James Fong Kem Yee

The Reverend Fong Kem Yee, was a long-serving Presbyterian missionary to the Chinese community. Born in "Canton" he came to Australia in 1878 initially working as a gold miner. He was baptised at St John’s Presbyterian Church, Ballarat, in 1883 and then trained for mission work. From 1888 James Kem Yee devoted himself to ministry among Chinese communities in New South Wales, particularly in Maitland and Newcastle, where he was well known for more than three decades. In his final years he served as minister of the Presbyterian Chinese Mission Churches in Sydney and Newcastle. His wife Annie Fuller died four years earlier, and he was survived by three sons: Dr James Kem Yee — practising as a doctor at Paterson, Mr Roy Kem Yee — living at Glen Innes, and Allan Kem Yee — still at school. His body was taken to Newcastle, where the funeral was held from the Presbyterian Chinese Mission Church before burial at Sandgate Cemetery.

The Maitland Daily Mercury, Monday 9 July 1923. p.4.

Find A Grave