SOUTH BAY HAPPENINGS
SOUTH BAY HAPPENINGS
By Gerrye Wong February 17, 2025
The quiet little town of Alviso came to life this week when over 140 people descended upon the South Bay Yacht club under a beautiful winter sky to attend a celebration of the life of one of its early pioneers, Thomas Foon Chew. Presented by a duo of non-profit organizations, the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project and CompassPoint Mentorship, the program honored Alviso’s most illustrious son, Thomas Foon Chew who was the town’s most successful businessman as he founded the Bayside Canning Company which had its flagship facility in the heart of Alviso.
CompassPoint Mentorship Executive Director Catherine Liu center, showed only original Bayside Cannery building still standing in Alviso to CHCP members Calvin Wong, Kelly Matsuura, Trustee Gerrye Wong, former CHCP President David Yick
The day’s event was named Thomas Foon Chew Celebration and tours were given of the portion of the Bayside Cannery still standing and the surrounding levee. Then attendees gathered inside the South Bay Yacht Club to hear Chew’s granddaughter Gloria Hom tell about her grandfather’s legacy. During its heyday in the 1920s-40s Bayside Canning Company was the third largest cannery in the United States. No doubt Alviso’s economy was dependent on Chew’s cannery, for as Valley Water District 3 Director Dick Santos recalled, it was said Mr. Chew had over 6000 workers in his biggest plant in Alviso, together with Palo Alto and Isleton facilities.
Gloria Hom spoke about her grandfather Thomas Foon Chew Family photo of Thomas Foon Chew
When queried how this little known information of Thomas Foon Chew was uncovered after so many years, Chinese Historical and Cultural Project Co-President Kimberly Lee said it was a student, Grant Han who became fascinated with the thought of a Chinese owning such a large canning factory. Grant himself told how he began interviewing people about Mr. Chew and then wrote to San Jose Councilman David Cohen suggesting they name a day for Thomas Foon Chew, appropriately on February 24, the last day of his life in 1931.
An interesting label from Bayside Cannery can San Jose Councilman David Cohen presents plaque to Grant Han
When Grant received the good news about San Jose proclaiming a Thomas Foon Chew Day, the wheels moved when CHCP contacted Gloria Hom to be the guest speaker at an event co hosted by the two organizations, and what a wonderful culmination of historians, families and friends of Thomas Foon Chew were brought together to learn more about the life of this Chinese American businessman. As Dick Santos recalled, his family always worked alongside Chew and remembered him as a kind and generous employer who always fed and treated his employees well. They all looked forward to the Chinese New Years Day when he would transport them all to San Francisco for a grand banquet meal .Compass Mentorship CEO Catherine Liu appreciated the history of the life of Thomas and was a major leader in presenting this celebratory occasion.
Chinese Historical and Cultural Project Vice President Ingrid Lai and Co President Kimberly Lee thank CHCP Advisory member Gloria Hom for presentation on her grandfather, Thomas Foon Chew
Gloria Hom admitted that unfortunately her grandfather died before she was born, but she had always heard about his active work ethic and kind father to his 7 children, one of which was her mother. She showed slides of Bayside Cannery Company labels off of his canned foods. He was most famous as the first person who canned asparagus, thus earning the name the Asparagus King. The food offerings at this festive event reflected what fruits and vegetables the Bayside Cannery canned. They had a peach and pear punch, an asparagus bread, and a tomato caprese to remember the crops that were canned right on Alviso land.
CHCP Trustee Anita wong Kwock displays information brochures about organization and its museum, the Chinese American Historical Museum in History San Jose park.
Commemorating this true Chinese American pioneer were Councilmember local officials David Cohen District 4, Palo Alto Councilman and former Mayor Lydia Kou, Cupertino Vice Mayor Kitty Moore, former Sant Clara County Supervisor Rod Diradon and former Deputy secretary of Defense Gloria Duffy. Victoria Low presented a California State Proclamation from the office of Assemblyman Patrick Ahren.
Event organizers l to r Kimberly Lee, Catherine Liu, Grant Hom, Arthur Jue welcome Victoria Low and Guest Speaker Gloria Hom.
Besides meeting a third generation cousin of Mr Chew, Patrick Chew there, I was introduced to the grand daughter of the foreman overseeing Alviso’s Bayside Cannery, Mr. William Hee. It was an eye awakening moment for I used to visit Bayside Cannery with my father, who was coincidentally named Bill Kee, although Hee was actually his true family name so they could have been identical brothers in name only. I told Carol Hee Chin, the granddaughter, her grandfather would generously give us boxes of blemished fruit not useable for canning, and we would then share it with the Ming Quong Home for Chinese girls in Los Gatos as this was during depression days and later during WWII years when times were hard and food was scarce. Another coincidence was that my mother went to San Jose State Teachers College (Now San Jose State University) with Gloria Hom’s mother Lonnie, in the late 1920’s when it was unusual for girls, much less, Chinese girls to go to college. So today’s celebration of Thomas Foon Chew’s history brought back memories to me of close ties I had with his family and Bayside Canning Company while growing up in San Jose.
Meeting Carol Chin , left, daughter of former foreman of Bayside Cannery in Alviso plant with Sue and Hubert Lee.
Tuesday February 25 will officially be proclaimed by the San Jose City Council as Thomas Foon Chew Day at San Jose’s City Hall Chambers 1:30 pm for those interested in commemorating this Chinese American pioneer business hero in our own Alviso and Palo Alto history.
