The achievements of the women descended from the 19th century chinese immigrants!!

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The Achievements of the Women Descended from the 19th Century Chinese Immigrants. Part 1
By
Cecilia McAlmont and Margery Kirkpatrick..

Introduction
One hundred and thirty years ago, thirty one members of British Guiana’s plantocracy subscribed the sum of about 8,647 pounds sterling to charter the ship “Dartmouth” to transport a group of Chinese immigrants from Canton. The “Dartmouth” arrived in the colony in early 1879 with 500 free immigrants- 436 men, 47 women,18 boys, 5 girls and 9 infants. It proved to be the last shipment of immigrants in what was termed “the Chinese Experiment”. In all, 13,541 immigrants about 17% of whom were women came during the 26 years of periodic arrivals. The immigrants both men and women served their contractual obligations and for the most part moved away from the plantations to seek a better life for themselves and their children. The focus of the next two articles will be on the achievements of the women who were and are descended from these immigrants.
The experiment in action.
By the early 1850’s , British Guiana’s plantocracy had all but persuaded the Colonial Office that not only the survival of the sugar economy but also the survival of civilization in the colony was dependent on their being allowed to import large numbers of immigrants restrained by long indentures. Immigrants from China were to be an integral part of the survival process. They were regarded as being equal to the Blacks and superior to the Indian immigrants in their ability to fulfill the tasks associated with sugar cultivation. Moreover their presence would stimulate competition and help to lower wages, a significant element of their high costs of production.
From the inception, the experiment was fraught with difficulties. Foremost among them was the problem of recruiting women. However, an Ordinance in early 1859 dealt with that issue. Among its provisions was the enforcement of a quota system for female Chinese immigrants by empowering the governor to withhold payment to a passenger ship not having a reasonable number of women. Additionally, an incentive of fifty dollars was set aside to be paid towards the passage of every female Chinese immigrant. The first batch of women, 56 or roughly one sixth of the shipment of 377 immigrants arrived on the “Whirlwind” in March 1860. All subsequent shipments were to include women. There were other constraints to implementation. The competition for Chinese immigrants from Cuba, Peru and the USA and the ambivalence of the planters who continued to balance the advantages of an intelligent, hardworking but comparatively expensive Chinese immigration with that of Indian immigration. They often chose the more easily available Indian immigrants. The women worked on the estates, though not always in the fields, under the same conditions as the men many of whom became their husbands. They were therefore just as eager to move on with their lives after their time on the sugar plantations.
Becoming Creole
Many of the immigrants chose re indenture because of the limited range of economic activities available- the retail trade for example had been dominated by the Portuguese with the blessings of the planters since the 1840s.However, the Hopetown experiment temporarily filled a vacuum and their success in the charcoal business laid the foundations of their challenge to the Portuguese. Many with support from the Anglican Church or loans from private money lenders opened small businesses. More substantial businesses were established in Georgetown in particular, while other entrepreneurs sought and made their fortunes as plantation owners and in the gold and diamond fields.
These occupations brought many wealth and prosperity and gave them status within their own local communities. However, they sought recognition and status within he wider community, specifically the middle class, dominated by the Creoles, for whom success in the professions, like law and medicine, rather than wealth seemed to open doors. Acquiring the necessary education as a first step to achieving middle class status became the main goal of the succeeding generation of immigrants. Sue-A-Qua explained that it was regarded as a matter of pride and prestige to have at least one child achieve higher education thereby seeing someone of the next generation gain the honour of a more respected status in the society compared to the immigrants themselves. Because of the relatively small numbers, women had become a very precious commodity and so were their daughters. The women were therefore given equal opportunity with the men to acquire the education necessary to propel them into the middle class.
