Gold-rush pair's offspring unite

Adrienne Shaw speaks about her ancestry at a family reunion for descendants of Otago pioneers Chow and Grace Tie in Dunedin on Saturday. PHOTO PETER MCINTOSH
About 120 people who traced lineage to Chow Tie and his wife, Grace, congregated in Dunedin on Saturday. Photo: Peter McIntosh

After the historical records were scoured and family tree illuminated, descendants of a gold rush-era Chinese immigrant and a Scottish barmaid gathered together for the first time at the weekend.

About 120 people who traced lineage to Chow Tie and his wife, Grace, congregated in Dunedin on Saturday.

They were treated to presentations about the family, including one by guest speaker historian Dr James Ng who spoke more generally of the story of Chinese New Zealanders.

Yesterday, the group explored the Lawrence Chinese Camp, where Mr Chow once had a slaughterhouse, butchery and market garden.

Adrienne Shaw, of Geraldine, who researched the family's history, organised the reunion. She is involved in the restoration of the Lawrence Chinese Camp.

Ms Shaw started the project partly because she was curious, and partly because it was a ''great story'', she said.

''If we don't piece together this jigsaw then it will be lost to history forever.''

Adrienne Shaw speaks about her ancestry at a family reunion for descendants of Otago pioneers Chow and Grace Tie in Dunedin on Saturday. PHOTO PETER MCINTOSH
Adrienne Shaw speaks about her ancestry at a family reunion for descendants of Otago pioneers Chow and Grace Tie in Dunedin on Saturday. PHOTO PETER MCINTOSH

She searched cemetery, museum and library records, and was faced with hurdles such as the family name changing slightly over generations.

Chow Tie, originally Chau Chu Taai, was a Chinese businessman who settled in Lawrence and married Grace Kerr, initially a barmaid, who arrived from Scotland with her parents.

The pair ''married for love'' and had nine children. He went bankrupt in 1912-13 and the family moved to Dunedin.

Through completing the family tree Ms Shaw said she met a lot of accomplished people.

''A lot of the family have done very well.''

In the lineage she found three prominent soldiers. Mr Chow's first son, James Robert Tie, served in World War 1, one of the first Chinese Anzacs, Mr Chow's grandson Stuart Tie served was a World War 1 pilot and squadron leader. Another grandson, Andrew Tye, was a World War 2 pilot awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross.

jono.edwards@odt.co.nz

 

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