Asian Studies Program
Chinese Australia
Mar Leong Wah (1902-1981)
By Gordon Mar
At the time of the founding of the Republic of China in 1911, Mar Leong
Wah was a child of eight. He was born into the village of Sah Chung in
the Chung Shan district of Southern China in 1902.
His father Mar Sun Gee was married to Leong Shi. He believed in education
and the virtuous personal qualities of loyalty, filial piety, faithfullness,
kindness and frugality. These qualities were imbued in him and he carried
them throughout his life.
When the goldfields of Australia were in decline, many Chinese miners
returned home, but those who chose to stay, found employment in various
occupations and some sustained themselves by becoming storekeepers. In
1890, two members of the Mar clan, along with others, founded a business
in Sydney called Wing Sang & Co Ltd. which operated as providores,
importers and fruit merchants.
Mar Sun Gee joined this business in 1918 having previously stepped out
of his village to sail to Australia and seek a better way of life for
his family. So it was that in 1921, that Mar Leong Wah was brought to
Sydney, together with his mother and his sister Alice. He was 18 years
old that year. In keeping with his father's belief in the importance of
education, he completed his schooling at Sydney Grammar School and began
his working life at Wing Sang & Co.
Three more siblings were born in Sydney, a sister Wai Ching (Ivy) in
1922, brother Chung Wah (Tom) in 1924 and a sister Mai Bo (Mabel) in 1926.
When his father died in 1937, he became head of the family and in keeping
with Chinese tradition, assumed responsibility for his siblings education
and upkeep.
In 1929 he returned to Sah Chung village to marry Lee So Hin, who came
from a respected Hong Kong family. Shortly after their marriage, they
sailed for Sydney, settling in to their first home at 18 Campbell Street
in the Haymarket. Over the ensuing years, there were six children, all
of whom received a full education, entering the professions and becoming
valued members of the community. The eldest son Kwok Fai (Albert) was
a specialist medical practitioner, for many years an honorary Paediatrician
at Sutherland District Hospital. Kwok Bew (William) the next oldest son
was a practising Architect and property developer. The only daughter Kwok
Moi (May) in her graduate year was the then youngest Bachelor of Arts
out of Sydney University. May was also an accomplished pianist. Son Kwok
Jon (John) practised Dentistry in the Cronulla area until his retirement.
Son Kwok Doong (Gordon) qualified as an Accountant.
Following a short career in Canada, he returned to Sydney where he oversaw
Wing Sang & Co. in its later years. The twenty years up to his retirement
were devoted to his waste water treatment business. Youngest son Kwok
Kee (Keith) followed a commercial accounting career with service as General
Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of Australia in NSW.
The business, Wing Sang & Co, dealt principally in bananas. They
established plantations in northern New South Wales and even in Fiji.
By 1933, Mar Leong Wah had become manager of the business, a position
he held until his retirement. Around the city markets, he was known as
Harry Mar.
Like many such businesses operating in the Chinese diaspora, Wing Sang
became a beach-head for the males of their ancestral village. The business
occupied a substantial building at 58 Hay Street, Haymarket, handling
not only the ripening and distribution of bananas to the Sydney market,
but also peanut importing and roasting and a strong trade in fireworks
imported from China. Being among the top three banana merchants in Sydney,
there was work aplenty for male hands. Wing Sang sponsored innumerable
members of the Mar clan from the village, who came and lived in the Hay
Street building and worked in the business. In this manner, Mar Leong
Wah was responsible for helping so many of his clan members to begin a
new life in this land of opportunity.
Within the Sydney Chinese community he earned a position of respect and
trust and was looked up to as a leader. He readily assisted when asked,
in dealing with local and government authorities, especially the Immigration
Department. In these endeavours he enjoyed a close relationship with the
Chinese Consuls General in Sydney. During the World War II years, he wholeheartedly
participated in fund-raising activities supporting the Chinese war effort.
For trade, community and commercial associations he willing gave his time
to serve on executives and committees.
His steadfast support of the Kuo Min Tang political party was maintained
over many years, with him occupying the position of chairman and other
executive positions over many years. He was passionate in his belief in
the party making China into a great and powerful and prosperous country
and world power. Respected and admired by all the world for its civilized
culture as well as a leader in trade and commerce, he wanted China to
be a free and democratic society and hated communism bitterly. The victory
of the Communist Party in taking over the country was the most devastating
event for him in his whole life and the grief and disappointment marked
him for the rest of his days. The 'vision' and the dream was not to be.
However he was gratified to witness the re-establishment of the Republic
on Taiwan and its eventual growth to become acknowledged as one of the
economic tigers of Asia. The Republic of China awarded him the Medal for
Distinguished Service for his great work in the Chinese community in Australia
in the promotion of friendship, understanding and unity between the two
countries.
The reputation of trust existed in both the community and in business.
He managed to operate Wing Sang as a going concern well unto his retirement
years, a not inconsiderable feat. His integrity and plain business sense
contributed to his deserved reputation.
At home, he could not deny his village origins. In his garden, grew rows
of vegetables and he took particular pride in his spectacular blooming
dahlias. For relaxation he would on occasion take to the tennis court.
He was a member of the Ying Wah Tennis Club which played on Sundays and
was quite a social event. His children were encouraged to follow life's
guiding principles through the Chinese Presbyterian Church which had ministered
to the community since 1883.
SOURCES
Private family documents including Mar Sun Gee's will, unpublished manuscript
on the family history written by Tom (Mar Chung Wah) and family memory.
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