Family Story
Chung Shan, China
From the outset, I should explain my reason for using traditional Cantonese translation into English rather than the current use of Pin Yin. As I am of Cantonese stock, I feel it prudent to do this. Further, while growing up in China, only traditional Chinese pronunciation was used and I and most "China hands" were more familiar with it.
I am a descendant and member of the 25th generation of the Gock (now known as Kwok) family who can trace their ancestry back to early in the thirteenth century before the Mongolian Kublai Khan took over China and established the Yuan dynasty. Unfortunately all the records are in Chinese and yet to be translated into English. One such document which reflects the period in western years shows the first generation was headed by a man named Chi Jing who lived from 1204 through 1275.
The Gocks came from Chung Shan County (now known as Zhongshan County) in Kwantung Providence (now Guangdong Province) in southern China. Chung Shan (Middle Mountain) was formerly known as Heung Shan (Fragrant Mountain) but to honour the birth place of the founder of the Chinese Republic, Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the name of the county was changed. Dr Sun’s revolutionary pseudonym was Sun Chung Shan.
Chung Shan was not only famous for being the home of Dr Sun it was also the origin of many Chinese who set sail for foreign lands to seek their fortunes. One such family whose sons left China were the Gocks of Chuk Sau Yuen a small farming community who had hard times on the land and continually faced floods and droughts. Their concerns were mainly centred around conditions in China and because of this they became active in raising money to support Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s revolutionary movement.
There is a 160 page family tree book written in Chinese that is in the possession of a cousin in the United States that shows the first recorded generation moved to Chung Shan County and built a home there. In the book, the birth and death dates are listed but they follow the old tradition of stating the specific year of a certain emperor which is confusing, however a distant cousin has translated the dates into western years. It is hoped that one day the book will be translated in to English as so many of the younger descendants do not speak, read or write Chinese.
Gock Lok Heads to Melbourne
In 1890 following disastrous floods, the second oldest son of the family, 18 year old Gock Lok set sail for Melbourne. He had heard tales of a new Gold Mountain and was off to seek his fortune.
Although a pioneer, Gock Lok was not one of the first Chinese to travel to the great southern land. Chinese had been arriving for about 50 years, firstly as contract coolies who suffered appalling conditions, followed by those seeking fortunes on the gold fields, whilst others came as artisans, market gardeners, shop keepers and merchants. Most borrowed passage money from family members or money lenders with the intention of returning home in the future as wealthy men. None would have had the idea of becoming permanent settlers as the bonds of kinship and filial responsibility would have been too strong. There is a Chinese saying “Falling leaves always return to their roots”.
California, the original Gold Mountain, had begun to put restrictions on Chinese going there, so many changed their plans and travelled to Australia instead. On returning to their homes in China, these “Gold Mountain Men” were considered excellent husband material and were eagerly sought after by parents of single daughters and their matchmakers.
Wing On is born
Gock Lok soon determined the streets of Melbourne were not paved with gold and being unable to speak English, found it difficult to find work. Not to be deterred, he headed north to Sydney and managed to find work at one of the Chinese market gardens on the out skirts of the city. His hard work paid off and after two years he branched out as an independent trader owning his own vegetable barrow. In 1894, or thereabouts, he became an employee of Hop Lee Company, owned by members of the Ma family from a neighbouring village, Shah Chun, in Chung Shan county.
In 1897 using capital of 1400 pounds made up of his savings and loans from the Ma family, Gock Lok formed a partnership with seven others and they purchased another wholesaler who was having difficulties. Gock Lok became the senior partner and manager and the business soon thrived. Wing On (Perpetual Peace) Kuo-lan (fruit stall) thus became the first of the Wing On group of companies. Gock Lok eventually travelled to Fiji to arrange the purchase and importation of bananas to Australia.
A younger brother, Gock Chuen, at the young age of fifteen also left China but went to Hawaii where he initially worked for a British law firm in Honolulu and later at the British Consulate where he learnt English. After three years he returned to China but a short time later in 1897 he set out for Sydney. He bought a share in his brother’s store and his knowledge of English and western culture was an asset, but he had no knowledge or experience in managing a business. This, however, did not deter him as he had a natural flare for management. Within 10 years the company had expanded to four stores employing more than 80 people and they also owned a large proportion of the Fijian banana business.
