Summary

Australia Victoria Melbourne
Chinese Chamber of Commerce Member's Badge (AD)
Mint: not recorded
Other Details: Chinese Chamber of Commerce Member's badge. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce was formed in Melbourne in 1912. In the same year it sent William Ah Ket to represent Australian Chinese at the opening of the first Chinese parliament in Beijing (Peking). The Melbourne and Sydney Chamber of Commerce maintained close relations with the republican government of China until China declined into civil war in the 1920s. This badge shows the flag of the China Republic (1912-1929).

Obverse Description

At centre a flag with 5 horizontal stripes; around legend in Chinese

Reverse Description

At centre 3 Chinese characters inscribed above 2 raised; around, CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE . VICTORIA .

Edge Description

Punched ST.SIL at 06

Significance

This is one of a small group of membership medals of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce which appeared in trade in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

According to The Australian People (ed. James Jupp, p.206), the involvement of Chinese in business and commerce created a successful middle class who formed organisations to protect business and social interests and the Chinese identity. Such organisations were partly commercial, such as the Chinese Chambers of Commerce, partly regional and partly political. Organisations based on the Chinese region of origin (tongs) were common to all expatriate Chinese. These included the See Yap Society and Kong Chew Society, founded in Melbourne in the 1850s. Such societies looked after the welfare of people from particular regions of China.

After 1901 many tongs declined and gave way to pan-Chinese societies. These included the Young China League (1904) and the Chinese National Alliance of Melbourne (1904), both founded in Melbourne. In 1912 the Chinese Chamber of Commerce was formed in Melbourne. The Chamber sent William Ah Ket to represent Australian Chinese at the opening of the first Chinese parliament in Beijing (Peking) in 1912. The Melbourne and Sydney Chamber of Commerce maintained close relations with the republican government of China until China declined into civil war in the 1920s. -D. Tout-Smith 28/11/2003.

More Information