Chinese Portraits

Chinese Portraits is an exhibition of photographs selected from the collections of Library & Archives NT, and the Chung Wah Society's Chinese Museum.

The photographs were chosen for the aesthetic appeal, but they illustrate the crucial contribution made by the Chinese to the life of the Territory - from the 1870s to the present day.

We thank the Chung Wah Society and the Chinese Museum for their collaboration on this project.

A young family enjoys Picnic Day at Pine Creek in 1937. The Ah Toy family was central to the Pine Creek community.

The young woman may be Cheong Yuen Gow (aka Ellen Ah Toy, married name Ellen Cramond) and the children are probably from several families.

Pastor Lo (1900-1995) was born in South China and raised in a Christian family. In 1931 he married Wong Yuk Yuen in Hong Kong and served with the London Missionary Society until 1941 when they came to Darwin. They were almost immediately evacuated but came back in 1946.

From 1948 Lo conducted missionary work in Rabul, but returned to Darwin in 1952. Between 1956 and 1964 the family shared their time between Rabul and Darwin, as well as Brisbane. From 1964 the family retired to Darwin and Lo wrote a number of autobiographical works.

Young Chinese women were central to family and community life but they were often also politically and commercially active.

(at back L to R) Selina Hassan (Lee Hang Gong), Ruby Quee, Myrtle Houng On Yee (Fong Gim Lunn), unknown, Pauline Chee Quee; (at front L to R) unknown, unknown.

Cheon (1854-c.1922) was famous as the cook in Jeannie Gunn's 1908 novel We of the Never Never.

Cheon arrived from California in the 1870s and was renowned across northern Australia, working at Renner Springs, Elsey Station, Carlton Hill, Bradshaw's Run, and Darwin. He left Australia in 1919 and settled in Singapore with his Chinese family.

Cheong Ah Yu may have been in Australia for a couple of decades before coming to the Territory in 1908. He began mining at Mt Diamond south of Pine Creek, and it is about this time that he started a family.

Depicted are his wife, Leung Tem Choy, and children Cheong Yuen Fatt (aka Jimmy Ah Fatt), Cheong Yuen Gow (aka Ah Toy), and baby Cheong yuen Toy (aka Jimmy Ah Toy).

The Chinese community established market gardens throughout the Northern Territory and at often times were the only suppliers of fresh fruit and vegetables.

This studio portrait is inscribed “To Dorothy, best wishes from Mr and Mrs Charlie Chin 23/8/39”.

Charles Hong Sik Hong (1919-1977) was a shipping clerk when he married Betty Wong Chin Lan in 1938. Dorothy may have been Betty’s sister.

Ronald Gordon Chin enlisted in Adelaide in February 1944, only a few weeks after his 18th birthday. He served in the RAAF as a Leading Aircraftman in Air Force HQ Telecom Unit.

Chin’s grandmother is known as Wong See, which may refer to her maiden name. She was the wife of Chin Mee Leung. Having been evacuated in 1941, Wong See came back to live in Darwin until her death in 1960.

Chinatown was a place full of exuberant children and family activities.

In May-June 1905 the South Australian Governor, Sir George Le Hunte, toured the Northern Territory. On Monday 19 June, a deputation of merchants, representing the Chinese community, waited upon His Excellency at The Residency. 

(at back L to R) Lloyd Herbert, Mrs Herbert, Sir George Le Hunte, Aide de Camp, Lady Le Hunte, Justice Herbert; (at middle L to R) Chin Mee Leung, Chin Pat Mow, unknown (obscured), Fong How; (at front L to R) Chin Kim Kee, Charlie Yee, Bang Ben, Yuen Yet Hing, Chin Toy.

This photograph was taken by Dr Philip Maplestone, who worked as a doctor at Pine Creek from June 1913 to December 1914. 

Chinese miners worked the Pine Creek fields from the 1870s. A strong community developed around the small township, which in the late 1880s became the terminus for the Darwin railway line – also built by Chinese labour.

Harry Chan was born in Darwin in 1918. He spent his whole life in the city, working as a storekeeper, politician, and community worker. He was widely respected, and was elected President of the Legislative Assembly in 1965 and Mayor of Darwin in 1966.

In 1888 more than 7,000 Chinese people lived in the Northern Territory, working in all aspects of commerce and settlement.

Despite the introduction of the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, there were almost 800 Chinese people still residing in the Territory at the time of this photograph.

Picnic Day at Pine Creek, the two girls holding water lilies may have been Ellen and Jean, the daughters of Ellen Cramond (born Cheong Yuen Gow, aka Ellen Ah Toy).