The ever enterprising Gocks soon discovered many Chinese residents of Sydney were unable to complete banking forms in English or get to banks during normal working hours to arrange remittances to families in China and they saw this as an opportunity. Wing On made arrangements with a bank in Chung Shan to handle these remittances and eventually the Wing On Bank was formed.
Younger brothers Gock Quay and Gock Son also left China and joined Wing On in Sydney. Another brother Gock Ho remained in China and later worked for Wing On in Hong Kong. There were also two sisters but very little is known of them.
The four brothers whilst living in Sydney became Christians having been converted by a Chinese Pastor who taught them English. The Pastor also acted as a matchmaker for Gock Lok who married an Australian born Chinese woman in Sydney. They then took English baptismal names James Gock Lok, Philip Gock Chuen, Paul Gock Quay (my grandfather who I was named after) and William Gock Son.
Gock Quay was born in Chuk Sau Yuen on 26 December 1878 the fourth of six sons. In 1903 he married 17 year old Rose Fok in an arranged marriage in Hong Kong and on moving to Sydney they lived at 8 Mary Street Surry Hills where they had two sons and five daughters. My father Edward was the youngest child.
Wing On Established in Hong Kong
In 1900 Ma Ying-piu, who came from an adjoining village in Chung Shan county and a former employer of Gock Lok, successfully opened the Sincere Company department store in Hong Kong. This inspired the Gocks to leave Australia and move to Hong Kong which had the advantage of being a British colony with a colonial government which provided both political and legal stability.
The brothers, on arrival in Hong Kong, decided to open a department store with HK$160,000 of their own savings plus investments from friends and fellow villagers. On 28 August 1907 the Wing On Company opened its doors in rented premises at 167 Queen’s Road Central on Hong Kong island.
Three years later the store moved to larger premises in Des Voeux Road Central. They continued to lease and purchase neighbouring buildings so that by 1933 it owned and operated on twenty continuous plots between 207-235 Des Voeux Road and 104-118 Connaught Road on the waterfront covering some 40,000 sq. ft. They also built adjacent godowns (warehouses) and owned the Great Eastern Hotel next door to their Hong Kong store as well as hotels in both Canton and Wuchow.
Wing On Established in Shanghai
After China became a Republic in 1911 they decided to branch out and extend their businesses on the mainland. As Shanghai was a centre for trade, Gock Quay was despatched to find a suitable block of land to build a store and the Wing On department store was eventually opened in 1917.
Sadly Gock Quay, my grandfather, did not live to see the store come to fruition. On 17 September 1916, my grandfather sent a telegram to Wing On Sydney reading "Tell my family come to Hong Kong" signed Gock Quay. As instructed, my grandmother departed with their seven children less than two weeks later on the vessel "St. Albans" which sailed Sydney on 30 September. To assist with the minding of the children aged from 2 to 12 during the voyage, she was accompanied by her sister-in-law Flo, wife of Uncle Gockson. Less than two months later my grandfather passed away on 2 November 1916.
In 1921 Gock Lok and Gock Chuen established textile mills in Shanghai and by 1941 owned 250,000 spindles – the second largest privately owned spinning capacity in China. Gock Son then took over the running of the textile business.
In 1923 there was a demand for endowment insurance, offering savings and security as well as protection against death risks so the Gocks began operating a small insurance business in their store to test the idea. The response was over- whelming and they decided to incorporate a private company, the Wing On Life Assurance Company Limited with headquarters in Hong Kong. By 1925 they owned offices, warehouses, textile and knitting mills, insurance and banking not only in Shanghai and Hong Kong but Canton, Foochow, Hankow, Wuchow and Macao.
As the Gock wealth increased they did not forget their home village and over the years built a hospital, a school, surfaced the roads, and installed irrigation. They also employed many of their home villagers in the Hong Kong store and at one time nine out of ten employees were villagers bearing the surname Gock.
Prior to World War II the Gocks anglicised their Cantonese surname to Kwok. This was because their children were receiving western education and attending universities overseas and also Wing On had opened offices in San Francisco and New York. The Mandarin pronunciation is Kuo.
Edward Kwok
My father, on completion of high school studies and college, attended Hong Kong University for a year prior to travelling to Britain to enrol at Manchester University College of Technology where he studied Textile Chemistry. It should be said that the studies he undertook were not of his choice but that of his family who had earmarked him for the family textile mills in Shanghai.
In Manchester, my father stayed with a family as a paying guest and at first found life extremely lonely as he only had two cousins there and knew no one else. Eventually he settled down to university life and became involved in sport and excelled in some.
