Mr Kum Ming Yeung was born in New Territories, Hong Kong in 1949.
It was very common in those days to have two or more wives. His father had two and Ming had six sisters and three brothers.
In the fifties, life was very difficult and children from low income families did not have a chance to go to school.
Girls were not supposed to receive any education in those days. They had to help by working in the fields and doing all the housework. In fact all of the children worked in the fields.
 In the fifties, life was very difficult and children from low income families did not have a chance to go to school.  |
| Our Untold Stories |
Ming did not start primary school until the age of ten and did not attend secondary school because his parents could not afford the fees. Free education in Hong Kong was not made available until 1989.
In the late fifties, the Shanghanese invested heavily in the textile industry and built a lot of factories in the cities. This created job opportunities for the people in New Territiories to leave the farming industry which was in decline.
Ming never liked farming and when he was 16, he decided to go to the city of Kowloon. He got a job in a café where the working hours were very long and he only got half a day off every month. However as the accommodation and meals were provided by the employer, Ming was able to save some money.
He worked in the café for five years and in 1970, when he was 21, he came to England to join his brother in Weston-Super-Mare. His brother had come in 1963 and owned a restaurant.
Life is tough
Ming worked for him six days a week, which was a "luxury" compared to the café job in Hong Kong.
His mum came to Weston in 1972 to join them. Ming spoke and read little English, so he enrolled himself to college to learn English as soon as he arrived. He found it hard to concentrate in class because he was very tired after work.
A year after arriving here he got his driving licence. After he had worked for his brother for four years, Ming went back to Hong Kong and married Wai Song, a lady he knew before he left.
They came back to Weston and worked for his brother for another four years, when the couple decided to set up their own catering business and moved to London Road in Gloucester.
The family lived in the accommodation above the shop for many years. They had four daughters - Jenny and Karen were born in Weston, followed by Anna, and Amy who were born in Gloucester. Wanting a son they kept trying until the birth of Simon, also in Gloucester.
The children were looked after by Ming's mum because Wai Song had to help in the business.
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| A Chinese Community Association was established to educate on Chinese culture |
When they first came to Gloucester in 1978 there were only about 150-200 Chinese, compared to about 3,000 in Gloucestershire nowadays.
Every Monday to Thursday about 20 to 30 Chinese would meet in BHS restaurant for a social gathering. Then in 1988, Mr Raq from the Race Equality Council, was very keen to know more about the Chinese culture.
Meetings were held between him and a couple of Chinese volunteers. It was suggested that it would be beneficial to establish a Chinese Community Association to provide help and support for the group. A year later, the Association was set up and based at Seymour Road.
In 1994, it was moved to Hatherley Road Day Centre. Ming was a founder and has been the chairman of the Association where he shows a strong compassion for the elderly and the young.
Currently he is teaching lion dancing to the youngsters on Sundays, as he very much hopes this tradition will pass on to the next generation.
Education and potential
Ming and Wai Song like the educational system in England because it allows the children to develop their full potential.
The couple have worked hard for the past years to support their children's education. Although they seldom spend time on their children's education, the children are doing very well.
Jenny, the eldest daughter, achieved first class honours at university. Recently she has received a scholarship to read PhD in leukaemia at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
Ming feels that the learning environment in schools is good and believes that the wealth of knowledge that the children have acquired will undoubtedly benefit them in the future.
| Ming and Wai Song have now been living in England for almost 30 years and have got used to living here. Although he comments that racial discrimination does exist, he recognises that English people are now more used to foreigners compared to how it was when he first arrived in the 1960s. |
| Our Untold Stories |
He feels there is no discrimination in the educational system. Pupils are offered places in Oxford and Cambridge Universities mainly by their examination grades. However, he feels that there is obviously discrimination when it comes to job interviews.
If a Chinese applicant has the same qualification as their white counterpart, the job will be offered to the latter. This is why the Chinese children have to achieve far better than their white counterparts. Moreover, it is quite difficult for a Chinese employee to get promotion at work.
Ming and Wai Song have now been living in England for almost 30 years and have got used to living here. Although he comments that racial discrimination does exist, he recognises that English people are now more used to foreigners compared to how it was when he first arrived in the 1960s.
However, whenever there is a dispute or argument, the Chinese will generally take the blame.
Ming and Wai Song plan to buy a smaller house when they retire. They do not expect the children to live with them. The children have their own lives and they have got theirs.
