It seems that there were several men known as Ah Tow living in the Avoca district in the nineteenth century. These men appeared several times in local newspaper reports and other records.
Ah’ (阿) is a prefix often attached to forenames and occupations—never surnames—in southern Chinese dialects. ‘Ah’ is especially common in Cantonese, the predominant dialect of gold rush Chinese.
The ‘Ah’ prefix gives a forename a more informal and familiar air in the way that in English, ‘Frankie’ softens ‘Frank’ or ‘Peggy’ ‘Margaret’.
In some public documents of the time ‘Ah’ was mistakenly taken to be a formal title like ‘Mister’.
Ah Tow miner of Avoca (c.1821-1888)
In 1872 Ah Tow miner of Deep Lead, Avoca, gave evidence at an inquest into the death of Teang Kong
Avoca Mail, Saturday 2 March 1872, page 3
... the witnesses speaking Chinese were examined through How Qua, the interpreter.
The first witness was Ah Tow, who, having been duly sworn in the Chinese fashion by blowing out a match, deposed as follows: — I am a miner, and live at the Deep Lead, Avoca. Yesterday I last saw the deceased alive, at about six o'clock. I went to see him because he had been hurt. About two o'clock' on the Sunday I saw the deceased and Ah Tan and Ah Too fighting in the opium saloon on the Deep Lead, kept by Ah Lin. The last named to were both fighting the deceased and Ah Too knocked him down with his fist, and deceased got up, when Ah Tan kicked deceased on the lower part of his body, and the deceased was pushed out-side. There were some thirty or forty Chinamen there altogether. Deceased went out and lay down inside the door of the opium saloon, complaining of pain. The doctor was sent for at about half-past four and I went for him. The man present, Ah Too, struck the deceased upon the breast and shoulders but did not kick him. Ah Tan kicked him.
The deceased and Ah Tan and Ah Too had been gambling, and the quarrel was about that. On the 25th, the man in custody and the deceased were gambling at Ah Lin's store on the Maryborough Road. Ah Tan was the gambling master, and the quarrel took place between deceased and him about a division of money. I heard a noise in Ah Lin's room, and on going in saw the man in custody and another fighting the deceased. Dr. Morris now present was the doctor sent for. ...
In May 1887 Ah Tow/ Kow was admitted to Maryborough Hospital.
From the index of Maryborough Hospital Admissions:
Name:Ah Kow
Date of admission 23 May 1887.
Age 66
Occupation: miner of Avoca.
Port of Embarkation Hong Kong,
30 years in colony
single
Religion Pagan,
Native of Canton
The hospital record suggests he was born about 1821 and arrived in the colony in about 1857.
Avoca Mail, Saturday 24 May 1887, page 2
A poor old Chinaman, named Ah Tow, of Avoca Lead, was sent to the Maryborough Hospital last Friday, suffering from severe destitution and debility, He has been helped from the poor-box at the Avoca Court House for some time, past.
Avoca Mail, Friday 27 May 1887, page 2
BENEVOLENT SOCIETY HELP
To the Editor of the Avoca Mail.
Sir — The members of the Committee of the Avoca Ladies' Benevolent Society desire me to inform you that the Chinaman named Ah Tow, referred to in your issue of yesterday, was helped by them from August, 1884, to May, 1886, but they then withdrew their aid, as they were told by various people that he was imposing upon the Society. Since he came from the hospital he received assistance again, as it was thought he was not strong enough to work. The Committee wish this known lest their subscribers may believe that they neglected to help a man in distress.
I am, Sir, &c.,
E, BACON, Hon. Sec.
Avoca Ladies' Benevolent Society,
Avoca, May 25,1887.
It seems likely he is the miner of Avoca Lead buried as Ah How in the Avoca cemetery on 18 January 1888. His age was given as 60. He died from asthma. The burial was a givernemnt burial and £0 12s 6d was paid.
