Showing 8911 results

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Circa 1920s, Vancouver. Portrait of Paul Wong from White Court, Alta. Paul was the first child from his family to be born on Canadian soil. His mother arrived in Canada on Sept 27, 1912 heavily pregnant with him. Two weeks later, on October 11, 1912 Paul was born in Victoria. Growing up, he moved around with his family [in] BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan where his father (Wong Wing Yun) worked and owned small town cafes, grocery stores and laundromats. His father had arrived in Canada in the 1880s to work on the railroad. The Great Depression of the 1930s left the family hungry and desperate at times. Legend has it, that Paul's mother (Poon Lin Tsing) caught a skunk and fed it to the family for supper. As an adult, Paul worked in the restaurant industry. He owned the New Look Cafe, High River, AB then became a partner in the Seven Seas Restaurant, Edmonton, AB. Around 1938 he met his wife while working at the Exchange Cafe. Together, they only had one child: a daughter named Margaret Wong later Margaret Verenka. In 1947, Canadian citizens of Chinese descent were granted the right to vote. Paul never missed his chance to vote in every election until he died August 21, 2004, Edmonton, AB at the age [of] 91.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Late 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of a woman named Wu Wai Ming dressed in a cheongsam and wearing large medallions. This photo was found in the archives of Ming Wo Cookware (formerly known as Ming Wo Hardware).”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Circa 1920s, Vancouver. Wong Mow (a tailor who owned Modern Silk Shirt Company on Main Street in Vancouver).”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1930s, Vancouver. Photo of Mr. Wong Sow. The photo is unusual for two reasons: It has been cut and the other half is missing. As well, Mr. Wong is dressed very casually in the photo.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. 1915, Vancouver. Quong John Wong in a suit. Quong was a Vancouver businessman who ran a grocery store and invested in restaurants. It is believed that, for some period, he was a partner/owner in the W.K. Gardens Chop Suey restaurant, a popular banquet-style restaurant that operated in Vancouver's Chinatown from about 1917-1985.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. early 1920s, Vancouver. Photo of Wong Boo Chow. He arrived in 1912 and worked in the logging industry primarily on Vancouver Island. In 1923, the Chinese Exclusion Act became law and he lost hope that he could ever bring over his family over from China. By November of 1923, he arranged to marry a much younger, Canadian-born Chinese woman -- Mah Suey Hang, the daughter of a merchant from Cumberland Chinatown. After three children and a difficult marriage, their fight over custody of the children made newspaper headlines in 1931 in both Chinese and English-language papers. The Wong Benevolent Society came to Boo Chow's rescue and helped him finance his custody battle. In the end, Boo Chow managed to keep two of his children, his sons, with him in Canada. Although he more or less neglected them and the two boys grew up in boarding houses without much oversight.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1941, Vancouver. Photo of tailor Wong Mow who ran the Modern Silk Shirt Company on Main Street in Vancouver's Chinatown. His actual name was Wong Quon Ho. And he was 20 years old when he arrived in Canada in 1911 on the Chicago Maru. He lived in the back of his shop on Main Street in Chinatown. He had a wife and one child in China. And here in Canada, with his second wife he fathered four children: Wah Wong; Git Wong; Larry Wong and Jennie Wong.

Collector/curator’s description reads: “November 13, 1920, Vancouver. Portrait of Jeu Gong Yick dressed in a suit and tie. The back of the photo is stamped: Yucho Chow Studio. 23 Pender St. W. Vancouver, B.C. November 13, 1920.