In December 1934 he met my mother Edith Spliid through a mutual friend. Her father was born in Aarhus, Denmark, and her mother in Norwich, England but she was born within the sound of Bow Bells and was always a proud "Cockney."
In 1935 my father made a trip to Shanghai to visit his family who had relocated there, returning to England in September of that year.
In 1936 my father was fortunate to attend the Olympic games in Berlin and the highlight of this trip was witnessing the black American sprinter Jesse Owens beat Germany's finest in front of Hitler.
A year later he departed England on the original Queen Mary bound for New York then on to San Francisco from where he travelled on another ship to Shanghai.
Prior to leaving Great Britain my father informed the Spliids he wanted to marry their daughter and being very fond of Dad, they had hoped the young ones would remain in the UK. As my father was born in Australia and in possession of a British passport he could have remained in Britain but had to explain to them that it was impossible because of family commitments and he had to return to Shanghai to take up a position with the family-owned textile mills.
My mother sailed from England aboard the P & O vessel Comorin on 10th September 1937, a very naïve 21 year old woman, bound for Hong Kong where my father had arrived the week before to meet and marry her. She arrived on 14 October 1937 and they were married at St. John’s Church of England Cathedral that afternoon. My father’s mother was so shocked about his intention to marry a foreigner and she threatened to disown him and was not at the wedding preferring to remain in Shanghai.
The newly-weds moved in with Dad’s sister Gladys and her husband who were both very kind to them. Mother loved Hong Kong at first sight and thought it was a beautiful place. She particularly liked Repulse Bay where they spent a lot of time.
Shanghai
After several weeks my father received a cable from his older brother David asking him to return to Shanghai and they departed on an Italian ship and were met by another of his sisters on arrival. He was informed someone wanted to talk with him so he left my mother with his sister, who spoke English, as she had been born in Australia. The someone turned out to be his mother who was departing for Hong Kong from an adjoining wharf as she did not want to meet his new wife. Mother met Dad’s sisters and sister-in-law Elsie, wife of older brother David, and found them very kind. It was several months later when Dad's mother returned to Shanghai that mother finally met her.
Without going into details, I can say once mother settled into family life in Shanghai, she was warmly accepted by most and after my birth, her mother-in-law, who was referred to as “Kwok Por”. In fact Kwok Por was very proud of mother in later years when she was more knowledgeable of Chinese customs, culture and beliefs than father.
My mother at first found life in Shanghai overpowering and was very lonely. Initially they stayed in a hotel for about two months then moved into a small flat. When mother became pregnant with me, the family decided they lived too far out of town so they moved closer to the family in Bubblingwell Road, next door to Dad's brother and wife Elsie. Mother hated the house but they continued to live there for several years.
I was the first born on 10 October 1938 and mother always referred to me as her anniversary present. I was followed by sister Pamela in 1940 and brother Peder in 1943.
World War II
Following the invasion of North China by the Japanese in 1937, businesses within China started to suffer and the decline was to continue until the end of the war. Hong Kong remained stable until the Japanese attacked and occupied the colony in December 1941 following which business almost came to a stand still. In the years immediately following the end of World War II, people soon returned to Hong Kong and businesses there began to thrive again, Wing On included.
On 8 December 1941 mum and dad were at a relative’s birthday party when there was a lot of noise coming from the direction of the waterfront. During dinner the music was stopped and an announcement was made that the Japanese were attacking Shanghai. At 10am the next day mum stood by the road and watched the Japanese enter the city as US Marines departed from another part of the city. It was both sad and frightening. Interestingly the Japanese did not enter the French Concession because the French Vichy Government was an ally of Japan. Banks and business were ordered to reopen on 10 December although foreign banks were restricted to two hours trading per day.
Father was unable to go to work at the mills as they had been occupied by the Japanese. Instead he worked at Wing On’s offices in the city and his hours were from 10am to 9.30pm. This was a terrible time for mother who was left on her own for long periods.
In late December the Japanese announced restrictions on all residents of the International Settlement and people were no longer permitted to move around without permission.
In January 1942 all residents in the International Settlement had to register and ‘enemy alien’ status was bestowed on the British, Americans, Canadians, Australians, South Africans, New Zealanders, Dutch, Belgiums, as well as nationals of Haiti, Costa Rica and Cuba. Property and businesses belonging to ’enemy aliens’ were confiscated and in September 1942 all their assets were frozen.
