait, but Chuck Sing wore his hair short. I believe the pigtail or queue was seen as support for the republic of Sun Sen in China. Generally, I think the men were respected for their hard work and genuine friendships were made. As time went on many of the men decided to leave. The men were getting older and they desired to return to their ancestral homes.
Chuck Sing lived on until the 1950’s. When Chuck Sing became unwell in his later years the local folks would leave food and milk on a post near his house as was the custom of the day. When he died he was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery. It was believed that Chuck Sing was born in Canton in 1870.
Further information about the Chinese in W.A. is documented in various articles.
References: Memories of Walliston research by Virginia O’Keefe.