From my research, it appears the famous school room at Wing Sang has a deeper history than first suspected. In this post, I've compiled building permits, family stories, immigration records, newspaper articles, original correspondence, and passenger manifests to create a richer picture of the past. Yip Sang did indeed build a school in his home that his family could enjoy, but he also founded a school for the community and used his influence to hire its first principal and teacher.
Tag: Wing Sang Company
True crime, the Wing Sang Co., and police records: A trip to the City of Vancouver Archives
Once you're on site, my best tip for getting the most out of an archives visit is asking for a quick tour. Most times the archivist will ask you what area, subject, or time frame you're researching. They will also show you how to fill out a record retrieval slip and while I am an experienced researcher, I always appreciate the reminders. Every archive follows archival best practises, which means...
Wing Sang: a house of memory
The committee chose Wing Sang at 51 E Pender Street to be the new museum. This iconic building, the first of its kind in Chinatown, the mythical touchstone of dreams for so many immigrants, and my family's historic home, will now be the house of our collective memories.