Early in 1943 all ‘enemy aliens’ were sent to internment camps with the men being interned first, followed by women and children. Mother commenced packing such things as clothes, medicines etc in preparation for going into camp. The night before, mum and dad received a telephone call enquiring if my mum’s father was born in Denmark. On confirming this, she was instructed not to go the meeting place. Instead, all neutral nationals were required to wear a red arm band with the initial of their country and a number on it. Mum and children were free to move about but had the frightening experience on one occasion when Japanese soldiers came to the family home and demanded to see her papers. They placed a rifle with bayonet on the dining room table whilst checking her documents but fortunately they did not physically harm her.
Within a year the Japanese tightened their control of ‘non enemy aliens’ and each household was required to report how many people resided there and this was strictly adhered to on threat of punishment.
Mother being a Danish national was able to get one egg a week for younger son Peder and a small amount of butter (less than half a pound). She also got milk powder and wheat from the Danish Consulate. The wheat was dreadful and had to be ground with a stone to make bread which had to be eaten immediately as by the next day it was as hard as rock.
Post War
The war ended in August 1945 with the Chinese Nationalist forces returning in September and taking control over the International Settlement, the French Concession and all the other districts of Shanghai. Life continued to be difficult and food scarce. Inflation reached a critical point and as prices rose, the Government tried to solve the problem by printing more money causing an even greater problem. One had to take a suitcase of money to shop for simple household items as cash was almost worthless. Financial reforms were then brought in and a new currency introduced.
The British Consulate posted a notice saying British women and their children could be repatriated to England for a holiday or permanently and father urged mum to take us kids to visit grand parents whom we had never met. To do this, mum had to revert to being British again and we departed on a troop ship in February 1946. Conditions on board were very basic and crowded with twelve to a cabin. Women with children were given a bucket for bathing children. There were no doctors on board, only one nurse and during the voyage 42 children came down with measles, my sister Pam and I included. Younger brother developed the dreaded rash the evening before arriving at Southampton and mum was urged to keep this quiet as otherwise we would all be quarantined. The next day we were all conveyed by ambulances to a crowded troop train to take us from London to Manchester where grandmother Spliid met us on arrival.
When it became time to return to Shanghai, it was very difficult to obtain return passage as most ships were being used to convey troops home from overseas war time postings. Mother was informed the waiting list was about 15 months long but out of the blue a letter arrived saying we could secure passage in October and mother did not hesitate to confirm the booking. The voyage took 6 weeks and called at Singapore and Hong Kong enroute.
In 1947 we moved into a lovely home in Columbia Circle which was built in the late 1930s and was well ahead of its time. It was built in a circular design and had ducted air conditioning and was steam heated in winter. In 2004 whilst on a trip to Shanghai we visited the house and were delighted it had been heritage listed by the authorities. We again visited in 2010 when we were able to enter the house as it was vacant and being renovated prior to sale. We have no claims of ownership as the house was sold when we left Shanghai in 1956.
As my sister, brother and I were British citizens, we were permitted to attend the Shanghai British School. As enrolments decreased with the departures of foreigners, the school accepted students of all nationalities. We spoke English at home and basically lived a western style of life and had a servant who cooked only western meals.
Life under Mao
Early in 1949, mum and dad decided to visit Hong Kong because father was unwell and were to take younger brother leaving sister Pamela and I with friends. The day prior to scheduled departure, the People’s Liberation Army crossed the Yangtze and commenced their assault on Nanking. My parents promptly decided not to leave Pam and I behind and were fortunate to get two additional berths on the same vessel enabling the whole family to leave together.
In Hong Kong we lived at the home of Uncle David and Aunt Elsie at Stanley. In September 1949 Uncle David asked father to return to Shanghai assuring it was safe and everything was running smoothly. Mother and us kids remained in Hong Kong temporarily after dad returned to Shanghai and she researched a plan to travel to Melbourne to enable us children to claim Australian citizenship. The law at the time was that children born to an Australian citizen could enter the country before the age of 16 with subsequent granting of citizenship.
We arrived at Fremantle and crossed the continent by rail to Sydney where we were scheduled to travel back to Hong Kong on the maiden voyage of a vessel moored at Circular Quay. Due to completion delays the ship was not able to sail on schedule and we had to locate accommodation in Sydney. The Bank of New South Wales travel department could not get accommodation for us in Sydney and the closest they could get was Leura in the Blue Mountains. It was probably due to our stay there, that 15 years later in 1964 my wife and I settled our family in the Blue Mountains where we still live.