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1940s, Vancouver. Head and shoulders portrait of Wong Kown Fow. He was born and educated in China. In 1936, the Wong Kung Har Tong in Vancouver wrote a letter offering Kown Fow a teaching job at Mon Keong School. He accepted and taught at the school from 1936 to 1947 and, for unknown reasons, he returned to China. A year later he was recruited, yet again, to come back to the Mon Keong School. Kown Fow returned to Canada and taught at the school until his death. Some of his students recall that he was boring and strict. Others remembered him as a good teacher, but not someone who could read a room. On one occasion he was MC'ing a funeral. Toward the end of the commemoration he went onstage and said ‘Oh, one more thing. To all the board of directors of the Wong's, there will be a board meeting, please attend.’”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. 1935, Vancouver. Photo of businessman Kung Lai Wong, who owned Modernize Tailors. This photo was found in a box of portraits at the Wongs Benevolent Association.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Circa 1920, Vancouver. Full portrait of a young, unidentified Chinese woman wearing cheongsam. Behind her is a chair. The photo was found in the family album belonging to Lew Hoy Moy Sue (also known as Mrs. Ging Lew).”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1943, Vancouver. Head & shoulders shot of Helena Wong (aged 21). The photo has been hand painted. Helena was the adopted daughter of Wong Chew Lip who owned Ming Wo Cookware at 23 East Pender. It appears that this photo was once part of a larger image, but was then cropped down to focus just on Helena.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Late 1920s, Vancouver. Portrait of a seated, unidentified young Chinese woman. She is dressed in a cheongsam. This photo was found in the archives of Ming Wo Cookware (formerly known as Ming Wo Hardware).”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. late 1930s, Vancouver. Unidentified Chinese man dressed in ornate dark suit with embroidery. Photo is stamped with Yucho Chow on the back. It was found in a collection of images in owned by Quon H. Wong family.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1940s, Vancouver. Portrait of a young Asian man named Dick. Appears to be dressed in a graduation gown. The photo was found in the family archive of Anita and Norman Low. On the frame is written ‘Anita and Norman. Best wishes, Dick’.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1915, Vancouver. Unidentified Chinese man in a three-piece suit. Photo was found in a collection that once belonged to Wong Shih Park, who was based in Vancouver. The man's lip and the flowers have been hand-painted with red dabs of paint.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. 1920s, Vancouver. Portrait of an unidentified young Chinese woman. The photo was found in the album of James Wong Fong whose family ran a jewelry and watch store in Vancouver's Chinatown.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1930s, Vancouver. Portrait of an unidentified Chinese man. The photo was discovered in the archives of the Wongs' Benevolent Association.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1940s, Vancouver. Cropped portrait photo of an unidentified man. Photo was found in a box of portraits at the Wongs' Benevolent Association.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1920s, Vancouver. Portrait of unidentified man who photo was found in the archives of the Wongs Benevolent Association.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1920s, Vancouver. Photo of an unidentified Chinese man. Photo was found in a box at the Wongs Benevolent Association.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1920s, Vancouver. Portrait of an unidentified Chinese man. The photo was discovered in the archives of the Wongs' Benevolent Association.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Early 1920s, Vancouver. Photo of an unidentified man dressed in a suit. The photo was found in the archives of the Ming Wo Cookware collection (formerly known as Ming Wo Hardware.). Likely the photo has been given to Wong Chew Lip, the original owner of the store. This same unidentified man appears in a slightly earlier family photo where his wife and child in China are superimposed into the photo.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Circa 1940s, Vancouver. Photo of unidentified Chinese Canadian woman dressed in a nurse's uniform. Like a graduation photo from nursing school.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. 1940s, Vancouver. Graduation portrait of a woman named Anne (surname unknown). Inscription reads ‘To Leslie. The best of everything, Anne.’”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. 1920s, Vancouver. Head and shoulders photograph of an unidentified Chinese man wearing a 3-piece suit. The photo was discovered in the collection that once belonged to Vancouver-based Wong Shih Park. The photo may have been taken for use in a government identity document.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1920s, Vancouver. Portrait of unidentified man who photo was found in the archives of the Wongs Benevolent Association.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. 1930, Vancouver. Photo of two young, Asian women identified simply as Kay and Lena.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1920s, Vancouver. Full portrait of Bartol (Bert) Sulina, who was born in Vrbnik, Otok Krk, Croatia in 1904. He was 23 years old when he arrived in Canada in 1927. His mother and sister had died earlier of the Spanish Flu pandemic that swept through Europe in 1917. Bartol earned his living working in logging camps and then as a cook on fishing boats. While in Vancouver, he boarded with a Croatian family who lived on Union Street. They came from the same island and mentioned they had a younger sister named Jovana who was still living in Europe. Bartol decided to send for Jovana and in 1937 the coupled married. Bartol passed away at age 53 in 1958. His death certificate indicated he was a fisherman.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1943, Vancouver. Photo of an unidentified, middle-aged Caucasian woman wearing glasses. Her dress has embroidery and looks similar to those worn by Polish or Ukrainian women. Some handwritten notes on the photo frame read: ‘Love from Missy. 1943’.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Early 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of Janki Shori, a South Asian woman of Hindu descent. Later in life, she would become instrumental in bringing Bollywood films to screen in the Vancouver region. She was married to Jogi Ram Shori who owned the New Delhi Cabaret during the 1960s.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Circa 1928, Vancouver. Photo of Soo Wing Chor who came to Canada in 1923 and paid the $500 head tax. About three months after he arrived, the Federal Government introduced the Chinese Exclusion Act, which essentially barred further immigration by Chinese. He was 17 at the time. He went on to operate the Golden Goose Restaurant in Campbell River from the 1950s until he sold it and passed away in 1976.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Early 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of Janki Shori, a Hindu woman. Later in life, she would become instrumental in bringing Bollywood films to screen in the Vancouver region. She was married to Jogi Ram Shori who owned the New Delhi Cabaret during the 1960s.

