Summary

Deed of Property document between vendor Harriet Daniel and purchaser Setsutaro Hasegawa, for the purchase by private sale of a house at 21 Little Ryrie Street in Geelong in 1927. The property purchase is listed as 950 pounds, and a deposit of 100 pounds is required with the balance within one month. The document is dated 27 April 1927.

Setsutaro migrated to Australia from Japan in 1897 at the age of 26, just four years before the introduction of the Immigration Restriction Act which severely limited migration to Australia from countries in Asia. He established a laundry business in Geelong and by 1911 he had married an Australian-born woman and had three children.

In 1941 Setsutaro was arrested as an enemy alien and sent to Tatura internment camp in northern Victoria. Released early in 1943 due to his age and poor health, unlike most Japanese interns he was not deported to Japan after the War. Setsutaro remained in Geelong for the rest of his life and died in 1952.

Physical Description

Foolscap size document folded in half and then folded three times. Reverse of document contains terms and conditions of sale. The front of the document contains extended text in blue type regarding the property. The inside pages outline the 15 terms of sale and specify the property purchase.

Significance

The Hasegawa collection enables the exploration of a number of important historical themes relating to migration, working life, and wartime internment in Victoria. Late nineteenth century and early to mid twentieth century Japanese migration and settlement experiences are little represented in the museum's collections and this collection of clothing, documents, personal items and photographs helps to redress.

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