Loo Shee, her descendants and their achievements
Loo Shee or Rebecca Lee a Tak was one of the immigrants whose female descendants have achieved much. She was one of the non indentured immigrants fleeing from the internecine Tai P’ing rebellion. She was the daughter of a rich family at the Manchu Court who the rebels targeted. She fled to British Guiana with her two sons and daughter on board the “Chapman” which arrived June 10, 1861.In 1886, after the death of her husband U-A-Ho whom she had married on board the ship, she married Lee-A-Tak, another refugee from the Tai P’ing rebellion who had arrived on the “AGZA” in 1862. The achievements of her descendants both men and women span the gamut of human endeavour . However, like elsewhere in the world the women‘s achievements tend to be concentrated in the feminine areas of education and health. For example, she is the great grand mother of Laura Hing, music teacher and Laura Edna Mallalieu, one time history teacher at Bishops High School. She is also the great, great grandmother of Andrea Leslie Lee, Researcher of Chinese history; Kim Ingrid Ramkissoon, Lecturer, St. Augustine campus, UWI; Valli Esther Fung, former Lecturer, Faculty of Arts, U.G; and the 1951 Guyana scholar from BHS, Jocelyn Ho a Shu.
However, some of her female descendants have also cracked the glass ceiling in non traditional areas. Perhaps the most notable is the area of power and decision making. The minuscule presence of Guyanese and other women worldwide in the halls of power and decision making has been discussed ad nauseam. But women have been making slow but steady progress in this direction. A descendant of Loo Shee is one of them. A few months ago her great, great, great grand daughter, Ms. Pauline, Roseanne Campbell – Sukhai was appointed Minister of Amerindian Affairs. Additionally, she has been a Member of Parliament in the current PPP/C administration since it took office in 1992. Also in the field of decision making, her great grand daughter, Dulcie Lolita Wong retired as a Director of the WHO, Surinam.
In the non traditional field of business Loo Shee’s grand daughter, Ethel Alexander Choo was probably one of the first women in British Guiana who went into business. She was the Proprietrix of a Chinese restaurant two doors from St Saviour’s church in Broad Street. She is also the great grand mother of Margery Kirkpatrick nee Ting A Kee whose Catering business inherited from her mother, grand daughter of Loo Shee catered for the National Assembly from 1979 to 2001.She is also the author of several books on Chinese cooking and the well known From the Middle Kingdom to the New World: Aspects of the Chinese Experience in Migration to British Guiana. She is a Director in her husband’s business, Professional Guard Service and was awarded a Medal of Service in 1984 for her various contributions. Also in a non traditional field, her daughter, Melanie McTurk and great, great grand daughter of Loo Shee is a Chemist .She has worked in the Iwokrama Laboratories and on the spill caused by the Omai Gold mines.
Achievement in the field of sports was one of the mechanisms used by the descendants, especially male descendants of 19th century Chinese immigrants to enhance their credentials for acceptance into the predominantly Creole British Guiana middle class. This quest for middle class recognition gave the third and fourth generation of Chinese women, an opportunity which in Chinese culture they would not normally have had to showcase their talents in several sports disciplines. Several of LooShee’s descendants made good use of the opportunity. For example, her great, great grand daughter, Candy Alana Leeb represented the Chinese Sports Club in Badminton and hockey at the national level. Together with Doreen Chow Wah, another descendant of 19th century Chinese immigrants, won the ladies doubles Table Tennis championships in 1974.Another great, great, grand daughter Diane Margo Singh was Sports woman of the year in 1968 and yet another, Mary Cheong was the champion swimmer of the Dolphin Speed Swimming Club.
The above discussion demonstrated the many achievements of the women descended from Loo Shee. But the female descendants of other immigrants who came the same time with, before and after her also achieved much. Their story will be the subject of the next article.





