Sun See Fan – 孙仕芬 – Correspondence relating to extension of certificate of domicile
Abstract
Certificate of Domicile (人情纸)
In August 1901, after living in Queensland for about eight years, Sun See Fan temporarily travelled to China with a Certificate of Domicile, which would exempt him from the infamous Dictation Test when he re-entered Australia. The certificate was valid for two years. In August 1903, while waiting to board a steamship from Hong Kong, Sun See Fan fell ill and was unable to return to Australia before the expiry of his permit. He promptly wrote to his brother in Brisbane for assistance to get the permit (人情纸, literally ‘paper of favour’) extended.
| Date |
1903-10-19 |
| Place |
Brisbane |
| Transcription |
Below is a possible transcription of the letter. Characters that are unclear are in brackets, and slashes are used to suggest possible breaks and punctuation. 字告 家兄大人如握 / 敬啓者 前兩礼拜下港 / 本欲搭[急行柯时兒?]船來埠 / 適遇此时身体欠安 / 暂寓於芳祐隆金山庄数天 / 返囬家请医生调理 / 連食藥兩礼拜 / 後得全愈 / 今[幸?]得平安無恙 / 请勿遠念 至於人情[纸?]此时当有十日期满 / 今将人情纸由信局付上 / 至於收入付交税 / 问求續囬六個月头 / 續要早日付返俾得复來外埠 / [幸?]勿延遲可也 前礼拜收到來信 / 各事俱已知悉 / 各人之信亦經交妥 至於问及家母壯健否 / 今家母嘱及寫信囬复 / 現下身体托賴 / 頗見精神壯健 家内事俱是弟打点 / 威兒讀书甚勤 / 身体托賴 / 杏群等亦平安 / 不須遠念 但下渡有人返唐[於?]買讀書皮袋一個付返俾威兒讀书用 / 因伊見福駢有一個 / 伊亦甚中意 順此告知 / [餘?]未多及 [好?] 音後报 / 即 [?] 安和泰宝号 / 生意多佳 弟孙仕芬 [?] / 癸六月廿四日 |
| Subject | |
| Category | |
| Author |
Sun See Fan (孙仕芬 pinyin Sun Shifen) Sun Jue Yow (孙祖祐 pinyin Sun Zuyou) |
| Keywords |
Certificate of domicile Chinese Australian Hongkong Canton |
| Creator |
Collector of Customs, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Current holder | |
| Series number |
BP342/1, 11445/891/1903 |
| Item number |
1640043 |
| Access rights |
Open access |
| Rights |
Copyright National Archives of Australia |
| Country of origin | |
| Language | |
| Period of reference |
1893 to 1903 |
| Description from source |
Full title: Sun See Fan – Correspondence relating to extension of certificate of domicile due to sickness written by his brother Sun Jue You – includes letter written in Chinese – Brisbane – Storeman |
| Physical format |
Manuscripts Correspondence |
| File |
Sun See Fan – Correspondence relating to extension of certificate of domicile due to sickness written by his brother Sun Jue You – includes letter written in Chinese – Brisbane – Storeman |
| Translator |
By Ruth Shillabeer |
| Record author |
Siobhan Campbell |
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