Showing 295 results

Collector/curator's description reads: “June 27, 1926, North Vancouver (Seymour Creek District). Vancouver's Chinese United Educational Picnic.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa 1918, Vancouver. Photo of five young Chinese-Canadian men dressed in suits. It is uncertain what the relationship is among these men. The names are unknown with the exception of one: Henry Eng who is back row, right. He had worked as a houseboy.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1927, Vancouver. The Hoy Ping Benevolent Association was honoured with this composite photo in 1927 after they fundraised to build a school in their village in China. In addition to sending money to families in China, fundraising for social and political causes was common activities among early Chinese. This style of photographic display was used by many Chinese clans or benevolent associations. The artwork has been credited to Yucho Chow. He likely took many of the portraits too. Chow was from Hoy Ping (Kaiping) County and an active member of his clan association.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1919, Vancouver. Jung Association medley of head and shoulder portraits of men who were members of the Jung/Jang Association. Photo was presented to ?????”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1938, Vancouver. Photo of young Chinese students in a field. Image was taken as part of joint picnic of the Mon Keong and other Chinese Canadian schools.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Late 1930s?, Vancouver. Photo taken inside the Mon Keong School, Wongs Benevolent Association.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1935, Vancouver. Mon Keang School Outing Committee, Students, children and guests group photo dated ‘24th year of the republic (1935), June 30th at Second Beach.’ This photo was found in the archives of The Wong Chew Lip family. The owned and operated Ming Wo Cookware on East Pender Street in Vancouver.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1938, Vancouver. Studio photo of the Mon Keong School faculty, club leaders and volunteers.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa 1940s, Vancouver. Photo of a group of men, women and children sitting around a long banquet table. Occasion for the gathering is unknown. The full frame contained the Yucho Chow circular seal. There is Chinese writing around the perimeter of the frame.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1920s, Vancouver. Photo, taken from the street, of members and children of Wong Kung Har Tong Benevolent Society. The photo was taken on the occasion of the 4th anniversary of the Mun Sing Reading Room.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1935, Vancouver. Photo of a group of men and one woman who were members of the Wong Kung Har Tong Benevolent Society standing in front of a portrait of Dr. Sun Yat Sen at the Chinese Consulate offices.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1943, Vancouver. On location photo of the graduating class. The boy in front row, centre is Harvey Eng (son of Henry Eng). Back row (left to right): Miss Montgomery; Miss Lily McCarger; Mrs. Jack Chan; and Miss Esther Fung? Third Row: Unidentified; David Lim; Kong (Ken) Young; Unidentified; Unidentified. Middle Row: May Chu?: Valerie Lee; Audrey Yip: Jenny Jang; Unidentified. Front Row: Unidentified; Mary Phyllis Kett?; Harvey Eng, Mavis Yuen, Unidentified. This picture was taken at the Chinese United Church complex on Pender and Dunlevy Streets. These steps lead up to the men's dormitory where the church rented out rooms to single young men. The actual church was to the right of this building. The kindergarten classes were held in the basement of this building.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1934, Vancouver. 572 East Georgia Street. Kindergarten class of Chinese Catholic Mission. Adult woman on left is Miss Sarah Chan. Nun on right is Sister Mary Gerlude (sp?).”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa: early 1920s, Vancouver. Photo of two children: Kay and Bill Chow. These were the mixed-race children of Charles Soloman Chow (Yucho Chow's younger brother) and Mary Chow (nee Feica). The family lived in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa 1921, Vancouver. George Mook Chow, age 10, from Moose Jaw. His father was Charles Soloman Chow (Yucho's younger brother). George had travelled by train from Moose Jaw to Vancouver. His name was sewn into his coat so that he could easily be identified. The plan was for George to visit China along with his uncle Yucho Chow and his children. The trip was scheduled for March of 1921 on the ship the Empress of Russia. George stayed in China for approximately two years then came back to Moose Jaw. He left again for China as a teen when he became named in the divorce of a white couple. He only returned to Canada in 1943 after escaping a Japanese prisoner of war camp.”

