5. CHARLIE HING LAUNDRY

The 1901 census gives little information about CHARLIE HING. He was living in Niagara Falls but no address was listed. However, we do know that Hing positioned himself within the vibrant business district until 1926: most likely, working and living at the same place.

1904-1905: 29 Erie Avenue
1909-1913: 56 Bridge Street
1918-1919: 3 Erie Avenue
1921: 31 Erie Avenue
1926: 541 Erie Avenue

According to the 1911 census, Hing was born in 1877. He immigrated to Canada in 1889. He was reported as “head” of a laundry business. Hing worked 60 hour weeks, 52 weeks per year to earn $350. The 1911 census suggests Hing may have been in a partnership with CHARLIE FONG but the existence of Fong is questionable. Census data were collected on a two separate occasions at 56 Bridge Street. In the second enumeration, Charlie Fong was named as “head”. Working hours and wages were identical to those reported for Hing. Fong was born in 1877 and immigrated in 1889 - just like Hing. Basically, the enumerators may have erred.

 In both enumerations, Hing/Fong had a “lodger”, LUM LIN, who also worked in the laundry. Lin was born in 1883 and immigrated in 1905. Hing, Fong,and Lin did not read/write English and Chinese was their main language. Methodist was identified as being their religion. Lin had work hours similar to Hing/Fong’s but he only made $260 for the year.

 Where Lin and Fong (if he actually existed) went after 1911 is unknown. Hing remained in Niagara Falls off and on until 1926. There were years when Hing was not listed in the city directories at all and after 1926, he disappeared. Surprisingly in1945, Charlie Hing Laundry re-emerged at 243 Park Street.

 For the years 1932, 1938, 1940 and 1941, 243 Park Street was listed as being the SAM CHONG Laundry. The laundry name changed to Charlie Hing Laundry in the mid-1940s and was operated by the SHEW CHONG family in the years following.




1950: Moon Chong outside laundry operated by his father (photo courtesy of Loy Chong)
Shew Chong's son, MOON CHONG arrived in 1950 (pictured above). He does not know why the laundry was called Charlie Hing Laundry: perhaps an already recognizable name promoted business.

 When Moon Chong first came to Niagara Falls, he worked at the Sam Lee Laundry since his father already had sufficient help. (The grandfathers of Shew Chong and Yuen Chong [Sam Lee Laundry] were brothers.)

 FUNG SAU Chong (b. 1933) joined Moon Chong in 1955 and worked with her husband in the laundry. The laundry closed in 1974.

 Fung Sau Chong lived in Niagara Falls until her death in 2014. She and Moon had five children: Edward, Susan, James, William and George.





1963: Ed Chong with Mr. & Mrs. Yuen Chong  (photo courtesy of Loy Chong)


I've been given this photo of Eddie but I have no recognition of the boy's face. I do seem to remember a small child riding on a tricycle out in front of Charlie Hing Laundry but that may be more an imagined memory than a real one. Years difference in age, a street to be crossed, and forgotten circumstances separated our paths.

 The only real childhood memory I have of Charlie Hing Laundry was of its huge wooden slat washer drum: enormous like the daredevil barrel that went over the falls.

 A novelty struck a child's imagination and stuck all these years. So, coming across this photo recently, I still marvel.
















1967: Moon & Fung Chong with 50 Year Old Meyers Brothers Washing Machine
(courtesy of Niagara Falls Gazette)

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