Norman Gan-chao and Anne Lee Yao Papers

Lisa L. Crane

Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library

800 North Dartmouth Ave

Claremont, CA 91711

Email: specialcollections@claremont.edu

URL: https://www.library.claremont.edu/scl

Descriptive Summary

Title: Norman Gan-chao and Anne Lee Yao Papers

Dates: 1943-1989 and undated

Collection number: H.Mss.1106

Creator: Yao, Norman Gan-chao (1913-1980)

Extent: 11.4 linear feet (8 records boxes, 1 document box, 1 flat box)

Repository: Claremont Colleges. Library. Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library, Claremont, CA 91711.

Abstract: Norman Gan-chao 姚淦潮 (1913-1980) and Anne Lee Yao 姚李勤芳, both from China, immigrated from Hong Kong to Claremont, Califorinia in 1956 under the Refugee Relief Program with their two children, Peter Yao and Margaret. Norman Yao, a lifelong enthusiast of photography, later worked as a contract photographer with The Claremont Colleges. The collection consists primarily of Norman Yao's photographic work in Hong Kong, Claremont, and other locations and spans from the 1930s to the 1980s, including photographs, photo albums, negatives, contact sheets, and 35 mm slides. Other collection materials include postcards, official immigration and work documents, correspondence, and ephemera. The collection consists mainly of photographic work of Norman Yao in Hong Kong, Claremont, and across the world from the 1930s to 1980s.

Physical Location: Please consult repository.

Language of Material: Languages represented in the collection: Chinese and English.

Administrative Information

Access

Collection open for research.

Publication Rights

All requests for permission to reproduce or to publish must be submitted in writing to Special Collections.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Norman Gan-chao and Anne Lee Yao Papers (H.Mss.1106). Special Collections, The Claremont Colleges Library, The Claremont Colleges Services, Claremont, California.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of Peter Yao and Margaret Crusey, May 2017.

Accruals

No additions to the collection are anticipated.

Processing Information

Processed by Marcus Liu in Spring 2018 in the Claremont Center for Engagement with Primary Sources (CCEPS), with assistance from Lisa Crane and by Sean Buchanan, Special Collections student assistant in 2019. Special Collections would like to thank Peter Yao and Margaret Crusey for their generous donation to CCEPS to fund the processing of this collection.

All photographic materials were sleeved in protective acid-free enclosures. Scrapbooks and photo albums with tight and/or damaging bindings were disbound; pages were numbered and placed into file folders by page range. Rolled and/or curved items were flattened.

Biography / Administrative History

Norman Gan-chao Yao 姚淦潮 (1913-1980) was born and grew up in Zengcheng County 增城縣, Canton, China. Anne Lee Yao 姚李勤芳 (1915-1971) was born in Shanghai, China. Both of them attended the University of Shanghai 滬江大學 and graduated in 1938, Norman majoring in business administration, and Anne in education. After graduation, Anne worked as a primary school teacher in Shanghai while Norman returned to Canton working as an accountant and cashier at the Eurasia Aviation Corporation, first in Kunming, then in Hong Kong. In 1943, Norman and Anne met again in Shanghai. In the same year they got married at the Shanghai YMCA where Anne was employed. The next year their son, Peter Yao, was born in Shanghai. The couple stayed in Shanghai until 1946 when they returned to Canton where Anne gave birth to their daughter, Margaret. In 1947, Anne began to work as a librarian for United States Information Service, Canton Office, while Norman was employed as the chief clerk, accountant and later manager of the Canton Office of the Hsin Dah Trading Corporation. In 1949, they moved to Hong Hong. Anne continued working as librarian for the United States Information Service, Hong Kong Office, in charge of the Library in Kowloon, while Norman worked as the Photographer and Dark Room Technician in the Investigative Section of the American Consulate General in Hong Kong.

