Ah-Kin Gin

[Hyjean]

It's known that Elizabeth Cassidy Married Ah-Kin Gin on March 1875 at Launceston 12 Apostles.(Certificate held.)

It's known that Ah-Kin Gin died at a tin mine in north east Tas Weld River aged 50 on 3/4/1890
Inquest held 4/7/1890, verdict-accidental death.( Colonial Tas Archives). Actual age would be more like 41 at time of death  rather than the stated 50. From age stated on marriage cert as 24
the birth date year is about 1851.He was a Chinese Immigrant.

Children:
 Ethel Maud Ah Kin born 1885 Portland Tasmania

Emily May Ah Kin 1887 died Feb 1889. Inquest held- Launceston Examiner 16/2/1889- died of natural causes accelerated by improper food and bad treatment

James 1889

In 1892 recorded in Colonial Archives (Tas) that Elizabeth married  Wing Chin
and had issue Grace Lillian Kin Chin

Elizabeth died 23 Feb 1896( Certificate held)
States:- Partus aged  47 at Wyniford River Tas
Born Gravelley Beach West Tamar
Informant George Ah Kin Son Wyniford River.


My question:
Is there a census that would enable me to find out what happened to Ethel, James and Grace and where George fitted into the picture. Until the death dertificate there has been no mention of a George Ah Kin.

Cheers Hyjean

 

[Dundee]

Hi Hyjean,

The indexes to surviving census records for Tasmania are on the Archives' website:
http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu.aspx?search=10

The latest is 1857, so no help to you.

I cannot see a George AH KIN on Tas electoral rolls in the early 1900's.

The news article about Ah Kin's death in 1890 says that he had six young children.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12699408

I think that I would be looking at orphanage records from 1890 onwards.

Debra 

[tedscout]

Dear Hyjean,

Elizabeth Cassedy sounds like a very white Caucasian name. Marrying a Chinese person in Australia at that time would have put poor Elizabeth outside respectable society.

Have you looked for the children registered in her maiden name?

Have you looked for Anglicised versions of Ah Kin?

If the children didn't look Chinese there is a fair chance that they took other surnames when they got older.

Hope that helps, Cheers Ted

[Hyjean]

  Thanks Dundee
Apologies for late reply.Have had fingers in many pies which were not in Tassie.

Thanks for Mercury reference to 6 young children. That was news to me.Family myth has it that my gt grandmother returned to Tas from WA and brought a child back here.No concrete evidence.

Will follow up orphange suggestion.
Cheers, Hyjean

[Hyjean]

 ::)Thanks Tedscout for contribution.

Yes, the anglicised version is a possibility. Elizabeth Cassidy's mother was an Irish Catholic as was her sister both married under RC rites. The mother was re-married in Dec 1874, one daughter Jan 1875. Elizabeth herself was married at a private house by a Wesleyan minister in March 1875. So that would be alienation from the RC church. Also it is noted early 1875 a man was convicted of calling out offensive words to Elizabeth whilst standing at the door of her house. She took him to court and he was fined. One assumes that they were racist slurs as her friend Ms King who was with her also married a Chinese named Ah Kit. 

Recently whilst in Malaysia when my son married a Chinese lady I checked out names. I'm not sure whether Gin Ah Kin is correct. But think so.

CHeers, Hyjean

[Neil Todd]

She unfortunately would have copped a fair bit from unenlightened one's. Anglisised names are very common from the 19th century Aichin and Aitkin are sometimes used. I had a schoolmate of english Chinese heritage and am fairly sure his name was spelled Aichin.

He died in Vietnam and his First name was Thomas so he was Tom Tong to us

Neil

[Hyjean]

  Thanks for comment Neil. Life would have been tough enough in the 19th c without intermarriage.

Just recently I was sitting next to an English born gentleman in a history class.His working life was as a mining engineer in Africa- which may explain his comment. He asked the question why an Anglo Saxon person would ever marry an Asian. The lady on the other side remarked that her daughter in law was Chinese and I added that I have 2 daughters in law who are also Chinese.These 3 women are all highly educated -barrister and pharmacist in my case- but he was perplexed and then conceded he was "old hat" but was bewildered nonetheless. So imagine 150 years ago and the re-action considering this attitude is still rife today. I perhaps could understand if the values and education were not compatible but it did make me think. And that's good too.

Your friend lay down his life and obviously his folks felt the need to conform by anglicizing their name! That too would have been a good few years ago. One lives in hopes and Tom Tong was probably remembered with affection under that name without todays political correctness.

Cheers and thanks for input. Hyjean

 

[majm]

Hi there,

Have you ever checked out the Mr KIN, who was a passenger on the vessel "Tasmania"  into NSW (Hobart Town to Sydney) on 26 March 1855?

 http://srwww.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/searchform.aspx?id=43   This is the INDEX.   You may need to contact NSW State Records Office to find further information about that index entry as it seems "Copy service is not available for this index".

Cheers,  JM

[Aussie1947]

Added later: Oops, this was cited by Debra earlier

Hi,

The Dynamite accident that killed Gin Ah Kin and Aug Ah Chun at the Weld claim in 1890.

Gin Ah Kin left a widow and 6 children.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/12699408?searchTerm=

Gerry