History This Week
BY Staff and Administrator
Published: July 10, 2008 in Daily, Features
The achievements of women descended from the 19th century Chinese Immigrants - (Part 2)

By Cecilia McAlmont and Margery Kirkpatrick

Introduction

In the previous article, a brief account of what was called “the Chinese Experiment”, the implications of the immigrants and their descendants becoming Creole, and one female immigrant, Loo Shee, her descendants and their achievements were discussed. Those discussions will continue in this article.

Marlene Kwok/CrawfordAs was mentioned, the path to middle class status for the descendants of the immigrants came through the acquisition of higher education and entering the professions, especially law, medicine and other sciences, accountancy etc. Consequently, given the relatively small percentage of Chinese in the total population their achievements, especially the male descendants in these professions are remarkable. However, as will be demonstrated, like women worldwide, the achievements of the women descended from the immigrants, though very significant, often extraordinary, have tended to be in those professions that are associated with women’s traditional caring and nurturing role - education, nursing, social issues. However, it will also be shown that from as early as the first generation, some women have also made their mark in non- traditional areas.
Luck Khan Hee aka Lok
Ah Me aka Luck Kim Hee
aka Isaac Luck Ah Me
and his descendants

The achievements of the female descendants of this immigrant who arrived on the final ship, the “Darthmouth”, March 17, 1879, amply demonstrate the above. He himself or rather his aka’s demonstrate how the names of the Chinese immigrants either by choice, conversion to Christianity or ignorance of the authorities were changed, shortened or even anglicized over time. This subject is amply dealt with in Trev Sue-A-Quan’s Cane Reapers: Chinese Indentured Immigrants in Guyana. He took the final aka Isaac after his baptism. The surname of his descendants is now simply Luck. More than half a dozen of his sons and grandsons were in the professions of law and medicine. One son, J.C. Luck established Central High School and his grandson, Ray, broke the family tradition by becoming a famous Concert Pianist. His grand daughter, Stella Elisabeth, became principal of Central High School established by her father. His great grand daughter Beverly, obtained the Hilda Serage Medal at Bishops’ High School and was Guyana scholar in 1956. Another great grand daughter Andrea Leslie became a researcher of Chinese families while her sister Denise Elisabeth Lam, lectured at the University of Guyana. Yet another great grand daughter Jennie Victoria Ribeiro, became a social worker in the Pomeroon and has been honoured by the government with a Medal of Service. Breaking out of the mould, on the death of her husband, his daughter Victoria Lam successfully operated a wholesale and retail business in Water Street. His great grand daughter Constance Felicia Kranenberg became an Accountant with the Guyana Bauxite Co. and her daughter Caroline Correia runs her own business.

Wong Yan Cheong and
his descendants

Anande TrotmanLike Isaac Luck Ah Me, he also arrived on the “Darthmouth” with his three married sons and his five year old daughter Wong in Lan/Leow. His great, great grand daughter, Rose Wong’s great grand daughter, Brenda Felicity Hooper was a Guyana scholar in 1965 while her sister, Janice Elisabeth Shinebourne won the Guyana Prize for Literature for a first Book of Fiction, “Time Piece” in 1987. In the field of sports, his great, great grand daughter, Doreen Chow Wah/Lee became the West Indies Table Tennis champion in 1970 and with Denise Osman won the ladies Doubles Championship 1967-1972.

John Ho a Shoo aka Ho
Shau and his
descendants

He arrived on the “Corona”, February 23, 1874. His eldest daughter, Asin has the distinction of being one of Guyana’s first medical doctors in the first decade of the 20th century. She entered the University of Edinburgh, 1906 to study in the field of Medicine. In 1912 she was a Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons at University of Dublin. Her daughter Gem Ho a Hing became a Junior Champion at Wimbledon, the only Guyanese to play there.

Ho Ten Pow and his
descendants

The women descended from immigrant HO TEN POW have achieved much in both traditional and non traditional fields of endeavour. He arrived here on the “Queen of the East”, April 1865 with three young sons. His oldest son, Joseph Ho Chung a Cheung was father of the late President Arthur Chung. One of Joseph’s great, great grand daughters, Safeeda, Nasir/Ali is a Graphic Artist, her sister Aneesha is the PRO for Court’s Guyana Ltd. His great grand daughter, Marlene Kwok/Crawford was Deputy Headmistress of Bishops’ High School and is the author of Scenes from the History of the Chinese in Guyana.

Viola BurnhamAnother great granddaughter, Debbie Fung was not only a lecturer at the University of Guyana but was the Ladies Singles Lawn Tennis Champion in 1984 and with her sister Caryll won the Ladies Doubles Championship in 1974, 1975, 1980 and 1983-1985 while another, Diane Lee was Sportswoman of the year 1986. His grand daughter, Rosalind Fung/Lee was Miss Guyana in 1956 and also won the contest among the three Guianas. This earned her the right to represent the three countries at the Miss Universe contest in Hollywood. His great, great, great grand daughter, Amanda whose mother, Nancy was also a beauty queen won the Miss Guyana contest in 1988.

Chin Chung aka Chau a
Chung and his
descendants.

