Hi David,
I found your blog on the GEE family and hope you don't mind me emailing you.
For eight years I have been researching my husband's family-the LAU/LOW family from Darwin. During that period I have come across much information on my husband's grandfather, LAU Dan, most commonly known by his business name, Wo Yuen.
I believe you have an ancestor named FONG How (1860-1920), and the name of his business was
Wing Wah Loong 永華隆 (forever/illustrious/
The lot was 2000 square metres and consisted of three shop fronts. It was the original site of the Northern Territory Hotel-the first hotel in Darwin.
The lease was renewed on 1st November 1897 (Lease No 1897 Volume IV Folio 238-Lands Department Darwin). They signed the lease under their business names-Wing Wah Loong, Wo Yuen and Yot Sing.
The photo I have
attached of Chinese New Year Parade in Cavenagh Street shows the three
shops run by Wing Wah Loong, Wo Yuen and Yot Sing on Lot 401 (all with
gables). A later photo around 1926 shows a lorry ordered by Wing Wah
Loong parked next to the shop. Another photo shows the sign of Wing Wah
Loong on the shop and the final one shows Cavenagh Street after it had
been cleared by the army after the war(the tree of knowledge survived).The photo showing the group of merchants shows FONG How (Wing Wah Loong) fourth from left in the middle row.
LAU Dan (Wo Yuen) was born I Long Chee Wan (Longjuhuan) west of Shekki Zhongshan China on 1 Jan 1858. He came to Palmerston in 1877. He returned to China with my father in law, Willie Wie Kwong LAU/LOW, in 1930. LAU Dan died in about September 1931 and my father in law returned to Darwin two years later.
I hope you can use this information for your blog so your family will know.
Sincerely,
Leonie LOW
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