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Circa late 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of a young Lillian Valerie Strowager dressed in a Chinese opera costume. The back of the photo frame is stamped ‘Carrall Laundry. 330 Carrall Street. Side Door. Vancouver. For excellent services and exceptional prices. Suits cleaned and pressed...’.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Circa late 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of a young Lillian Valerie Strowager (a caucasian) dressed in a Chinese opera costume. The back of the photo frame is stamped ‘Carrall Laundry. 330 Carrall Street. Side Door. Vancouver. For excellent services and exceptional prices. Suits cleaned and pressed...’.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Early 1930s, Vancouver. Hand painted photo of two Chinese men. The man standing if Quan Chung Fune who owned a restaurant in Kamloops. The other man is unidentified.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1941, Vancouver. Portrait of PC Quon. He went on to open the Ho Ho Chop Suey Restaurant.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Circa late 1930s, Vancouver. Hand colourized portrait of Janki Shori. The image of Janki was removed from a photo where she appears with her daughter Smitra. Janki Shori was married to Jogi Ram who, for a time, owned the New Delhi Cabaret in Vancouver. It was a challenging marriage. Janki went on to make her own mark entertainment helping to bring Bollywood to the Vancouver area. She had three children.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “1942, Vancouver. Hand colourized full photo of Quan Chung Fune sitting on a chair. He was a close friend of Yucho Chow and his personal album contains several photos of Yucho with Fune's family. Fune owned with his three brothers a restaurant in Kamloops called The Rose Garden. This photo must have been taken when he was visiting in Vancouver. The family believes that the photo and colourization was done for free as a gift from Yucho.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Early 1930s, Vancouver. Full length studio portrait of John Mijacika, an immigrant from Croatian. He arrived in Canada in June 1929, just before the stock market crash and the beginning of the Great Depression. He lived on his own for eight years while saving to bring his wife and son over. This same photo was used to create a family photo: Yucho Chow superimposed John's wife, Danica, and their son Anton who were still living in Croatia. The family was finally reunited around 1936. John was a commercial fisherman who owned his own boat a number years after arriving in Canada. He died in fish boat accident September 3, 1959.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. 1942, Vancouver. Photo of Evelyn Miotto. She was from an Italian-Canadian family that lived in the Strathcona neighbourhood of Vancouver.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Circa 1949, Vancouver. Photo of Evelyn Miotto. An Italian-Canadian she lived with her family in the Strathcona neighbourhood of Vancouver.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Circa 1910, Vancouver. Portrait of Ng Lin Kee. Came for the CPR and afterwards became the first Chinese merchant in Ashcroft operated a general store and market garden. Ng also created its first scandal. He had 9 wives: 3 of them Chinese, and the other 6 were local native [Indigenous] women. Altogether he had 40 children. It is rumoured that in one week he became a father three times. He did not live with his wives but provided for all of them and his children. He died July 17, 1923 and was buried in Kamloops Cemetery.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “Late 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of a man named Poon Chew Ying. The inscription reads ‘To Mr. Chew Lip. Gift from younger brother, Poon Chew Ying.’ This photo was found in the archives of Ming Wo Cookware (formerly known as Ming Wo Hardware.)”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. 1939, Vancouver. Head and shoulders portrait of Neil Fong Mah. Neil was born in 1915 on farm in Richmond, British Columbia. The farm was later expropriated to make way for the Vancouver International Airport. He would one day marry Ella Lee. On the day this portrait was taken, another full-length photo was shot with Neil standing. It is unknown what occasion Neil was celebrating when he had these photos taken.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. 1939, Vancouver. Head and shoulders portrait of Neil Fong Mah. Neil was born in 1915 on farm in Richmond, British Columbia. The farm was later expropriated to make way for the Vancouver International Airport. He would one day marry Ella Lee. On the day this portrait was taken, another full-length photo was taken with Neil standing. It is unknown what occasion led to these photos.”

Collector/curator’s description reads: “C. 1930, Vancouver. Full length portrait of Emily Mah, born 1915.”