Chen Quin Jack

While reading South Flows the Pearl: Chinese Australian Voices, by Mavis Gock Yen, I made a lucky discovery, a new family connection — Lee Goon Ick, the elder half-brother of Lee Kee Chong. I had come across a George Goonick in Trove research¹ , but hadn’t initially realised the name was conjoined, in the same way ‘Keechong‘ originated from ‘Kee Chong’.

李官益 / 李觀益 Lee Goon Ick aka George Goonick

Portrait of George Goon Ick, is an excerpt of the printed sheet of photographic portraits of committee members of New South Wales Chinese Empire Reform Association http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3183996403

Lee Goon Ick, also known as George Goonick, was born in 1862 and arrived in Australia on board the Bowen in 1877 at the age of fifteen. Goon Ick was employed as a storekeeper at the firm Gee Ick & Co. More information on Gee Ick & Co is covered in my previous post – The Legacy of Gee Ick & Co: A Historical Overview

Lee Goonick’s connection with Gee Ick & Co extended beyond being just an employee; it was also a matter of family ties. According to a document from the National Archives,³ Gee Ick & Co was established by Lee Din War (aka Den War or Gee Ick), who appears to be the father of brothers/half brothers of Goon Ick, Kee Chong and another brother known as W L Kum Yin aka Willie Gee Ick.

Marriage

I haven’t been able to find the marriage records of George Goonick and Chue See Look (nee Hsu). Could they have married in China and then migrated to Australia, or did they meet and marry in Australia? There was a limited number of Chinese women migrating to Australia during the 1800s so it’s possible Chee See was born in Australia. All of their children are born and baptised in NSW, Australia.

Children

Tragedy struck the family in 1889 with the death of a baby son, Charles Goon Ick (640/1888-1889), at just one year old.

In 1890, a daughter named Florence Goon Ick 李潤棣 (Flo Gee Yik) was born. She later married William GockSon 郭順 (Kwok Sun). William’s brothers, James Gock Lock (Kwok Lok) (郭樂) and Philip Gock Chin (Kwok Chuen) (郭泉), established the renowned Wing On fruit store in Australia in 1897. In 1907, William GockSon joined his brothers when they returned to Hong Kong to found the Wing On Company, the second Chinese-owned department store in Hong Kong. They later expanded to Shanghai in 1918.

A second son is born in 1892 — Walter Goon Lek (D: 10 May 1973) NSW.

In 1903, Goon Ick submits an application for permission for his son Walter Goon Ick to visit China and return to the Commonwealth. The application is successful with the condition that they secure his identification when he returns to Australia⁴.

In 1895 a second daughter, Mary Lee Goonick, was born. Mary later marries Percy Gock Bew (Kwok) the son of George Kwok Bew 郭標 (aka Guo Biao – Founder of Sydney’s first fruit and vegetable wholesale store, Wing Sang and Co)

Another son, Sydney Lee Sue (See Wah) Goonick, was born in 1897. Sydney later marries⁵ Ivy Pearl Quoy the daughter of Edith (nee Ah Gin) and Gilbert YET TING QUOY of Lee Sang & Co. Sydney. Sydney later takes an important position in his father-in-law’s firm. Lee Sang & Co was operating from 90 Hay Street, just along from the premises of Gee Ick & Co.

And in 1900, a third daughter is born, Daisy Goonick (1900–1949) Sydney, NSW. Daisy marries James Minjoy.

The newspaper articles below demonstrate how engaged and interconnected the Goonick children were with the Chinese community, highlighting several close family ties that developed through weddings and party engagements.

A vibrant new trend was taking over the streets of Sydney around the 1890s —cycling! Enthusiasts flocked to cycling schools, eager to master this thrilling activity. An article in The Daily Telegraph from 1897 mentions several prominent Chinese businessmen who are already proficient, including George Goon Yick:

“… Mr Yun Chick (manager for Hing Chong and Co., Goulburn ), street), Mr. Bew (Wing, Sang, and Co., Campbell-street), Mr. Denson (Sun Sam Chay and Co., Pitt-street), Mr. Goon Yick (Gee Ick and Co., Pitt-street), Mr. Ben Hing’ (Castlereagh-street), Mr. Don You (Campbell-street), and Mr. Sun Johnson (the translator of the “Chinese Herald”). ⁶