In 1956, sponsored by the Claremont Church, and the World Service Committee of the National Council of Churches, the Yaos immigrated to Claremont, California, under the Refugee Relief Program. Edward Lockwood 駱愛華, former YMCA World Service Executive who met the Yaos in Canton in 1947, played a major role in the Yao family's move to the United States, and subsequent settling into their new home. Soon after they arrived, Anne Lee Yao began working at the Honnold Library at The Claremont Colleges, a post she retained until her passing in 1971. Norman Yao was first employed at Grisworld's Candied Fruit Co., and later with The Claremont Colleges as a contracted photographer. Norman Yao was a lifelong enthusiast of photography, and the photographs he took in Hong Kong and in Claremont constitute the majority of the collections in the Yao Papers.

Norman Yao's Life Events with Historical Events

1912	Republic of China Founded
1913	Norman Yao was born in Canton
1934-1938	Yao attends University of Shanghai
	1937 Battle of Shanghai
1939	World War II begins
	Yao's first wife dies
1941	Battle of Hong Kong (Pearl Harbor)
	Yao moves back to Canton
1943	Norman Yao marries Anne
1944	Son, Petter Yao is born
1945	World War II ends
1946	Daughter, Margaret is born
1949	Chinese Communists capture Canton
	The Yao family flees to Hong Kong
1953	Refugee Relief Act
1956	The Yao family moves to America
1980	Ronald Reagan elected President of United States
	Norman Yao dies

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The collection consists mainly of photographic work of Norman Yao while in Hong Kong, Claremont, and other locations from the 1930s to 1980s and contains photographs, photo albums, negatives, 35 mm slides, postcards, official documents, correspondence, and ephemera.

Organization and Arrangement

The collection is organized into the following three series:

Series 1: Biographical materials, 1943-1985 and undated
Series 2: Photographs, 1949-1979 and undated
Series 3: Other photographic materials, 1967-1989 and undated

Folders are arranged alphabetically by file name within each series.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library’s online public access catalog.

Subject Terms

Claremont (Calif.)

China

Hong Kong (China)

Commercial photography

Emigration and immigration

Photography

Yao, Norman Gan-chao

Genre and Form of Materials

Ephemera

Legal documents

Photograph albums

Photographs

Photography--Negatives

Slides (Photography)

Series 1: Biographical materials 1943-1985 and undated

Series

This series contains family correspondence, immigration documents, work documents, print materials containing the photographgraphy of Norman Yao, personal photograph albums, and watercolor paintings by Norman Yao.

Box 1, Folder 1

America 1956-1981

Box 1, Folder 2

Canton and Shanghai, China 1943-1949

Box 1, Folder 3

Family correspondence 1978-1980

Note

Folder contains letters written in Chinese.

Box 1, Folder 4

Family correspondence 1981-1985

Note

Folder contains letters written in Chinese.

Box 1, Folder 5

Hong Kong 1954-1956 and undated

Box 1, Folder 6

Immigration documents 1953-1956

Box 1, Folder 7

University of Shanghai yearbook 1938

Box 3, Folder 6

Watercolor paintings by Norman Yao

Note

Folder contains three watercolor paintings mounted on board. All three works bear Norman Yao's Chinese name and the two characters on the seal may be his pen/studio name.

Box 1, Folder 8

Work documents, Anne Yao 1947-1956

Box 1, Folder 9

Work documents, Norman Yao 1949-1956

Box 1, Folder 10

Work documents, Hsin Dah Trading Corporation 1947-1949 and undated

Print materials 1966-1974 and undated

Box 1, Folder 11

Advertising, cameras and photography equipment

Note

Folder includes polariod photographs of cameras.

Box 1, Folder 12

African stone sculpture 1974

Note

Full title, "African stone sculpture: contemporary work of the Mashona artists of Southeast Africa," written by Clark Humanities Museum and South East African Cultural Arts Foundation. Published by Scripps College, Claremont, CA and contains Norman Yao photographs.

Box 1, Folder 13

Arts of the American Indians 1966

Note

Full title, "Art in action: the American Indian: Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona, California, Friday, September 16th-October 2nd, 1966, exhibition catalog published by the Los Angeles County Fair Association and contains 8 double-sided photographs by Norman Yao.

Box 1, Folder 14

Business cards

Box 1, Folder 15

Chinese landscape paintings of Waihang Lai 1966

Note

Full title, "The Chinese landscape paintings of Waihang Lai," written by Waihang Lai. Published by Claremont College, Claremont, CA and contains photographs by Norman Yao.

