Jack Yue MBE Archive

Some moments quietly change the way a city remembers its past.

One such moment took place at Liverpool's Central Library, where The Sound Agents joined Liverpool Record Office to establish the first archive dedicated to the city's Chinese community.

Working alongside Vicki Caren, Team Leader for Archives at Liverpool Record Office, Ozzie Yue and Linda Yue donated a remarkable collection of family photographs, documents and personal artefacts celebrating the life of Ozzie's father, Jack Yue MBE.

It marks the beginning of a significant new chapter in Liverpool's historical record.

A Missing Chapter

Liverpool is home to Europe's oldest Chinese community.

Yet, until now, Liverpool Record Office held no dedicated archive documenting its history.

The creation of the Jack Yue MBE Archive begins to address that absence, ensuring future generations will have access to original material recording the lives of one of the city's most important communities.

It is a milestone not only for Liverpool's Chinese community but for the city's wider historical record.

The Story Inside A Suitcase

Among the most moving objects donated was the suitcase Jack Yue carried when he first left China to begin a new life in Liverpool.

Simple in appearance, it represents far more than luggage.

It tells the story of migration, hope and determination, echoing the experiences of thousands who crossed continents in search of opportunity while helping shape the city Liverpool has become.

As archivists carefully examined its contents, history became something tangible rather than distant.

Preserving A Legacy

Jack Yue MBE devoted much of his life to strengthening relationships between Liverpool's Chinese community and the wider city.

The archive reflects that legacy through family photographs, personal papers and historical documents that reveal both the public achievements and private journey of a respected community leader.

Each item adds another piece to Liverpool's cultural memory.

A Community Invitation

The Jack Yue MBE Archive is only the beginning.

The Sound Agents and Liverpool Record Office are inviting members of Liverpool's Chinese community to contribute their own photographs, documents and family stories, helping create a permanent archive that reflects generations of lives, experiences and achievements.

A public appeal will be shared through the Friends of Liverpool Chinatown Facebook community, encouraging families to help preserve this rich and often overlooked history.

Looking Ahead

Archives do more than protect the past.

They create opportunities for future generations to understand where they came from, celebrate those who came before them and ensure important stories are never lost.

The creation of the Jack Yue MBE Archive is more than the preservation of one man's legacy.

It is the beginning of Liverpool finally recording the history of one of its oldest communities through the voices, memories and treasured possessions of the people who lived it.