Name/Title
The inaugural committee of the Kong Chew SocietyEntry/Object ID
2015.17Tags
Scientific Significance, Social Significance, Interpretive SignificanceContext
The Kong Chew Society is the oldest Chinese community organization in Australia. It was established in 1854 in the same year as, but shortly before, the See Yup Society. The Society supports people from the Sunwei (Xinhui) district in the See Yup (Siyi) area in Guangdong. The Society built their first club rooms at 242-244 in 1862. This was one of the first Chinese-owned properties in the area. The building was demolished in the 1960s and the Society moved to their current premises at 4 Tattersalls lane.
This is a photograph of the Kong Chew Society committee who were involved in the sale of the old building and move of the clubrooms to their current location at 4 Tattersalls Lane. There is a framed piece which contains all these men’s signatures still held by the Kong Chew Society. Most of the men in the photograph have been identified.
Scientific: This photograph and the men named in it were the key figures in the Kong Chew Society at this time and so it is an important part of the history of Melbourne’s Chinese community and community groups. Further research could help to uncover the other activities of these men.
Social: Strongly tied to the history of the Kong Chew Society and the people who ran the organization in the 20th century. In the background elements from the Kong Chew Society altar are also visible which help us to understand what objects and furniture were associated with the altar during the period.
Interpretive: This photograph can be used to help us tell the history of the Kong Chew Society, the society’s former building and also the nature of religious worship by Chinese communities in Australia.Acquisition
Accession
2015.17Source or Donor
CHAN DennisAcquisition Method
Donation