Ah Tow miner of Lamplough (c. 1838-1877)
On 31 January 1877 Ah Tow, miner of Lamplough, was buried in the Avoca cemetery. He had died of consumption. He was said to be 38 years old.
Ah Tow hawker and farmer (1847-1909)
On 29 June 1885 Ah Tow, a hawker of Avoca, applied for naturalisation.
He was 35 years old (born about 1850). He had arrived in Victoria in December 1873; he did not remember the name of the ship.
The Avoca Mail of 14 June 1887 reported that Ah Tow had been granted a licence for 1 acre, Glenmona, under section 67 [of the Victorian Land Act 1884].
In December 1877 Ah Tow fell from a horse near Lamplough.
Avoca Mail, Friday 9 December 1887, page 2
A Chinaman named Ah Tow fell from his horse on Wednesday evening. He was found lying, on the road to Lamplough, a short distance above Mr Walker's residence, by a son of Mr Wolfe, who immediately came to Avoca and procured restoratives, with which he succeeded in bringing the sufferer round. According to the Chinaman's statement he was pulled off his horse by one that he was leading, and sustained severe injuries from which he is, however, rapidly recovering.
Ah Tow died from pneumonia on 1 February 1909 aged 62 years (born about 1847). He had been living in Avoca for 30 years (since 1879). When his death was registered (85/1909) his parents were unknown. The cemetery register gave his occupation as farmer. He was buried in the Wesleyan section of Avoca cemetery.
Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by user Peterdownunder CC-BY-SA-3.0
AH TOW
RESIDENT OF AVOCA FOR 30 YEARS
DIED 1st FEBy 1909.
AGED 62 YEARS.
Inscribed on his gravestone is Ah Tow’s name in Chinese 朱 兠
In pīnyīn, the modern system for rendering Chinese characters in Roman letters, Ah Tow’s family name was 朱 Zhū. His personal name was 兜 dōu, transcribed in many documents of the time as Tow. The ‘Ah’ (阿) in ‘Ah Tow’, not strictly speaking part of his name, was a frequently-used prefix intended to give a man’s forename an informal, friendly tone. Ah is not used with the family name.
Ah Tow left a will (Public Record Office Victoria VPRS 28/P0003, 110/044 Ah Tow: Grant of probate; VPRS 7591/P0002, 110/044 will).
This the last will and Testament of me Ah Tow of Rutherford's Creek near Avoca Labourer made this nineteenth day of October 1908. I appoint Alfred Henry Wolfe of Avoca Farmer and Francis Henryry Kaye of Avoca Saddler to be my executors. I direct my executors to pay one shilling to every mourner attending at my grave on the day of my funeral but no person is to have any claim unless application is made to the executors on the day of the funeral. I direct my executors to spend ten pounds on my funeral and ten pounds for a headstone and ten pounds for an iron fence round my grave. I direct that all my property be sold by my executors when they deem it convenient. I give each of my said executors the sum of five pounds for their trouble in the ??? of my will. And I give and bequeath the residue of my property to Bridget Blanchfield of Rutherfords Creek spinster for her absolute use and I declare this to be my last will and testament
Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), Saturday 15 May 1909, page 23
TRUSTS ACT 1901 No. 1769.- Creditors, next of kin, and others having CLAIMS against the estate of the undermentioned person are requested to SEND in PARTICULARS theroef to A. H. Wolfe and F. H. Kaye, care of E. F. G. Jolley, solicitor Maryborough, on or before the 15th day of June 1909.
Name.—AH TOW.
Usual Residence.—Rutherford's Creek, Avoca. Occupation or Other Description - Labourer
Date of Death of Deceased-February 1st, 1909
E. F. G. JOLLEY, M.A., LLM., Maryborough, proctor for the executors.
Alfred Henry Wolfe and Francis Henry Kaye were executors. A clearing sale realised £160. Disbursements included various fees to do with winding up the estate, funeral expenses including £20 paid to Place & Co. Monumental masons. The balance of £79 was paid to Bridget Blanchfield, the residuary legatee.