Box 1, Folder 16

Claremont Colleges printed materials 1966-1970

Box 1, Folder 17

Cultures of early western man 1966

Note

Full title, " the cultures of early western man: an exhibition held from November 17, 1965 to January 15, 1966," written by Lang Art Gallery, Scripps College Art Galleries and published by Scripps College, Claremont, CA. Folder contains two copies.

Box 1, Folder 18

Folk art of Peru 1968

Note

Full title, "Folk art of Peru" written by Richard B. Petterson and published in Claremont, CA. Folder contains text and portfolio of images.

Box 1, Folder 19

Italy through the centuries 1973

Note

Full title, "Italy through the centuries: an exhibition," written by the Clark Humanities Museum, Scripps College. Published by Scripps College, Claremont, CA and contains photographs by Norman Yao.

Box 1, Folder 20

Native Threads: an illustrated treasury of international weavings and embroideries 1973

Note

Edited by Richard B. Petterson, published by the Clark Humanities Museum, Scripps College, Claremont, CA, and contains photographs by Norman Yao.

Box 1, Folder 21

Palace Art of the Chʻing Dynasty 1972

Note

Full title, "Palace art of the Chʻing dynasty: featuring the collection of Mrs. Dorothy Adler Routh," written by Tomoo Ogita and the Clark Humanities Museum. Published by Scripps College, Claremont, CA and contains photographs by Norman Yao.

Box 1, Folder 22

Postcards and related items

Box 1, Folder 23

Samples of Norman Yao's work

Personal photograph albums 1947-1981 and undated

Box 2, Folder 1

Photo album, family pre-1950

Box 2, Folder 2

Photo album, Hong Kong 1954-1955

Box 2, Folder 3

Photo album, Hong Kong 1951 May - 1952 December

Note

Includes photos of United States Information Service (USIS) library.

Box 2, Folder 4

Photo album, Hong Kong 1955-1956

Box 2, Folder 5

Photo album, Hong Kong 1956

Box 2, Folder 6

Photo album, samples of Norman Yao's work, pages 1-20 1981

Box 2, Folder 7

Photo album, samples of Norman Yao's work, pages 21-41 1981

Box 2, Folder 8

Photo album, United States Information Service (USIS)

Note

Includes photos of the 1952 Great Fire in Kowloon.

Box 2, Folder 9

Photo album, United States Information Service (USIS) library 1947-1952

Box 2, Folder 10

Photo album

Note

Small, maroon-color album with photo of Noram Yao affixed to front cover. Photos include family, boats, and buildings.

Box 2, Folder 11

Photo album

Note

Small, woven album includes photos of family, boats, and buildings.

Box 3, Folder 1

Photo album, Hong Kong, pages 1-11

Box 3, Folder 2

Photo album, Hong Kong, pages 12-22

Box 3, Folder 3

Photo album, Hong Kong, pages 23-33

Box 3, Folder 4

Photo album, Hong Kong, pages 34-44

Box 3, Folder 5

Photo album

Series 2: Photographs 1949-1979 and undated

Scope and Contents

This series includes photographs by Norman Yao of a variety of subject matter such as art and artifacts, Claremont town views, The Claremont Colleges, Hong Kong, portraits of individuals and groups in a variety of settings, the Los Angeles County Fair, portaits of individuals and groups in a variety of settings, and social events such as weddings.

Box 2, Folder 12

Photographs, advertisements, cameras circa 1965-1975

Box 4, Folder 1

Photographs, Albert Stewart 1967

Note

Albert Stewart was an American sculptor who was appointed head of the sculpture program at Scripps College in 1939 at the invitation of Millard Sheets.

