Person: Salim (Beshara) Malouf

Salim Malouf

Name:
Salim Malouf

Occupation:
Hawker/Storekeeper

Religion:
Catholic

Birthplace:
Zahle, Syria/Lebanon

Arrival In Australia:
1890

Years Lived In Brisbane:
1891-1943

Date Of Naturalization:
25 May 1904; re-issued 4-July-1916

Year Of Birth:
1864

Place Of Death:
Brisbane

Date Of Death:
8/06/1943

Spouse

  • Marriage Date: ?/12/1891
    Birthplace of spouse: Zahle, Syria/Lebanon
    Heritage of spouse: Syrian/Lebanese
    Place of marriage: Sydney

Story

When he died in June 1943, Salim Beshara Hanna Malouf had lived and worked in South Brisbane for about 50 years  and was described as ‘one of the oldest storekeepers in South Brisbane’ (Telegraph, Brisbane, 8 June 1943, p. 4). Although 190 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane was his final home, he had previously lived in Stanley Street and then in Merivale Street. Selim was a twenty-seven year old when he came to Australia via South- East Asia. After a short time in Sydney, he came to Brisbane where he lived for the rest of his life. He married Alice Rassie in Sydney in December 1891. Both were from Zahle, Lebanon.  In 1943, Selim was survived by his wife, Alice and his seven children, Annie, George, Arthur, Olive, Mary Marion, Joseph and Michael. Making a living in 1890s Brisbane was challenging and in March 1897, Salim Hanna Beshara Malouf of Stanley Street, South Brisbane applied to be declared insolvent. A fruiterer, he was unable to pay his creditors. Salim listed the causes of insolvency as ill health, the depression in trade and the pressure from creditors. Other Syrian/Lebanese, mentioned in this file are his wife, Alice Beshara Malouf, Mr Warby and Mr Toomey, Joseph Malouf (who supplied Salim with goods to hawk four or five years earlier), Gabriel Kayrooz, John Remanous and Calille Malouf. However, it is clear Selim and Alice were determined to stay and in September 1899, Salim Malouf of Stanley Street, South Brisbane applied to the Queensland government for naturalization. He described himself as a native of Beyrout, Syria and a fruit dealer. Salim, now 35 years old with a growing family wanted a certificate of naturalization so he could buy land and build a house.

References

Telegraph (Brisbane), 8 June 1943, p. 4, viewed 27 Sep 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article186321395;  NAA: A1, 1916/17316, Salim Hanna Malouf – Naturalisation; Queensland Post Office Directories to 1949; Death Certificate for Salim Beshara Hanna Malouf, Death Certificate, 14 June 1943, No. 61503, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, ALHS collection; Queensland State Archives Item ID1061333, Insolvency file, Salim Hanna Beshara Malouf, Insolvency Files 1897-1899; Queensland State Archives Item ID6831, Batch file, Salim Malouf, Naturalization application.