After our return to Shanghai life became gradually intolerable. Everything was totally controlled by the Government. One could not stay away from place of residence for one night without receiving prior approval. They even banned the favourite Chinese past time of mahjong although many continued to play with padded table tops and players were instructed not to slam the pieces on the table as is customary. The authorities also formed special units who spied on neighbours and friends and were to report anyone not complying with government rules. We all lived under the thought of being spied on and reported if we were not towing the line. Propaganda was rife and loud speakers appeared on just about every lamp post blaring out Mao’s theories.
Following the Communist takeover of China, Wing On was forced to close its businesses and all assets were frozen by the new regime. The department store in Shanghai was eventually nationalized and renamed Hua Lian. Wing On not only lost their department store, but also their banking and insurance businesses and nine of China’s largest textile mills employing in excess of 20,000 people. The Chinese government also demanded that all insurance policy holders be paid out and Wing On made a decision to pay all its holders in China 100%. This money was paid from Hong Kong and it nearly brought Wing On to its knees. In total Wing On lost approximately US$150 million in the take-over
Mass meetings were held at work places and professional people and employers were dragged out to face workers and were instructed to confess their so-called past wrongs against government and subordinates. Employees were made to denounce their employers, students criticised their teachers and family members denounced each other. This process was intended to assist people to correct their past mistakes and turn over a new leaf, but unfortunately it stirred up mass hysteria and broke the spirits of many. When walking in the CBD, we were warned that people who had succumbed to the ‘brain washing’ were jumping out of buildings as they could not cope with more of this treatment. Another common spot for suicide, which was close to our home, was the railway tracks heading south to Canton and freedom beyond in Hong Kong.
Father was also subject to front these ‘kangaroo courts’ and accept criticism from his screaming employees and on many nights I would lie awake at night listening to vehicles with sirens blaring expecting them to come to the house to arrest him. Until he passed away in 2003, father still suffered nightmares from this experience.
In 1952 the family applied for exit permits but were told mother could leave (and never return) but us kids had to remain. We continued to apply for an exit permit as a family unit and on the second occasion mum and kids were granted a permit which we refused knowing full well if we left, we would never see father again. Finally the whole family was granted a permit in November 1956. I hasten to say that whilst awaiting this permit I would call on the local authority office after school and father the head office down town every day until they finally got tired of us and granted the permit.
My mother had another concern to leave China prior to October 1956 when I turned 18. Overtures had been made that when I reached this age, I could be conscripted into the People’s Liberation Army. She was very uneasy about this for the two months leading up to our departure.
Whilst waiting for our exit permits to be approved, we had a weekly Sunday visit from two party officials from father’s office attempting to convince Pam and I to remain as we were the future of China. Mother refused for Peder to attend these weekly discussions because he did not comprehend the reasons for the visit and was very likely to say something we would regret. To make their offer more attractive, we were both offered places at the International School in Beijing and sister Pam being a good swimmer was also offered special coaching. On their final Sunday visit in November 1956, they informed us they would not be visiting us again as we both appeared to be adamant to depart and our permits were approved the following Friday. We were also informed that we would be welcomed back to China on completion of our studies and to bring along our spouses and any children we might have. We both promised to do this.
Hong Kong
We eventually left Shanghai by ship on December 2 1956 bound for Hong Kong via Tsingtao.
In the early 1960s my parents travelled from Hong Kong to Canton to visit Uncle David and Auntie Elsie. Uncle David had been appointed the Vice-Governor of Kwangtung Province.
Sister Pam and her twin boys visited China in October 1965 and following the crossing of the border at Shum Tsun bridge someone in uniform approached her with the words “Welcome back to China. Comrade Liu thanks you for keeping your promise.”
Shortly after our arrival in Hong Kong, I secured a job with a very progressive company pioneering window fitted air conditioning units. It was about this time that I met Maunie through the Vespa Club of Hong Kong. We both had our individual machines although once we started dating, she would come along as a pillion.
We were married at St. Andrew’s Church in Nathan Road, Kowloon in January 1959 and our two eldest sons were born in Hong Kong – Stephen in 1959 and Christopher in 1963. Eventually I joined a British firm, Gilman & Co., Ltd and was placed in various departments and finally with the export department. This position was most interesting because we promoted and exported Hong Kong manufactured goods to world markets. It was through this job that I became acquainted with many overseas business people, one of whom offered me a position with his company in Sydney on learning we wanted to leave Hong Kong and commence a new life.