Box 7, Folder 4

Photographs, oversized, ancient European coins

Box 4, Folder 2

Photographs, art works circa 1970s

Box 4, Folder 3

Photographs, art, artifacts circa 1970s

Box 4, Folder 4

Photographs, art, artifacts circa 1970s

Box 4, Folder 5

Photographs, artists circa 1965-1969

Box 4, Folder 6

Photographs, Claremont Church, Boy Scouts circa 1965-1970

Box 4, Folder 7

Photographs, Claremont Colleges circa 1970s

Box 4, Folder 8

Photographs, Claremont Colleges architecture circa 1970s

Box 4, Folder 9

Photographs, Claremont Colleges construction January 1966 - circa 1969

Box 4, Folder 10

Photographs, Claremont Colleges performance art circa 1960s

Box 4, Folder 11

Photographs, Claremont Colleges sports 1959-1963

Box 4, Folder 12

Photographs, Claremont Colleges student life circa 1960s

Box 4, Folder 13

Photographs, Claremont Colleges student life circa 1965-1970

Box 4, Folder 14

Photographs, Claremont Colleges views circa 1965-1970

Box 7, Folder 5

Photographs, oversized, Claremont Colleges views

Box 4, Folder 15

Photographs, Claremont McKenna College circa 1970s

Box 6, Folder 3

Photographs, Claremont School of Theology 1972-1979

Box 6, Folder 4

Photographs, Claremont School of Theology 1972-1979

Box 4, Folder 16

Photographs, Claremont town views circa 1965-1970

Box 4, Folder 17

Photographs, Claremont-Mudd Athletics, 1965-1970 1965-1970

Box 4, Folder 18

Photographs, commemorative photos

Box 4, Folder 19

Photographs, contextualized portrait photos circa 1970s

Box 4, Folder 20

Photographs, contextualized portrait photos circa 1970s

Box 7, Folder 6

Photographs, oversized, early Modern Europe

Box 4, Folder 21

Photographs, early western man 1965

Box 4, Folder 22

Photographs, East Asian art and artists circa 1969

Box 4, Folder 23

Photographs, family photos November 1962-circa 1970s

Box 4, Folder 24

Photographs, Folk art of Peru, Los Angeles County Fairgrounds 1967

Box 7, Folder 1

Photographs, oversized, furniture

Box 5, Folder 1

Photographs, glass works circa 1970s

Box 5, Folder 2

Photographs, glassware circa 1970s

Box 5, Folder 3

Photographs, Harvey Mudd College 1968-1969

Box 5, Folder 4

Photographs, Harvey Mudd College circa 1970s

Box 5, Folder 5

Photographs, headshots (portrait photography) circa 1970s

Box 5, Folder 6

Photographs, headshots (portrait photography) circa 1970s

Box 5, Folder 7

Photographs, headshots (portrait photography) circa 1970s

Box 5, Folder 8

Photographs, Hong Kong 1949-1954

Box 7, Folder 2

Photographs, oversized, Hong Kong 1954

Box 7, Folder 3

Photographs, oversized, Hong Kong

Box 5, Folder 9

Photographs, Honnold Library circa 1965-1967

Box 5, Folder 10

Photographs, indoor scenes circa 1970s

Box 5, Folder 11

Photographs, James Strombotne and George Papashvily

Note

James S. Strombotne is an American painter who received his Bachelor of Arts from Pomona College in 1956 and his Master of Fine Arts from the Claremont Graduate School in 1959. George Papashvily was a Georgian-American writer and sculptor.

