By: Alysha Li
Hop Wo (Ju Ho) was born in Canton in southern China around 1858 [1]. While much of his earlier travels are still unknown, Hop Wo spent time in Victoria, British Columbia and San Francisco, California [2], before eventually settling in Montreal, Quebec in the mid 1890s [1].
In Montreal, Hop Wo established several successful enterprises. In 1895, he opened the Hop Wo Company boarding house [3], promoting his business as a reflection of his Christian values, where gambling and opium smoking were prohibited [4]. Over the next decade, the boarding house relocated several times, moving from 23 Beaver Hall Hill [5] to 28 Beaver Hall Hill [6] and later to 631 Lagauchetière Street [7]. Along with the boarding house, Wo established himself as a prominent wholesale merchant [8] importing Chinese goods [1] and operating a store at Beaver Hall Hill and Palace Street [9]. His shop received local attention in 1905 when customs authorities seized a shipment of snake wine, a product used in traditional Chinese medicine [9]. By then, he was considered an influential merchant within the Montreal Chinese community and represented his community in local business affairs [2].
Figure 1: A letter to the editor of the Montreal Star from the Chinese Mission advocating for the Chinese laundries [10]
Wo’s dedication to community service was strongly guided by his faith. Shortly after arriving in Montreal, he became involved in the Christian community [11] and was a devoted member of the Presbyterian church [12]. He often attended church events organized by Rev. Dr. Thompson, a Chinese missionary [13], and his assistant, Chin Seng [14]. As his reputation as a businessman grew, Wo also took on the role of representing the Chinese Montreal community at church events [15] and as a leader in organizing charitable donations [16]. This prominent role eventually led to his involvement as one of the founders of the Chinese Mission, which became a cornerstone of the Chinese and Christian communities [1]. Through the 1910s, the Chinese Mission offered English and Christian classes [17], advocated against the unfair taxation of Chinese laundries [18], and served as a hub for community gatherings [19]. During World War I, the Chinese Mission contributed to the war effort by fundraising for the Red Cross and the Victory Loan Campaigns [20]. The center also hosted prominent Chinese weddings [21] and conducted international mission trips to Macao, China [22].
Figure 3: Mrs. Ju Ho [23]
Hop Wo passed away on May 9, 1922 at his longtime residence at 336 Lagauchetière Street West after a month long illness and was buried at Mount Royal Cemetery [1]. His leadership role in the Chinese and Christian communities was carried on by his wife, Mrs. Ju Ho (née Lum She [28]), and their children Peter, Hattie, Joy, Andrew, and Gordon [1]. Mrs. Ju Ho and Hop Wo married in China in 1894 [1] and later reunited in 1903 when she immigrated to Canada [23] with their son, Peter [29]. Peter went on to graduate from McGill University [1], where he served as vice-president of the Chinese Students’ Association of Eastern Canada in 1918 [30]. Following his father’s footsteps, he became a merchant [31] and a key figure in the Chinese and Christian communities. He was the president of the Chinese Young Men’s Christian Association [32] and through his marriage, was connected to prominent Chinese North American families [33]. Hattie was active in several Chinese and Christian causes, including the Montreal Chinese Ladies Society [34], and advocated for the training of women for medical missionary work [35]. As one of the few Chinese students enrolled at McGill University, Gordon was a founding member of the McGill Chinese club in 1927 [36] and earned a degree in civil engineering in 1932 [37]. The Wo family continued Hop Wo’s legacy through their involvement in missionary work in the following decades. In 1948, Mrs. Ju Ho, Peter, Andrew, and Hattie were evacuated from a missionary trip in China due to advancing Communist armies during the Chinese Civil War [38].
Works Cited
[1] “Chinese Merchant Called By Death.” The Montreal Gazette, 10 May 1922, p. 8.
[2] “No Chinese Theatre Here.” The Montreal Star, 27 November 1905, p. 9.
[3] “The Chinese Colony.” The Montreal Star, 15 June 1895, p. 8.
[4] “The Smuggling of Chinaman.” The Montreal Star, 22 August 1895, p. 6.
[5] “Situations Wanted.” The Montreal Star, 18 January 1900, p. 5.
[6] “Situations Wanted.” The Montreal Star, 24 July 1902, p. 7.
[7] “Situations Wanted.” The Montreal Star, 13 May 1905, p. 15.
[8] “No Chinese Theatre Here.” The Montreal Star, 27 November 1905, p. 9.
[9] “Chinese and Reptile Juice.” The Montreal Star, 9 October 1905, p. 13.
[10] “From the Chinese Mission.” The Montreal Star, 25 February 1915, p. 10.
[11] “Chinese Entertainment, at Which the Chinamen Did Their Share of the Entertaining.” Montreal Daily Star, 31 December 1895, p. 2.
[12] “Ju Ho in the Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968.” Ancestry, https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/1091/records/7799391?tid=&pid=&queryId=5b9d1cc3-dd1f-4ca8-89bd-31a7ab91d24f&_phsrc=ave149&_phstart=successSource.
[13] “Given a Welcome Home.” The Montreal Star, 24 October 1900, p. 11.
[14] “Chinese Lady Arrives in Town.” The Montreal Star, 27 July 1903, p. 6.
[15] “Social Gathering at Knox Church.” The Montreal Star, 13 May 1905, p. 23.
[16] “Grace Dart Home.” The Montreal Star, 25 July 1908, p. 27.
[17] “Chinese Mission Classes.” The Montreal Star, 5 July 1913, p. 13.
[18] “From the Chinese Mission.” The Montreal Star, 25 February 1915, p. 10.
[19] “Chinese Mission at Home.” The Montreal Gazette, 1 January 1915, p. 3.
[20] “Montreal Chinese Mission.” The Montreal Star, 28 December 1918, p. 7.
[21] “Chinese Couple Wed Here Today.” The Montreal Star, 24 July 1919, p. 3.
[22] “Chinese Mission Meets.” The Montreal Gazette. 9 October 1903, p. 3.
[23] “Mrs Ju Ho.” Government of Canada, http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=immfrochi&id=253679&lang=eng.
[28] “The City of Montreal, plaintiff vs. Dame Lum She, widow of Ju Ho, defendant.” The Montreal Gazette, 12 November 1938, p. 22.
[29] “Ju Bee Ack.” Government of Canada, https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=immfrochi&IdNumber=253680&q=ju%20bee%20ack&ecopy=t-16182-01149.
[30] “Chinese are alert.” The Montreal Star, 2 September 1918, p. 2.
[31] “1931 Census of Canada for Peter B Jue.” Ancestry,
https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/62640/records/10605264?tid=&pid=&queryId=bfc9301a-888e-4411-8ab8-a66426103c2b&_phsrc=ave155&_phstart=successSource.
[32] “New Year’s Treat at Chinese Y.M.C.A.” The Montreal Gazette, 3 January 1922, p. 6.
[33] “Chinese Wedding Tomorrow Taking Place in Christ Church Cathedral.” The Montreal Star, 31 May 1946, p. 23.
[34] “Chinese Society to Aid Refugees.” The Montreal Star, 4 March 1932, p. 20.
[35] “Training of Youth is Urged on W.M.S.” The Montreal Gazette, 1 June 1934, p. 9.
[36] “Orientals at McGill.” The Montreal Gazette, 13 October 1927, p. 6.
[37] “McGill to Confer Over 500 Degrees Convocation Day.” The Montreal Gazette. 24 May 1932, p. 6.
[38] “12 Montrealers Due From Shanghai Soon.” The Montreal Gazette, 22 December 1948, p. 13.