George Soo Hoo Ten

George Soo Hoo Ten

Image Courtesy of: The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 26 September 1934, p.18 - REV. G. SOO HOO TEN

The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 26 September 1934, p.18 - REV. G. SOO HOO TEN.

Rev George Soo Hoo Ten (1848–1934) was a pioneering Chinese Anglican missionary who played a central role in the social and religious life of the Chinese diaspora in Australia for over thirty years.

Early Life and Arrival
Born in Hoiping (Kaiping), China, he migrated to San Francisco at age 17, where he converted to Christianity and learned English. He arrived in Sydney by 1876, initially working as a tea merchant before transitioning to missionary work in 1879 as a catechist for the market gardening communities in Botany and Waterloo.

Ministry and Expansion
Despite facing significant racial prejudice from Europeans and opposition from within the Chinese community (particularly those involved in the gambling and opium trades), his influence grew rapidly.

Scale of Work: By 1890, he was conducting 38 services a week across various Sydney suburbs, including North Willoughby and Canterbury.

Regional Reach: He conducted missions in Bathurst, Brisbane, and Melbourne, and established a "Chinese YMCA" in Sydney for fellowship and instruction.

Ordination: He was made a deacon in 1885 and ordained as a priest in 1898.

St Luke’s and Inner-City Work
A major milestone of his career was the establishment of St Luke’s Church in Wexford Street. He was instrumental in fundraising for the land and building, which opened in March 1898. This mission was situated in an area of the inner city then characterized by significant social disadvantage, and Ten focused his ministry there until his retirement.

Legacy and Personal Life
Ten married Elizabeth Lett, a dressmaker, in 1889. After a long career of bridging cultural and religious divides, he retired to Homebush around 1912. He passed away in 1934 at the age of 86.

Source: George Soo Hoo Ten (1848–1934) - Australian Dictionary of Biography