BLUE PLAQUE FOR THE FORCIBLY DEPORTED CHINESE SEAMEN

On Friday 19th July, descendants of Chinese seamen who were forcibly deported from Liverpool by the British Government in 1946, gathered to pay their respects at the blue plaque to commemorate the men.

Joe Phillips Sze

Charles and Yvonne Foley

Judy Kinnin, John Sze and Keith Cocklin

With thanks to Pine Court Housing Shaun Williams and David Draper

Pictured with Judy Kinnin

The BBC filmed the event, 20:23 mins in 
Look Northwest Forced Chinese Deportations

The plaque was funded by a CrowdFund campaign ran by The Sound Agents

Pine Court Housing/Sovini are proud to have the plaque on their building to teach future generations of the injustice and shame bought on by the British Government in 1946.

 

BLUE PLAQUE FOR THE DEPORTED CHINESE SEAMEN AND THE CHILDREN AND WIVES LEFT BEHIND

In 1946 post WWII, thousands of Chinese seamen were forcibly deported from Liverpool by the British Government. This blue plaque is dedicated to the seamen and to the children and wives left behind. 

The Sound Agents working with Pine Court Housing have placed a blue plaque on the wall of 19 Great George Square, Chinatown, Liverpool. No 19 was originally No 17 Great George Square, a Chinese Boarding House owned by Kwok Fong. 

Kwok Fong also owned The Far East Restaurant next door, when the Boarding House closed the restaurant expanded. Kwok Fong and his son Tony Kwok were present when the police raided the Boarding Houses and took the men down to the Docks to an awaiting ship in the Sloyne in the River Mersey. Never to see their families again. 

The descendants of the forcibly deported Chinese seamen need answers. 

Photo: Moira Kenny - Campbell

The Plaque was paid for by a Just Giving campaign

Many thanks to everyone who donated. 

                             19 Great George Square, Liverpool. Former Chinese Boarding House

Photo: Moira Kenny - Campbell

 

SITING OF THE BLUE PLAQUE FOR THE FORCIBLY DEPORTED CHINESE SEAMEN

Photo: Moira Kenny-Campbell

The Sound Agents are working with Pine Court Housing to site the blue plaque for the forcibly deported Chinese seamen on no 19 Great George Street, a former Chinese Boarding House owned by Kwok Fong. Kwok Fong and his son Tony Kwok were present when Special Branch raided the Boarding House and took the men to the docks to board the ship. 

 

HAKKA MEMORIES

Little is known about the Hakka way of life, a Han Chinese group of people living in Liverpool whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhejiang, Hainan, Guizhou in China. 

Liverpool Chinese Supplementary School in Upper Pitt Street, were funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Austin Smith Foundation to create the Hakka Memories intergenerational event to pass down their heritage to younger generations. They held a day of reminiscence,  dancing and sharing food.  Click here for link Hakka Memories 

Tai Tai is wearing a very old traditional sun hat for a lady. This hat is 50 years old.
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

The word Hakka is pronounced 'Kejia' in Mandarin, meaning "Guest People" Hakka authors say that Hakka are embodied by the dandelion; a flower that will thrive under the most trying conditions. 

In this sense, Hakka are those who were consistently willing to risk taking a change and strong enough to survive obstacles in their path. 

Young people wearing unisex hats to protect from the sun and rain, the hats are made from natural materials: bamboo and leaves. These hats are used by farmers. The fan is for Tai Chi or Kung Fu. The water buffalo ornament is a traditional family keepsake.
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Lisa demonstrating a traditional Yun Goh: a famous rice dance song. Lisa is holding Chinese  handkerchiefs, they are spun in the hands along to the music.
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Traditional sun hat to work in the fields in the hot sun
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Peggy is holding a traditional wedding candle symbolising 'Double Happiness'
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Paul is wearing a traditional farmers hat he is holding a fan. In Summer, the weather is very hot, the fan is used to keep cool and to keep mosquito's away. It can also be used when lighting a fire. The fan material is made of Liuistona Chinensis: a leaf split in 2. 
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Lan is demonstrating a Chinese calculator known as an Abacus. It is used to subtract, multiply and division. The Abacus was designed in China thousands of years ago.
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Judy is holding a book that belonged to her dad, he would use the book daily looking for a lucky day or looking for fortune. This method using the book to look for the best dates for weddings or farming for example started 5000 years ago.
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Sue wearing the traditional Summer hat for a lady
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Lin demonstrating different uses for a hat while working in the sun
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Tai Tai passing her traditions down to her grandson Daniel
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Tai Tai 
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Tai Tai
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Tai Tai
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

Tai Tai holding her wedding candles
Photo: Moira Kenny 2023

 

IN MEMORY OF CHINESE SEAMEN

The Blue Plaque has arrived. Thank you to everyone who donated funds or ideas towards the wording. Simon Wong LCBA is speaking with the leaders and dignitaries of Chinatown to secure a building on which to erect the Plaque in Nelson Street.