Chen Wing Young / Leong Family (c1935)
This lovely photo was sent to my mother Ruby Leong (née Chen/Wing Young) just after my father John Leong died in January 1991. We had not seen it before. We believe it was taken in 1935 in Melbourne.
What surprised us was that both my mother (extreme right) and my father (3rd from the right) were in it. They were 9 years old and 13 years old respectively at the time. Little did they know that 13 years later they would marry and eventually have three children.
Of additional interest to me is that both of my grandfathers Ernest Leong Gie (6th from the right) and William Chen Wing Young (4th from the right) are also in the photo. They were very different men in that Ernest was the stern Minister of the Methodist Church at 196 Little Bourke Street while William was an entrepreneurial businessman primarily through Wing Young & Co and Wing Lee Pty Ltd.
I understand that the Chinese community in Melbourne was quite close in the 1930s and often had “costume dress up” functions to raise money for charities or perhaps Kuo Min Tang (KMT) events. I do not know at which specific function this photo was taken.
I have been told that the people in the photo are from the left: Zoe Kee, James Wong Yen (my mother’s first cousin), Jean Louey, D. Gow, Ernest Leong Gie (my paternal grandfather), Violet Louey, William Chen Wing Young (my maternal grandfather), John Leong (my father), Grace Till, Ruby Wing Young (my mother). The two boys at the front on the left: Phillip Sing, Victor Sing.
I would be very happy to hear from anyone who may have more information about this photo.
Derek Leong
Image source: Derek Leong
Creator: Unknown
Date of creation: c.1935
Place: Melbourne
People: Chen Wing Young and Leong – family members