Jane Fook You - a rare marriage

In the cemetery of the old gold-mining town of Lawrence are two very rare graves - they seem to be graves of European women who have married Chinese men.  A rare thing in those days.  For one of them I have found the barest of references in "Papers Past" - bare but worth sharing.

THE COURT.

A NEGLECTED CHILD.

Police v. Ah Fook You. — An information under section 16 of the Industrial Schools Act for committal of James Fook You to the Industrial School.

Mr Haggitt appeared to oppose the application. Sergeant King stated that the boy, who was the son of a Chinaman living at the Chinese Camp, had lately been brought to Lawrence by a woman named Donnelly, a woman who bore a bad character in Dunedin. She was an habitual drunkard and he (Sergeant King) had threatened to take action against her for vagrancy. To evade these proceedings she had persuaded Fook You to marry her, and the three of them were living in a small room in a house occupied by a number of Chinamen. The place was in a filthy condition and the child was neglected. His step-mother was continually sending the boy for beer, and the place was frequented by other drunken women.

Constable Taylor gave corroborative evidence.

For the defence, Mr Haggitt submitted that it would be a grave injustice to commit the boy to the Industrial School. He was attending the Lawrence District High School, which was admitted to be one of the best schools in Otago, and was progressing very well indeed with his studies. He was very well looked after by his father and, although it was true his step-mother was addicted to the drinking habit, still the father was willing to take out a Prohibition Order against her and to look after the child. He therefore submitted that it would be a great hardship to the child to be treated as a semi-criminal and sent to the Industrial School.

In support of this defence he called Ah Fook You and the boy. The latter stated he did not want to go away from his home and that he was going to school and was very happy there.

His Worship stated that, although the Police were justified in bringing the case and the character of the woman appeared to be very bad, he was loth to commit the boy to the Industrial School as his father, who seemed a respectable man, was fond of the boy and wished to look after him. He thought, however, the boy should be removed from his present surroundings, and suggested that a Prohibition Order should be taken out against the step-mother. He would adjourn the case to the 25th of March to enable the father to remove the boy to the care of some respectable people.  -Tuapeka Times, 13/3/1901.

JP Court

PROHIBITION ORDER.

On the information of the police a Prohibition Order applicable to Tuapeka Flat, Evans Flat, and Lawrence was granted against Jane Fook You.  -Tuapeka Times, 20/3/1901.

S.M. COURT.

POLICE CASES.

The case against James Fook You with "being a child within the meaning of the Industrial Schools Act," adjourned from last sitting of the Court, was withdrawn.  -Tuapeka Times, 27/3/1901.

James You won a first prize for writing from the Lawrence High School in 1900 when he was in Standard 2 and a third prize the next year.  I have found nothing further for him - with his mother dead and stepfather possibly returned home, it would be a simple thing for him to change his name for a fresh start.

Lawrence Cemetery.