Gee Buildings

The following information about the Gee business's has been supplied to Ashley and I via Barbara Fong, who has been helping us with the family history. Barbara sent the recent photo's posted by Donna of the Gee buildings to another family connection and the following response was sent.
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Hi boys here is Tim's reply to the photos of the Gee's store you all want to know-Sorry that I seem to be getting everything all wrong about the family business-couldnt find a thing about Wyndham and Mataranka shops Gee Hong Yet ran-could it be he didnt register them properly so I have no idea about the businesses he ran before and after marriage.

Cheers BArb
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim and Dawn Forday"
To: "Barbara Fong"
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 6:10 PM
Subject: re GEE BUILDING PHOTOS


> Barbie - - -
>
> The three pics were not from Post-War Rebuilding but circ about 1959 /
> 1960.
>
> "GEE'S BUILDING" was built on Parap Road about 1959 - close to the new
> Parap
> School.
>
> Actually, I think the land where the shop was built did actually once
> belong
> to Gee KWONG Yet and Gong Sim who had a big Vegetable Farm there. My
> shop
> was just around the corner from Gees and it was definitely part of Gong
> Sim's.
>
> Gee's Food Centre had a vacant block on the right at that time and this
> block belonged to Harry and Lily Chan - the National Bank is built there
> now. The "vacant block" on the left was actually part of The Gee
> Property
> and was the access to the big warehouse shed at the back and also to the
> stairs up to the Living Quarters. There was another vacant block just
> to
> the left of this and this was part of Charlie On's who had already built 2
> shops and still had the vacant part to be built on l;ater. Charlie On
> was
> Charlie Fong On - they had a liquor outlet in one shop and Charlie and
> Betty
> Chin lived in the other - Charlie Chin was Mrs On's brother.
>
> Ernie and May; David and Cindy; Maurice; and the parents all lived
> upstairs
> at various times - - - I worked for the Gees in 1959 / 60 before starting
> up
> on my own.
>
> The Gee Family had a cafe after the war at Stuart Park but this was before
> my time - it was called "CANTON CAFE" - - - incidently, from what I have
> been able to fing out, George and Frances Lee Family also had a Cafe
> before
> the War - and this was also called "CANTON".
>
> The Gee & Quee shop was rebuilt about 1960 and was predominantly an
> upmarket
> Menswear Shop - Charlie and Doris and family moved up from Alice Sp[rings
> aboutm the same time - Maurice was mainly the Boss Man.
>
> The shop was in Knuckey Street and is now the site of the Bank S.A.
>
> Barbara - that's about what I know of the Gees - you really should contact
> Maurice as he would know ALL the history.
>
> Lots of Lubs