Lucy Hair was the speaker at our meeting this week. She is Project Officer assisting UWA Professor Ben Smith and A/Professor Yu Tao on their project to compile a history of the Chinese people in Western Australia. Initial research work was done by Anne Atkinson and started with an entry for Hea Sam who arrived in WA in 1830 perhaps by accident. He owned a Market Garden in Osborne Park and owned a Vegetable Shop in Fremantle. Between 1847 and 1848, 51 Chinese men arrived from Singapore as indentured labourers. In the 1870s and 1880s Chinese men were brought in on 3-year contracts and by 1897, the Chinese population in WA had reached 1937. These people worked as Market Gardeners, Laundry Workers, Furniture Makers, in retail including restaurants and in domestic service. Up to the end of the second World War, the numbers were very small and were mostly men; men outnumbering women about 4:1. This came about because of the “White Australia” Policy which had become Law in 1901, the year of Federation. Those who worked as Market Gardeners lived a very hard life. Typically, 2 to 3 men would operate a garden and had only very basic accommodation. Chinese Laundries also faced many difficulties and obstacles – they had to apply for a licence on an annual basis under the “Factories Act” and could operate only from leased property. Cabinet Makers (Furniture manufacture) fared no better but produced work of a higher quality than competitors. Grocers, drapers and those in restaurants and domestic service also faced many uncertainties because of the regulations imposed.