Wong Wah Hee aka Wong Yan Ting – family background – Smith, Wahee and Co
York Lo has sent information,about several generations of the family of Wong Yan Ting also known as Wong Wah Hee. Wong was the Wahee in the firm of Smith, Wahee and Company which later became the China Sugar Refinery. York has also added a couple of portraits of Wong family members.
The China Sugar Refinery Company
YL: Carl Smith’s book Chinese Christians, provides information about the family of Wong Wahee. They were the compradores of P&O (and related firm MacKinnon & Mackenzie) for almost a century.
It appear the line started with Wong Yook (who died in 1877) then his eldest son Wong Sze-tai (older brother of Wong Wahee), who was appointed Justice of the Peace alongside Choa Chee-bee in 1883 and then Szetai’s son Shu Tong, then Shutong’s son Wong Ping-sun (died 1942, prominent in the anti-mui tsai movement in the 1920s) and then Pin-sun’s son Wong Chi-po (post war comprador, probably the last one also) and then Chi-po’s son Sze-yip whom I believe also worked for the firm.
Wong Ping-sun (Source: 1940年華商總會年鑑). Courtesy: June Fung
Wong Chi-po (Source: 1947年華商總會年鑑). Courtesy: June Fung
Six generations!
The Wongs were probably also one of the first Chinese to live on the Peak and I recall the Wong Chi Po residence was sold within the last two decades.
Several generations of them were also directors of the Tung Wah Hospital.
Source:
- Chinese Christians: Elites, Middlemen, and the Church of Hong Kong, Carl T Smith, HKUP, 2005 p163
This article was first posted on 4th January 2016.
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I am the grandson of Wong Chi-Po (Terence Hor Ga Wong). My Father Wong Sze-Keung took over Wo Kee (Wong Chi Po Ltd) when my Grandfather died. My Father died in 2014. Wong Sze-Ip lives in London and is a retired architect.
Wong Chi Po’s youngest son was Wong Sze Kwong, solicitor. He passed away in 1983. I’m his eldest son,
i am interested in digging out the history of my Wong family.. In fact I am working on it, to write a book about my ancestors. I am Wong Wan Yiu, Angela, the eldest daughter of Wong Chi Po, married to Cheung Kung Kai. Please contact me.
Nice to hear from you Angela, Terrence and Kenneth. If you would like to add more info to this article – feel free to email the website’s administrator Hugh Farmer at indhhk@gmail.com. Thanks!