Quong Tart's Tea Rooms

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Description

Mei Quong Tart (1850-1903) was a Chinese immigrant who became a merchant, importer and philanthropist.

Quong Tart commenced business in the Sydney Arcade in 1881. Initially he had a tea and silk shop, followed by a tea shop where he provided free samples. It was the popularity of this venture that caused him to open tea rooms.

By 1885 he had 4 locations and large offices in Sydney Arcade. By 1899, 29 Sydney Arcade was known as "The Central" and 50 Sydney Arcade was known as "The Cosy".

He commenced in the Royal Arcade 1884/1885. By 1899, 15 Royal Arcade was known as "The Gem".

In 1886 he opened refreshment rooms at 777 George Street, near the Hay Market. He refurbished them in 1891 and closed them 7 years later when moving to the Queen Victoria Building.

He also established tea rooms in the pavilion at Zoological Gardens from 1886 to 1891.

In December 1889 he opened an elaborate restaurant at 137 King Street and this became his 'headquarters' until 1900. Known as the Loong Shan Tea Rooms they operated until 1900. They were the most opulent of the tea rooms and included a ground floor for men, a first floor for women and a top floor for weddings, parties and large social gatherings.

At some point he also had tea rooms in the Hordern's buildings on Pitt Street.

On 5 December 1898 Quong Tart opened the Elite Dining Room and tea rooms in the Queen Victoria Markets (Queen Victoria Building), which proved to be highly popular. The tea room was on George Street on the ground floor and upstairs was the Elite Dining Hall with a capacity for over 500 people. There also was a “central depot” at shop 15 and 16 at the Queen Victoria Markets.

Quong Tart was attacked in his Queen VIctoria Building Office in August 1902 and died the following year. The Elite Dining Hall and tea rooms in the QVB continued until 1905.

References

No Ordinary Man

Australian Dictionary of Biography

CollectionChinese Community in SydneySydney BusinessesQueen Victoria Building (QVB)

Item

Petition - Grievances of Queen Victoria Building tenants, 1898

Petition - Request for only European fruit growers to return to Queen Victoria Markets, Sydney 1899

Letter - Quong Tart & Co offering to lease tea room in Queen Victoria Markets, 1898

Letter - Complaint about ventilation and other issues, Queen Victoria Markets Sydney, 1898

Memorandum - Work on Quong Tart's Refreshment Rooms in the Queen Victoria Building, 1898

Letter - Terms and conditions of Mr Quong Tart's lease, 1898

Letter - Quong Tart proposal for alterations to shops 15 and 16, Queen Victoria Markets, 1898

Letter - Meeting of citizens of Sydney opposed to opium trade, 1894

Letter - Complaint that verandah awning only protects one window of shop, Queen Victoria Markets, 1899

Letter - Tender received by Quong Tart & Co Tea Merchants to lease shop 15 & 16, Queen Victoria Markets, 1898

File - Request for reduction of rent of premises 15, 16 and Elite Hall, Queen Victoria Building, 1901

File - Rent of premises No 22 Queen Victoria Markets and reduction of rent, 1903

File - Transfer of premises from late Quong Tart to Mrs Schneider, 1903

File - Reuse of coal at Quong Tart's Rooms Queen Victoria Building, 1901

File - Claims on Estate of late Quong Tart, 1903

File - Outbreak of fire at Quong Tart's premises Queen Victoria Building, 1902

File - Rent of shop No 55 Queen Victoria Markets may not commence until 3 September 1900

File - Smoke Nuisance at Mr Quong Tart's Premises, Queen Victoria Markets, 1900

Photograph

Print - Fox’s Buildings with Quan Hing Lee Kee, corner of Pitt and Goulburn Streets Sydney, circa 1902

Buildings on George Street, 1990s

Queen Victoria Building, George Street Sydney, circa 1899

George Street, view south from King Street Sydney, 1910s

Books & Journals

The life of Quong Tart / compiled and edited by Mrs Quong Tart

No ordinary man, Sydney's Quong Tart: citizen, merchant & philanthropist/ by Nicola Teffer

Australian mandarin: the life and times of Quong Tart/ Robert Travers

Tender received by Quong Tart & Co Tea Merchants, 1898 (A-00505628)

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Quong Tart's Tea Rooms