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Ah Mouy, Mee How (1887 - 1977)

Gallery

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    Chinese Progress Association. 2nd Annual Ball, 26/11/24., 26 November 1924, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Portraits of members of the Australian-Chinese Association, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Stanley (or Vernon?) Ah Mouy reading book, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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Born
26 April 1887
39 Canterbury Rd, Middle Park, Victoria, Australia
Died
5 August 1977
Occupation
architect
Alternative Names
  • Ah Mouy, Mee Hou (also used)
  • Ah Mouy, Mee How (also used)
Summary

Mee How Ah Mouy is one of the son's of Louey Ah Mouy. He met Monica Kung in Hong Kong in 1912-1915. She came to Australia in 1915 and they married in 1917. They had one son: Stanley. In 1912 he visited China on the St Albans with William Ah Ket.

Mee How was working as an architect in Arlington Chambers, 229-231 Collins St, Melbourne in 1924.
[Prepared by Paul Macgregor]

Details

Mee How Ah Mouy (1887 - 1977), architect and foundation president of the Young Chinese League was born on 26 April 1887 in Middle Park, Melbourne. He was the son of Chinese-born parents, Louey Ah Mouy who was a businessman and community leader, and his wife Ang Chuck. Mee How was the youngest of eleven children (eight boys and three girls).

Together with William Ah Ket, the first Chinese barrister in Victoria, in 1906 they founded the Sino-Australian Association. The club provided a forum for Chinese Australians to discuss community issues and business. The club disbanded in 1912 when Mee How along with William Ah Ket visited Beijing to represent Victorian Chinese at the new Chinese Republic elections.

Mee How would stay in China for the next three years. In 1915 while visiting Hong Kong he met his future wife Monica Kung. Monica was the daughter of a well-to-do doctor in Hong Kong. She came to Melbourne in 1915 and they were married in 1917. They had one child, Stanley Ah Mouy.

Mee How was the first Chinese Australian to train as an architect. In 1924 he is listed as working as an architect in Arlington Chambers, 229-231 Collins St, Melbourne.

Together with friends from the Chinese Progress Association and Chinese Athletics Association Mee How founded the Young Chinese League. The League was formally established on 4 October 1932. It was founded as a non-political organisation aimed to bring people of Chinese descent together to meet and share social, cultural and sporting activities.

After a period in office as President, Mee How was the League’s Treasurer from 1939 to 1957. He is credited for the clubs’ early financial success and keeping the club financially sound. During his time as treasurer, Mee How was made a life member of the League. In 1957 he was forced to retire from the League due to ill health.

Like his father Louey Ah Mouy, Mee How was recognised as a wise counsellor and highly respected in the Chinese community of Melbourne.

Mee How Ah Mouy passed away on 5 August 1977.

Events

1917 -
marriage - married Monica Kung

Sources used to compile this entry: Giese, Diana, Astronauts, Lost Souls and Dragons: Voices of Today's Chinese Australians in Conversation with Diana Giese, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia, Qld, 1997; Macgregor, Paul, 'Dreams of Jade and Gold', in Epstein, Anna (ed.), The Australian Family: Images and Essays, Scribe Publications, Melbourne, 1998, pp. 25-35; Yong, C.F., New Gold Mountain: The Chinese in Australia 1901-1920, Raphael Arts, South Australia, 1977; NAA, B13, 1923/15625; Museum of Chinese Australian History collection - Louis Ah Mouy CHIA entry - http://www.chia.chinesemuseum.com.au/biogs/CH00003b.htm Louis Ah Mouy Australian Dictionary of Biographies Online entry - http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030019b.htm YCL newsletters - October/November 1977.

Prepared by: Brendan O'Donnell, Monash University

Children

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Published Resources

Books

  • Giese, Diana, Astronauts, Lost Souls and Dragons: Voices of Today's Chinese Australians in Conversation with Diana Giese, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia, Qld, 1997. Details
  • Yong, C.F., New Gold Mountain: The Chinese in Australia 1901-1920, Raphael Arts, South Australia, 1977. Details

Book Sections

  • Macgregor, Paul, 'Dreams of Jade and Gold', in Epstein, Anna (ed.), The Australian Family: Images and Essays, Scribe Publications, Melbourne, 1998, pp. 25-35. Details

Images

Title
Chinese Progress Association 2nd Annual Ball
Type
Photograph
Date
26 November 1924
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Heung Shan Gong Hui (Hong Shan society) picnic
Type
Photograph
Date
1920s - 1930s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne - Aspendale?
Details
Title
Portraits of members of the Australian-Chinese Association
Type
Photograph
Details

See also

Title
Stanley Ah Mouy reading book
Type
Photograph
Details