site of Washing Bros Furniture (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural significance as the site of the Washing Bros Furniture Factory, built 1922, and destroyed by fire in 1953. The site represents the Washing family legacy, and the way, with their Chinese heritage, they overcame systemic racism and showed resilience by achieving success in business.

Physical Description

New multi-storey building o the site of the Washing Bros Building.

History

The Washing Brothers’ furniture manufacturing business began in 1898 in Perth. The brothers were Alfred, Charles, Ernest and Frederick, and were Australian born, descended from a Chinese father (Wah Hing) and a European mother. Under the White Australia policies from 1901 which enabled inherently racist legislation, the ‘Factories Act 1904’ prevented Asian migrants from working in manufacturing. The part-Chinese Washing family (and others) overcame the Act by anglicising their names. Thus ‘Wah Hing’ became ‘Washing’. The Act was enforced regularly. For example, an article in the ‘Daily News’ in 1918 reported: “A very important regulation affecting Asiatic manufacturers of goods in the State is that such goods must be stamped stating that Asiatic labor [sic] and hands made the goods. For evading this regulation, Gooey Tong, representing Wah Hing and Co., furniture manufacturers, was fined £1.10s and costs this morning at the City Court.” In another example, in 1922, the furniture made by Wah Hing and Co was restamped by Ernest Johnson, for sale in his outlet, which was in breach of the Act. (Daily News, 1922). The Washing Bros. were originally located at 271 Murray Street in Perth between Barrack and William. They moved to No. 435 Murray Street in 1902 (between King and Milligan Streets) which was renumbered as No. 407 Murray Street in 1908. As the business expanded new premises were required. The post office directory lists three new shops being built on Newcastle Street in 1923, and from 1924 Washing Bros. furniture manufacturers were located at Nos. 323-333 Newcastle Street. The advertisement in the Trades Directory in 1930 shows that among the furniture manufacturers in Perth at this time there remained Wah Hing & Co, at 14-16 Railway Parade, West Perth, as well as the Washing Bros. The continued systemic racism as created by the Factories Act is evident in another newspaper article in 1930, which is related to the Washing name: “The Perth City Council yesterday agreed to a recommendation from the general purposes committee that a quotation from Washing Bros, of 35/ each for the supply and delivery to the Victoria Park Town Hall of 38 seats with backs be accepted. At the previous meeting of the council, following an objection in regard to the type of labour employed by the firm, the matter was referred back to the committee for further consideration and report. The Town Clerk (Mr. W. E. Bold) yesterday read the following report from the committee: — With a view to placing the facts in connection with the employees of Washing Bros, before the committee, the chairman and the Town Clerk have interviewed the secretary of the union (Mr. Hodsdon) and the Acting Chief Inspector of Factories (Mr. Flemming). We are informed by the latter that last month Washing Bros, employed 29 men, including apprentices. Of this number, all are British or Australian, except one Greek, one Russian, two Czechoslovakians and one Palestine Jew. There are no Chinese. Mr. Washing, senior, is Australian born, a son of a Chinese father and a European mother. He has one son and a nephew in the business, both born in Australia. The secretary of the union states that there is another son in the business, also born in Australia. There are ten apprentices, all Australian-born. The Acting Chief Inspector of Factories states that Washing Bros, are a white-labour firm, are contractors for Government furniture supplies under the Tender Board rules and regulations, and comply with the provisions of the Shops and Factories Act in respect to the stamping of furniture made in their factory. He adds that the furniture made by Washing Bros, is marked with a stamp that it is made by white labour. Section 95 of the Act states that where manufacture or preparation has been effected solely or partly by the labour of any Asiatic employee the stamp shall set forth in legible type the words, 'Asiatic labour.' The Inspector points out that neither of these stamps is applicable in the case of Washing Bros., because they do in fact employ one or more Palestine Jews. In the opinion of the Crown Law Department, these men cannot be properly de-scribed as either Europeans or Asiatics, because being Jews, they are of the Semitic race. The department, therefore, permits them to use the stamp, 'White labour.' The recommendation was adopted by 13 votes to 8.” The Metropolitan Water Supply Survey plan (1950) shows a large brick building, unnumbered adjacent to Nos. 335-337 which was a semi-detached pair of houses. There is a dust hopper in the rear and other structures to the south and east. The two-storey factory was damaged by fire in April 1953. The 1965 aerial shows the factory had been demolished and redeveloped. The success of part-Chinese migrants in businesses is usually associated with their cultural background (such as market gardens and laundries), but success is other industries is less well-known. The Washing Bros. furniture manufacturing business was in operation from 1898 to 1953. The contribution of the Washing Bros is partly acknowledged by nearby Washing Lane, but no interpretation is given to this nomenclature. The site provides an opportunity to acknowledge this historic building legacy.

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