LAST ISSUE: Albert and Cedric Mah flew for nationalist forces in China until the victong of the communists in 1949 In Canada, the Mah family business expanded with a new store.

Rupert Bakery, now Baker Boy. is one of the city’s oldest businesses. It has been in the Mah family for a half-century. and is closely identified with the late Earl Mah,second son of Mah Bon Quen.
The business was started in 1909. and in 1912 was acquired by Joe Garon and partner Charlie Biggart. They moved it from the five corners area to its present location at the same time. Joe eventually bought Out his partner, and continued with the business almost 30 years. “I remember a few things. says son Denis Garon. ‘I remember all of the different breads. pumpernickel, rye, and so on. and I remember that during the prohibition we used to send fruitcakes up to Alaska that were laced with rum.’

Lino Colussi worked at Rupert Bakery when Denis Garon was born. He worked there in 1924 and 25. before his long stint at Georgetown Mills. I loaded cordwood into the wood burners.” he says. “filling the ovens up ready for firing up the morning’s bread. it was much like it is today, pretty well open so that anyone could go in and see whats going on. There were a couple of cords of wood cut in four-foot lengths split up outside. ready to put in the ovens in the evenings when they started the fires up to do the baking. There was a big platform where the truck pulled up, because those were the days of home-delivered bread. We delivered pies and bread . those were the big ones. I went with Joe Garon delivering bread oftentimes, and once he invited me up for dinner when they were living in the old Steele Block - he had just been married - and his son Dents had been just born

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After the Depression Garon sold Rupert Bakery to Bob Murray and a partner, who ran it until the local boom brought by the Second World War. Thai was when Earl and Alex Mah took interest in the pioneer business. Earl Mah. the longtime owner of Rupert Bakery, was born May 27 1912. at his father’s King Tai import and export store - the first Chinese child born in Prince Rupert. As a youth he attended Borden Street School, but in 1921 Mah Bon Quen’s first wife returned to China with children Gee. Earl, Alex and Lily. A few years later Earl was back, working at Sunrise Grocery. Like the members of most Chinese families of substance at that time, he made periodic returns to China. During one such return, in 1929, he married his wife. Lillian.

When Earl’s elder brother Gee returned to China to be with his young wife during the war in 1940, Earl and Alex Mah managed Sunrise Grocery. What happened next is recalled by Alex Mah: ‘During the Second World War we were at Sunrise Grocery. and then Earl and I got the contract for the Wartime Housing Commissary. which was for catering to the shipyard workers. We had a problem with the bread supply, so Earl and I took over the bakery from Bob Murray. It was for sale at the time, so we took it over.’ Bob Murray continued to work for the Mahs for many years

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In 1948 Earl turned his full attention to Rupert Bakery. He bought out Alex. who then started a bowling alley in Vancouver with brother Cedric, and Earl continued to represent the bakery in the community until his retirement in December 1974. After his retirement, with the bakery leased out to daughter Pat Mar. Earl Mali threw himself into public service. In January 1977 he was elected alderman -fittingly, he was the first member of the Chinese community to win that office. In August 1979 Earl and Lillian celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a party at Elks Hall (the cake made for the occasion by Pat) In February of 1981 Earl was presented with a plaque by the City of Prince Rupert. When he died of cancer July 29. 1981. Earl Mah had been a vice-president of the provincial Social Credit party, lifetime member of Social Credit party and Prince Rupert Chinese Association, an active member of the Rotary Club, the Visitor’s Bureau and Friendship House. He was survived by wife Lillian. sons Kim, Melvin and Allen, daughters Pat and Marcia. ten grandchildren, four brothers and six sisters.

On March 6. 1982. the Earl Mah Aquatic Centre opened. a memorial to this well-loved community booster. Sadly, on May 28 of the same year, the Rupert Bakery was destroyed by fire. The $200.000 fire also left two people dead, many homeless from 12 apartments above the businesses, and destroyed Jungle Jim’s Pet Shop, ‘The Ark” (a Christian Counselling Centre). and a government job centre

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After the fire the family kept the business going with purchases from various other bakeries, so that they would not leave their customers without a supplier. Lillian Mah, who throughout the years had provided the backbone of the business, decided to rebuild. Rupert Bakery, in its original Third Avenue location, reopened in July 1984. and to this day, still under the management of Pat, provides the same sort of fresh bakery products that the business offered in Prince Ru pert’s early years.


NEXT ISSUE: Mah Bon Quen’s Sunrise Grocery was guided from the’ beginning by Gee (Edward) Mah. and his son. Eugene. followed him in the business. Inspired by a Karsh exhibit he saw’ in Prince Rupert as a youth. Eugene pursued a passion for photography.