Collector/curator’s original description reads: “C. 1911, Vancouver. Portrait of the children of CHOW Ten Lam. This photo was taken the same day as a family portrait which included the parents. (Left to Right) Henry; Lillian; Baby Victoria; and George. Their father, Chow Ten Lam, who arrived in Canada in 1897, earned a living doing many different things. Over his lifetime, he was as an accountant in his uncle’s store; he was a news correspondent for a Chinese newspaper; a partner in a wholesale grocery business and finally an interpreter and general insurance agent. Early on, he learned English from a Methodist Sunday school teacher. Their father was eventually baptized and the Chow family were one of the first Chinese Christian families in Canada.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1947, Vancouver. Full-length photo of child Howard Grant. Howard was born and raised in the Musqueam community. His mother was a member of the Musqueam Indian Band while his father was an early Chinese immigrant. Because Howard was not forced to attend Indian residential school due to his Chinese heritage, he had the opportunity to immerse himself in Musqueam teachings from the elders among whom he grew up. However, his Chinese roots were never far away. This photo, taken in Chinatown in 1947 where his siblings spent part of their childhood, symbolizes the dual world that Howard was exposed to as a child.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “193?, Vancouver. Photo of a young Jean (later Grant).”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa 1927, Vancouver. L to R: Children of Vancouver Chinatown businessman Kempert Lee. Left to right: Ruth, Harden, Phyllis and Lillian.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1924, Vancouver. Photo of Yue Gong (George) Lew. Was born on September 25, 1923. He was the second son of Mrs. Ging Lew (ask Lew Hoy Moy Sue).”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa 1922, Vancouver. Photo of child Yue Wing Lew (also known as Wing Lew). Born March 30, 1921, he was the eldest child of Mr. Ging Lew (aka Lew Hoy Sue). He owned a drycleaning company called Lew's cleaners.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Late 1920s or early 1930s, Vancouver. Studio Photo of three children: Harry, Lincoln and Eva Mah. Found in an album owned by the Oriental Home and School Fonds. There is no additional information on these children or why their photo appears in this album.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “November 1927, Vancouver. Photo of infant Gwendolyn Jane Quan, aged 8 months. Was born March 5, 1927 and raised in New Westminster. Her father was a tailor and ran a shop, along with her mother, in New Westminster. Graduated from Grade 12 and worked for several years as a teller in the CIBC branch at Pender and Main St[reet] in Chinatown. She married WWII veteran Frank Wong and together they had three daughters.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “September 1934, Vancouver. Photo of five unidentified Chinese children. Photo was purchased on EBay from a seller who obtained it at a flea market in Vancouver.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Early 1930s, Vancouver. Two unidentified young Chinese girls pose in silk Cheongsam gowns. The photo was found in the archives of the Harry Con family of Vancouver.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1945, Vancouver. Photo of Marjorie Yok-Lan Young (born March 9, 1944) was the daughter of Norman and Elsie Young (nee Lim). Marjorie was a Vancouver artist who worked in mixed media. She produced original water media work on paper and canvas along with handcrafted origami-iris fold, embossed, pop-up and printed art cards.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Early 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of Jimmy Lowe.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “April 4, 1942, Vancouver. Full length-photo of a Chinese woman (believed to be Cantonese opera performer Shwu-Hoang Po Hing) wearing a cheongsam and holding five Canadian $100 bills. On the pedestal are the words "Please Keep." This is likely a publicity shot as the photo appears in a few family collections. This was taken during WWII and she may have been fundraising for China relief.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Sept. 9, 1939, Vancouver. Group photo of Ching Won Music Society. Taken to commemorate an award they won for their participation in the ‘One Bowl of Rice’ fundraising drive in September 1939 to aid Chinese war refugees. Held at the same time as the Moon Festival events, the ‘One Bowl of Rice Drive’ campaign was organized by Vancouver's Chinese community and collected $25,000 in funds. The festival included a bazaar, a Chinese opera performance, dance, and an art exhibition. The banner reads: ‘golden sound and jade vibration’ meaning resounding clarity, harmonious. ‘Golden sound’ represents kindness, and "jade vibration" represents sageness, so it can also be a metaphor for people's knowledge and ability to learn. Beatrice Jai (Lew Yew Wah) b. 1928 is the young girl seated at the front. Her future husband, Raymond Jai (Jai Yew Kwong) b. 1916, is seated directly in front of the banner on the left side.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa 1939, Vancouver. On location photo of a Chinese opera. The young girl on stage, to the right, is Tse Gar Yin. Born in China, at the age of 14 she began training with a Chinese opera troupe. She learned to read and write Chinese by memorizing operas. Yin arrived in Canada in 1938 and performed in Vancouver until May 1940. She continued to act throughout North America before retiring in Toronto in 1957 to raise a family. By then she was known as Jacqueline Gar Yin Hune.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “C. 1940, Vancouver. Raymond Jai (Jai Yew Gwong) with violin and an unidentified Asian boy. Raymond was born in Vancouver in 1916, was raised in Canton, and returned to Vancouver as an adult where he became very involved in teaching music and organizing Cantonese music performances.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “C. 1940, Vancouver. Raymond Jai (Jai Yew Gwong) with violin. He was born in Vancouver in 1916, was raised in Canton, and returned to Vancouver as an adult where he became very involved in teaching music and organizing Cantonese music performances.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1942 or 1943, Vancouver. Scan of newspaper photo showing Beatrice Jai posing with ballet shoes. Beatrice is about age 14 or 15 and was performing in a ballet. While this scan is from a newspaper clipping, the same image appears in a poster advertising a performance. That poster also includes a photo of my Beatrice's younger sister Betty doing acrobatics. The poster is dated March 21 with no year, but the performance was likely 1942 or 1943.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Late 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of Shwu-hoang Po Hing (actress), Louis Gain Wai and Leung Siu Cho (actor). Louis Gain Wai was a Vancouver Chinatown businessman who owned The Chung King Restaurant and was a big supporter of the arts.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1940s, Vancouver. Vancouver restaurant owner Louis Gain Wai (front row, right) with two other unidentified Chinese men and a Chinese woman. It is believed the unidentified people were involved in a Chinese opera troupe. Gain Wai was a big supporter of the art in Chinatown.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “C. 1940s, Vancouver. Photo of an opera performer in costume and on stage. The performer looks to be the actress Shwu-Hoang Po Hing. Two young Chinese girls and two adult men, one of whom is Louis Gain Wai, the owner of the Chung King Restaurant in Vancouver's Chinatown and a big supporter of the arts. They are on stage with the actress and appear to be preparing to offer the actress some gifts. This is the first of two photos taken at this performance.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “C. 1940s, Vancouver. Photo of an opera performer in costume and on stage. The performer looks to be the actress Shwu-Hoang Po Hing. Two young Chinese girls and two adult men, (one of whom is Louis Gain Wai the Chung King Restaurant owner who is hidden on the left) are on stage with the actress and appear to be offering the actress some gifts. This is the second of two photos taken at this performance.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Late 1930s, Vancouver. Head and shoulders portrait of a Chinese opera actress named Shwu-Hoang Po Hing. The inscription around the photo reads: (right hand side) ‘For your keepsake as a father figure to our friendship. From daughter (not blood daughter) Po Hing.’”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Late 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of two actors with inscriptions on either side of the image. The image was found in the collection of Louis Gain Wai, who owned the Vancouver Chinatown restaurant ‘Chung King’ and was a big supporter of the arts. (Top of photo and right hand side): ‘Sir, from both of us, our deepest friendship to our father figure, Louis Gain Wai.’ (Left side of photo) Leung Siu Cho (actor) Shwu-hoang Po Hing (actress).”