Maunie and I visited China in 1993, 2004 and 2010 and by then I was received like any other tourist although the officials appeared shocked I could speak some Chinese dialects until I explained my origin.
Sydney Australia
In 1963 I was offered a position with a company in Christchurch, New Zealand and we left Hong Kong in January 1964 spending some time in Sydney and Brisbane before heading across the Tasman. Maunie’s parents had earlier retired from Hong Kong and settled in Brisbane and it was great catching up with them.
I was not happy with the job and life in Christchurch and found work ethics so different from Hong Kong so after six months, I decided to move the family back to Sydney where, as mentioned earlier, I had received an offer with a company in Sydney with whom I was familiar having represented them in my position with Gilman in Hong Kong.
Once again I found work ethics so different although not as severe as in Christchurch. I was even asked by colleagues not to work so hard because it made them look bad. In Hong Kong one could lose a job and there would be hordes of prospective employees waiting to take your position at much less than you were earning. In Sydney, one subordinate of mine was boasting she would not have to leave the floor of the building in order to get another job. It certainly was not a healthy situation when jobs were so plentiful and employees demonstrating no loyalty towards their employer whatsoever.
The change was difficult for the both of us with me having to accept working conditions as they were and Maunie having to cope with two children under five and another on the way. She also had to take on a new role of maintaining a home, cooking, washing, ironing and grocery shopping. She was brought up in Hong Kong and always had servants to take care of her needs so it was a big learning curve.
Kevin, our third son was born in 1965 and our youngest Derek in 1969. After renting a unit in Randwick for about two years, we purchased a block of land at Glenbrook in the lower Blue Mountains. In August 1966 we moved into our new home where we lived for 17 years prior to relocating to Blaxland East. After 19 years at Blaxland East, by which time all the kids had left home, we decided to downsize and moved further up the Blue Mountains.
We have been blessed with four wonderful hard-working sons, lovely daughters-in-law, eight grandsons, five granddaughters, nine great-grandsons and seven great-granddaughters.
A few years ago, I researched the idea of giving our sons Chinese names which they may or may not use, but I felt they should at least be given. To achieve this, my late cousin Terry Fu had proposed four names which Maunie and I felt were acceptable and after checking with close relatives that these names have not been used by other family members, I made it official.
Stephen 郭永孝
Christopher 郭永悌
Kevin 郭永忠
Derek 郭永信
In Chinese, the family name appears first followed by one or two characters which is the given name. I am uncertain when the system commenced, but from the 24th generation the children were given the same second character to enable others to identify their generation. My father and his brother (24th generation) were given the common second character of "Tai" and the five sisters were given the character "Lai". My sister, brother and I plus cousins of our generation (25th) were all given the second character "Chi". Our sons have the same second character "Wing" as do cousins of their generation (26th). I consider this an excellent way of identifying which generation cousins originate from.
Brother Peder arrived in Australia late in 1964 and proceeded to Melbourne to study electrical engineering at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. He married Julie Pascoe in 1968 and they have lived in Melbourne ever since. Tim, their eldest, remains unmarried, daughter Alicia is married with two sons. Emily, who completes the family, was adopted as a war orphan following the Vietnam war and is unmarried. Sadly Peder passed away on 26 July 2012 from Mesothelioma.
My parents arrived in Sydney in April 1969 and father took up a position with a textile company here, but he hated the job and resigned after two years. They spent their retirement years initially at Waverton and finally at Artarmon and sadly they passed away within 4 days of each other – father on 15 April and mother on 19 April 2003.
Sister Pamela arrived in Sydney with husband and twin boys in 1978. They lived at Waitara, but following their divorce after the boys left home, Pam purchased a unit close to my parents where she remains today. The twins have families of their own – Ed has a son and a daughter and is now a grandfather. David, now lives in Tasmania, and has a son.
The Wing On Group continues to prosper in Hong Kong although I am sad to say the Banking and Insurance businesses are no more. There are a total of three department stores situated around Hong Kong. The Shanghai store traded under various names following the communist revolution and in 2005 it resumed the traditional Chinese version of "Wing On and is now known as the Yongan Department Store Company Limited and is state owned.
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