Person

Sam, Mary Mee York

• Eng, Mary

1915-1988

Mary SAM was born SAM Mee York in Victoria on February 16, 1915. She was the third of eight children.

Along with her siblings, Mary was blocked from attending regular public schools. She instead received an education at a place called “the Chicken House” (Gie Jie Ook in Cantonese).

While growing up, she worked at Loy Sing Guen, a well-known butcher shop on Fisgard Street in Victoria's Chinatown that her father owned. The store is still operating today. Back then, it was a butcher shop by day, and a restaurant by night. Mary did the necessary chores like plucking duck feathers, barbecuing the pork, and serving in the restaurant. As one of the older children, she also looked after her younger siblings. Later in life, Mary worked in greenhouses and on farms.

In 1934, she married Chan Que ENG who was employed at the Pioneer Fruit and Vegetable Co. Together, they had seven children, although one child, a boy, died shortly after birth.

Mary passed away in 1988 at age 73.

Sam, Wing Poy ([1863]-[1931])

Chan Shee (wife of Sam Wing Poy) ([189-]-1934)

Description supplied by collector/curator