Collector/curator's description reads: “C. 1941, Vancouver. Hand colourized photo of Chinese actress Shwu-Hoang Po Hing. This photo was found in the collection of Louis Gain Wai, a Vancouver Chinatown businessman who owned the Chung King Restaurant. He was a big supporter of the arts and in his collection are seven different photos of this actress.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Late 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of Shwu-hoang Po Hing, an actress. This photo was found in the collection of Louis Gain Wai, a Vancouver Chinatown businessman who owned The Chung King Restaurant and was a big supporter of the arts. He had several photos of this actress in his files, including one photo that he took with the entertainer.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1940s, Vancouver. Portrait of Shwu-Hoang Po Hing, an actress. This photo was found in the collection of Louis Gain Wai, a businessman in Vancouver's Chinatown who owned the Chung King restaurant on East Pender Street. He was a big supporter of the arts, and in his collection are several photos of this actress.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa 1920s, Vancouver. Photo of an unidentified young girl doing acrobatics. Part of a series of 4 photos.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa 1930s, Vancouver. Photo of an unidentified Chinese opera performer dressed in an elaborate stage costume. Photo appears to be taken outside the studio, likely on a stage or set. Yucho Chow's seal has been embossed in frame (right, bottom). The photo was found in a collection that was kept at the Ming Wo Cookware store in Vancouver, B.C.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1927, Location unknown (likely Vancouver). Inscription at top of mat/frame: ‘Group photo of actors taken after a performance to raise funds for disaster relief (fire somewhere?) by the Canadian Vancouver Chinese Christian Society for the Abolition of Unequal Treaties.’ Dated: 1930 March 2nd (note this is different from the date of the performance noted below). Chinese characters on black header: ‘Nurturing human rights.’
Text below photo (line by line): 1. Names of the eight actors; 2. Photo taken ‘with electric light’ by Yucho Chow 1927; 3. September 5 Canadian Labour Day (the actual word used was ‘Festival’); 4. A play by the Canadian Vancouver Chinese Christian Society for the Abolition of Unequal Treaties; 5. For the purpose of raising funds for publicity; photo of the entire acting team taken after the performance to commemorate the occasion.
Inscription at bottom of frame: ‘Photographed by Yucho Chow at the ‘Big Stage Theatre’ (good to verify the English name of this theatre).’

Collector/curator's description reads: “1945, Vancouver. Photo of a Chinese opera float that appeared in the Victory over Japan parade in Vancouver's Chinatown.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1945, Vancouver. Photo of a Chinese opera float that appeared in the Victory over Japan parade in Vancouver's Chinatown. This photo has been hand colourized.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “1940s, Vancouver. Unidentified Chinese man, likely an actor. The photo was found in the collection of Louis Gain Wai, a Vancouver Chinatown businessman who owned The Chung King Restaurant and was a big supporter of the arts.”

Collector/curator's description reads: “Circa 1924, Vancouver. Street photo showing the front of the Ming Wo store at 23 East Pender Street. In the first few decades, Ming Wo was primarily a hardware store. It eventually started supplying equipment to restaurants in the area and slowly became known as a cookware store. At one point, it even produced bean sprouts in the basement of the building and supplied the sprouts to local Chinese restaurants.”