Goon Yik was operating as a boarding-house keeper in 1891, in Lower George Street in. There is a police report of damage to a glass door caused by a Swiss cook Frank Milham, aged 35, possibly working at the boarding house.⁷

Goonick continued to run his father’s business of Gee Ick & Co, a general merchant on Wexford Street in Sydney. Wexford Street was known for gambling and opium dens, and it was while there in 1898 that George Goon Ick was a witness in the case involving Chue Yum Chicki and the stolen lottery ticket. He provided evidence regarding the usual practice of posting the results of the ‘Foong Lee’ bank lottery around 11 o’clock at night. Goon Ick corroborated the testimony of other witnesses, confirming that William Shaw had purchased the lottery ticket and that there was a subsequent demand for payment. His statements supported the overall narrative of the ticket transaction and the events surrounding it⁸.

Chinese Reform Association in Australia

In 1901, Goon Ick attended a farewell presentation to the Hon. Leong Che Tchau at a meeting of the Chinese Reform Association in Australia, where he was recognised for his efforts in advocating for reform in China. The event featured a large attendance and included the awarding of a gold medal adorned with rubies and diamonds. Goon Ick is one of the signatories of the address, indicating his support and involvement in the reform movement championed by Mr. Tchau and others. His participation highlights the collective effort of the Chinese community in Australia to promote interest and advocacy for reforms back in their homeland⁹.

Chinese Masonic Society

The Chinese Masonic Society of New South Wales hosted a dinner and social evening to honour the ladies who helped with the recent annual picnic at Clifton Gardens. The event had a large turnout. Mr. Moy Sing, the Grand Master, presided over the evening, and the toast of “Health of the Ladies” was proposed by Mr. Sun Johnson. Among the performers at the event was Florrie Goon Ick (Goon Ick’s daughter), who contributed to the evening’s program alongside other talented individuals – Mrs. Joy, Mrs. B. Shea, Misses Minnie Lee. Ivy Joy, Ivy Young, Nellie Young, Master Fred Hoon, Messrs Sun Johnson, H. L. Numan and Charles Tong¹⁰.

On May 3, 1922, Chee See, Goonick’s wife, died at the age of 51 and was buried at Rookwood General Cemetery.

** If anyone can offer a transcription of the Chinese characters on the headstone, that would be wonderful. Please do so in the comments below

In the classified section of the Moree Gwyder Examiner and General Advertiser from June 1922, there was a listing: “Assigned Estate of Goon Ick, trading as Sam Lee & Co. Stock and fittings for sale.” This listing underscores a trend of the steady decline in business for Chinese-owned stores in rural New South Wales¹¹.

According to the probate records of George Goonick, he retired from business on the 17 of November 1919 and disposed of his business as a merchant to Hop Chong & Co. At the time of his death, 18 October 1926, at the age of 63, he was living with his daughter, Mrs William Gockson, in Shanghai China.

If you have any suggestions or corrections to this post, please reach out via email or leave a comment below

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1. Family Notices for GOONICK- (1922, May 4). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), p. 7. Retrieved October 14, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28081033, ↩︎
2. New South Wales, Australia, Census, 1891 ↩︎
3. NAA: SP42/1, C1912/3058 – W L Kum Yin and Willie Gee Ick [includes photographs] ↩︎
4. NAA: A1, 1903/7390 Goon Ick – re application for permission for his son to visit China ↩︎
5. Australia, Marriage Index, 1788-1950; Lehi, UT; Australia, Marriage Index, 1788-1950 ↩︎
6. CHINESE CYCLISTS IN SYDNEY. (1897, March 2). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 – 1930), p. 3. Retrieved October 21, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article238411364 ↩︎
7. “POLICE.” The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954) 14 September 1891: 3. Web. 10 Oct 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13838699&gt;. ↩︎
8. THE WRONG MARK. (1898, April 28). Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 – 1931), p. 5. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109648504 ↩︎
9. PRESENTATION TO THE HON. LEONG CHE TCHAU. (1901, May 4). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), p. 7. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14380302 ↩︎
10. CHINESE SOCIAL RE-UNION (1908, August 11). The Australian Star (Sydney, NSW : 1887 – 1909), p. 6 (FIRST EDITION). Retrieved December 8, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229087916 ↩︎
11. Advertising (1922, June 5). Moree Gwydir Examiner and General Advertiser (NSW : 1901 – 1940), p. 3. Retrieved December 15, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111852666 ↩︎