Box 5, Folder 12

Photographs, Los Angeles County Fair 1966

Box 5, Folder 13

Photographs, Los Angeles County Fair 1966

Box 5, Folder 14

Photographs, Los Angeles County Fair 1969

Box 5, Folder 15

Photographs, other art pieces circa 1966-1969

Box 5, Folder 16

Photographs, other people circa 1965-1970s

Box 5, Folder 17

Photographs, outdoor scenes circa 1970s

Box 7, Folder 8

Photographs, oversized, outdoor scenes

Box 5, Folder 18

Photographs, paintings

Box 5, Folder 19

Photographs, paintings

Box 5, Folder 20

Photographs, people circa 1970s

Box 5, Folder 21

Photographs, Pomona College circa 1960s

Box 5, Folder 22

Photographs, portrait photography circa 1970s

Box 5, Folder 23

Photographs, portrait photography circa 1970s

Box 6, Folder 1

Photographs, portrait photography circa 1970s

Box 7, Folder 7

Photographs, oversized, portrait photography

Box 6, Folder 2

Photographs, pottery circa 1965-1969

Box 7, Folder 9

Photographs, oversized, pottery and glassware

Box 6, Folder 6

Photographs, Scripps College circa 1960s

Box 6, Folder 7

Photographs, Scripps College circa 1960s

Box 6, Folder 8

Photographs, Scripps College circa 1960s

Box 6, Folder 9

Photographs, Scripps College circa 1960s

Box 6, Folder 10

Photographs, Scripps College circa 1970s

Box 6, Folder 5

Photographs, Scripps College art 1972-1979

Box 6, Folder 11

Photographs, sculptures circa 1966-1969

Box 6, Folder 12

Photographs, sculptures circa 1970s

Box 6, Folder 13

Photographs, social events 1960s-1970s

Box 6, Folder 14

Photographs, wedding photography circa 1970s

Box 6, Folder 15

Photographs, wedding photography circa 1970s

Box 6, Folder 16

Photographs, wedding photography circa 1970s

Series 3: Other photographic materials 1967-1989 and undated

Scope and Contents

This series contains a variety of photographic materials such as contact sheets, film, negatives, and slides. Much of the subject matter is the same as that found in Series 2. The slides contain several travels to places such as Asia, China, Europe, Israel, New Zealand, and the United States.

Contact sheets 1960-1980 and undated

Box 9, Folder 1

Contact sheets, 40th Los Angeles County Fair 1967

Box 9, Folder 2

Contact sheets, art 1967-1968

Box 9, Folder 3

Contact sheets, box titled "Hasselblad Neg. File Pages" 1960-1971

Box 9, Folder 4

Contact sheets, box titled "negatives for Scripps College" 1965-1966

Box 9, Folder 6

Contact sheets, Claremont 1968-1969

Box 9, Folder 5

Contact sheets, Claremont Colleges

Box 9, Folder 7

Contact sheets, Claremont, family 1964

Box 9, Folder 8

Contact sheets, events 1966-1969

Box 9, Folder 9

Contact sheets, from untitled box 1960-1965

Box 9, Folder 10

Contact sheets, from untitled box 1960-1965

Box 9, Folder 12

Contact sheets, Harvey Mudd College 1968-1971

Box 9, Folder 11

Contact sheets, Harvey Mudd College, Marks Residence Hall (South Hall) July 1968-March 1970

Box 9, Folder 13

Contact sheets, Los Angeles County Fair 1971

Box 10, Folder 14

Contact sheets, performance arts 1967

Box 10, Folder 15

Contact sheets, portrait photography 1966-1970

Box 10, Folder 19

Contact sheets, School of Theology 1970-1978

Box 10, Folder 20

Contact sheets, School of Theology 1970-1980

Box 10, Folder 16

Contact sheets, Scripps College 1960

Box 10, Folder 17

Contact sheets, Scripps College 1967-1968

Box 10, Folder 18

Contact sheets, wedding photography 1966-1968

Film reels 1956-1965 and undated

Box 11, Item 1

Film reel, Hong Kong and Kowloon 1956

Box 11, Item 2

Film reel, Regular 8, Hong Kong 1956, United States 1956-1965

Box 11, Item 3

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 4

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 5

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 6

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 7

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 8

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 9

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 10

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 11

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 12

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 13

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 14

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 15

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 16

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 17

Film reel, unidentified

Box 11, Item 18

Film reel, unidentified

Negatives 1966 and undated

Box 8, Folder 9

Negatives, advertisements

Box 6, Folder 18

Negatives, art, Middle Ages

Box 6, Folder 19

Negatives, art, Middle Ages

Box 6, Folder 20

Negatives, artwork

Box 6, Folder 21

Negatives, artwork

Box 6, Folder 22

Negatives, artwork

Box 6, Folder 23

Negatives, Chinese art

Box 8, Folder 1

Negatives, Claremont

Box 8, Folder 2

Negatives, Claremont

Box 8, Folder 3

Negatives, Claremont

Box 8, Folder 4