Chinese Merchants Trading with Brennan & Geraghty by Ken Brooks

Chinese Merchants Trading with Brennan & Geraghty display

Brennan & Geraghty’s Store, now owned by the National Trust, is operated as a museum about itself and its place in the community of Maryborough, it has a large intact collection of merchandise and trading records, those records allow us to look at a range of customers and shopping habits.Brennan & Geraghty’s customers came from varied ethnic and social backgrounds which show a diversity of cultures merged into the growing Queensland community.
In general, there are few original surviving records which help us to research the Chinese in Maryborough.The records held within Brennan & Geraghty’s Store archival collection provide us with basic information on those customers, to add to this information we have to look at other sources, such as local newspapers and Council Rate Books.From what we already know of the Chinese customer at Brennan & Geraghty’s Store is that they were largely buying fruit, vegetables and vinegar for probable re-sale in their own shops.Some of these customers also purchased fruit trees which they may have planted out in their own orchards.Their accounts were generally paid quite quickly in comparison to European customers who often ran up large debts which were paid off over time.
Because of the lack of available information on Chinese people in this region, any research that we undertake will hopefully enable us to build a better picture of Chinese life in this part of Queensland.

Letter from Chas Que Hue, Bundaberg, Aug 22nd 1891 Brennan & Geraghty Store Archival Collection

Hand-written letters such as this one from Chas Que Hue provide us with evidence of his purchases as well as payments for his account.As the letter written by a third-party, it is probable that Chas Que Hue could not read or write English.
Brennan & Geraghty advertised in local newspapers on a regular basis which brought attention to their diverse range of stock that they could provide.Chinese Merchants from the same period (in the Wide Bay Region) advertised less frequently.Their adverts help us with various details such as where their shops were located.

An advertisement in the Bundaberg Mail 9th March 1894 shows a range of fruit, vegetables and tea sold from Que Hue’s shop.

What happened to Chas Que Hue and other Chinese Merchants who had traded with Brennan & Geraghty is largely unknown, future research may unearth more information which will help fill in many gaps.

Ken Brooks' local history talk about his research can be found here 

Published with consent from Ken Brooks
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