He arrived on the “Pride of Ganges” July 31, 1863 with three sons, John Chin a Chee aka Archie Chin and two others. Archie is the grand father of the late Viola Burnham nee Harper, First Lady of the Republic of Guyana.

She contributed in the field of education as a Latin teacher at Bishops’ High School for many years and later as one of the Vice Presidents, Education and Social Development in the Desmond Hoyte’s administration.

She also worked tirelessly to improve the situation of women as Chairperson of the WRSM. Both of her daughters have achieved in the non traditional areas. Melanie is a Financial Operations Manager and Ulele is a Barrister.

Kwok A Fuk On aka
Abraham Kwok Fuk On
and his descendants.

He arrived on the “Bucton Castle”, August 1865. His daughter Martha nee Fung Kee Fung was one of the earliest women in the field of business. She became a landed proprietor who owned many businesses including a rice mill. She bought two abandoned sugar estates Waller’s Delight and Ruimzight at Windsor Forest which she rented to tenants to plant rice.

Martha Street in Windsor Forrest is named for her. The descendants of Abraham Kwok (the latter part of the surname was not surprisingly dropped) were often interrelated through marriage. Part of the reason of course was the acute shortage of women. Such unions also helped to cement and build bridges in business and towards the important goal of achieving middle class status. For example Abraham Kwok is the great, grand father of Marlene Kwok/Crawford who, as was earlier mentioned, is the great, great grand daughter of Ho Ten Pow. Three of the grand daughters of Jacob Fung A Pen who arrived on the Dartmouth in 1879 married into the Luck family and were also descendants of Ho Ten Pow. The achievements of some of these women, Jennie Ribeiro, Nancy Ann Lam Jardim and Joan Fung have already been noted.

Ham Smi aka Ham Siow
aka Elizabeth Poon and
her descendants.

She arrived on the “Lady Elmer Bruce” on August 15,1862. Her descendants are also a part of the intermarriages just discussed. She is the maternal great grandmother of Margery Kirkpatrick who is also a descendant of Loo Shee. Her other descendants have also achieved much. Her great grand daughter Eileen Smith Gillette taught mathematics at Bishops’ High School. Her great, great grand daughter, Amanda Richards was a champion swimmer. In 1977, she won two gold medals for Guyana in the Inter Guiana games. She is now an Administrative Manager with Farfan & Mendes and is also on the board of IPED.

Descendants with origins
from other ethnic groups.

However, one cannot conclude this discussion without drawing attention to the fact that there are many men and women who would normally be associated with other ethnic groups but are in fact descendants of these immigrants. The shortage of women initially contributed to this. Some of these women and their achievements have already been discussed. The Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Nasseer and Aneesha Ali, Mrs Viola Burnham and her daughters. One can also add Fashion Designer, Donna James nee Ramsammy whose great grand father Ah Wah was one of the early arrivals. There are also lawyers Anande and Raphael Trotman, Co founder of the Alliance For Change whose great, great grandfather Lai A Poo arrived on the “Whirlwind” in 1860. He married Leung Shi another immigrant who arrived on the “Dartmouth” in 1862.




Written by Paul U-Ming..


Naomi Campbell was born in Streatham, London, England. Her mother, Valerie Campbell (née Morris), is a former ballet dancer of Afro-Jamaican descent. In accordance with her mother's wishes, Campbell has never met her unnamed father, who left then-18-year-old Valerie two months after the birth of their daughter.[3][4] Campbell is Black Jamaican and also of Chinese Hakka descent through her paternal grandmother of Chinese Jamaican ancestry (family name Ming).[5] Of her appearance, Campbell has said: "My features are completely ethnic, and I'm proud of them."

As a young child, Campbell was left in the care of a nanny while her mother travelled across Europe with the dance troupe Fantastica. At age 10, she was accepted into the Italia Conti Academy stage school, where she studied ballet.[6] She attended Dunraven School, a comprehensive school run by Inner London Education Authority in Streatham.

Funny i was a kid when she became famous,and were from the same town in south London, a place called Streatham,,funnily enough it is the part of London thats known for its artists and poets,small world never knew we were related to the ultimate DIVA,now its confirmed that the Ming women carry the DIVA factor...ahem jokes hehe!!