NAA: A1, 1909/13027

Yip, Sarah Chow

Digital copy - 5518

Details

Occupation as written	Washerwoman
Standardised occupation	DS01: Domestic service - Indoor service
Application received	1 Jan 1909
Application status	Approved
Official
Date of approval or denial	2 Sep 1909
If rejected, why?
Birthplace as written	Newcastle-under-Lyme, England, Great Britain
Modern country	United Kingdom
Age on application	41
Age on arrival in Australia	20
Port of Departure	None
Port of Arrival	Townsville, Queensland
Date of arrival	11 Nov 1888
Name of ship	Duke of Argyle Steamer
Voyage	Duke of Argyll (1888-11-11)

Addresses

Address in Australia	Geraldton
Address State	Western Australia
Time at address

Previous address 1	Charters Towers
Address State	Queensland
Time at address	1 years

Previous address 2	Herbert River
Address State	Queensland
Time at address	4 years

Previous address 3	Geraldton, Queensland, 2 years Townsville, Queensland, 4 months
Address State
Time at address

Family

Married	Widow
Children	Yes	4: three girls and one boy, all residing with me at Geraldton

References

Name of reference	Arthur Owen Jones
Occupation of reference	Justice of the Peace (Queensland)
Marginalia description
Police report attached	No
Link to other applicant
Literate	Yes

Why are they applying?

Reason	Buying land or mortgage
Other information	She lost her naturalisation (British) when she married a Chinese man, now widowed she has bought a house, but cannot have the title registered to herself. Asks if she can revert to her UK citizenship, or is she still an alien.

Further comments

She has married a Chinese man, lost her naturalisation, now a widow has bought a house, but title cannot be registered - letters attached concerning whether she can return to her UK citizenship, or is she still an alien.

Her ship, the Duke of Argyle - 4 years later, to the same place - these comments were found on Trove by the passengers of their grievances:
"Emigrant S.S. Duke of Argyle, January,1 84.—We, the passengers sailing to Queensland by the S.S. Duke of Argyle, which left Glasgow on the 29th November, 1883, consider that we have not been in any way treated as we were led to expect we should be, by the Queensland Government, before starting. Nor have we received food, &c., corresponding to that stated on the contract ticket. We therefore sign this paper as a protest, hoping that thereby, in future, the following wrongs may be remedied, for the benefit of those who follow; and also that we may get some compensation for the expense, inconve-nience, and half starved condition we have been compelled to undergo during the voyage. First, we object to the wretched condition in which we were placed at the Standard Hotel, the place to which we were sent in Glasgow, where we had to remain for six days, huddled together in filth and dirt, with insufficient food, and treated more like pigs than human beings. It is a disgrace to the sanitary autho-rities. Second, we object to the hurried fitting up of the ship, especially the wooden structures known as W.C.'s, washhouses, and cooking galley. On Saturday, 22nd December, one of the washhouses was completely swept away, whereby one man was killed, and several others severely injured. Fortunately we experienced no heavy weather during the voyage, otherwise the loss of life would have been more serious. Third, we object to the overcrowding of the place for sleeping accommodation, which made the coming on of night dreadful to contemplate. Fourth, we object to the food. For four weeks the bread was so sour and bitter that it was with the greatest difficulty any portion of it could be eaten. The rice and porridge were burnt in the cooking, and given in such scanty measure that often four persons did not get more than a pint between them. The beef, pork, and potted meat were generally thrown overboard as they were being fetched from the cooking galley, most of it being unfit for human food. Many of us have not eaten 1½lb. of the ships meat since we came on board. Fifth........etc