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Rojak Librarian

The Rojak Librarian is a blog that covers a range of topics related to Singapore's history, culture, and heritage. There are many articles on Bukit Brown, exploring the cemetery's past and present, the lives of the people buried there and the social and cultural significance of the site. I also cover about nature and Birdwatching in some of my articles.

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Showing posts from March, 2006

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Resource Guide on Bukit Brown

History from the Hills (2013)

Newspaper mentions (2014)

Newspaper mentions (2017)

Tuesday Report (2018) 星期二特写 | 行脚。发现第4集：武吉布朗之旅

Newspaper mentions(2020)

Newspaper mentions(2022)

Grave Matters-The Greater Bukit Brown(2023)

The Stories Behind: Birdwatcher turned grave hunter reunites families with forgotten tombs of their ancestors(2022)

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Popular Post

Mrs. Ang Kim Soon nee Koh Geok Kin (Bukit Brown)

Mrs. Ang Kim Soon nee Koh Geok Kin tomb caught my eye because of an important word - Bukit Brown ! It is very rare for Bukit Brown to be mentioned on the headstone and this is what makes this simple tombstone located at Block 3 Division plot 135 very unique. Madam Koh Geok Kim, wife of Ang Kim Soon of the Malaya Tribune Press, Ltd., Singapore passed away at General Hospital at 11:30 pm on 3 May 1934. She leaves behind her husband, 2 sons and a daughter. The cortege left from No. 6 Onan Road for Bukit Brown Cemetery. (Malacca and Sarawak papers please copy). Fortunately from her tomb, we can see the names of 2 of her children; Ang Jin Bin and Ang Gee Bin. From the burial registrar, i gathered that Mrs. Ang Kim Soon nee Koh Geok Kim was 36 years old when she passed away. Another interesting nugget is her nickname. Madam Koh Geok Kin alias Burok. In another obituary notice from the newspaper archives, Koh Geok Kin name is spelt as Koh Geok Kim. Mrs. Ang Kim Soon nee Madam Koh Geok K

Wee Theam Tew and family

Wee Theam Tew was one of Singapore's leading Chinese pioneer in the legal practice. He comes from a family who have resided in Singapore for three generations. His grandfather, Mr Wee Theam Soo came from China and together with Mr Lim Boon Keng's father and Cheang Hong Lim's father, acquired the first opium farm in Singapore. Wee Theam Tew Dr. Lim Boon Keng and Gan Eng Seng connection Educated locally and a former student of Raffles Institution where he excelled in English and Chinese literature. It was also documented, Wee Theam Tew gave much encouragement and help to a student by the name of Lim Boon Keng. While at Raffles Institution, he met Wee Theam Tew, who owned a large collection of English books. The young Lim Boon Keng would often go over to Wee's house after school where he was given free run of the Wee family library. His regular visits to the Wee family home and his own voracious reading turned Dr. Lim Boon Keng into an outstanding student and Singa

Chew Boon Lay (Bukit Brown)

Chew Boon Lay (周文礼) (1852-1933) was born in a small village in Changchow, Amoy. He became an orphan in his late teens and decided to take up his uncle's invitation to come over to Siam (formerly Thailand). He laboured hard under this tyrant of an uncle who paid him nothing and made him work from dawn to dust. Chew Boon Lay and Madam Ong Cheng Neo Saved by heavenly intervention On a faithful evening, 3 years after being practically been a slave, a visitor was said to have stole a sum of money and this uncle put the entire blame on Chew Boon Lay and threatened to turn him in to the police. In desperation, Chew Boon Lay came up with an idea to win the money through a stake on a lottery. Borrowing 1 tical from his sympathetic aunt, he prayed before Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy and in a moment of delirium or what is said a miracle, he heard two characters been spoken to him. He won, paid his uncle and with whatever left over vowed never to work for his uncle again and went on to s

Teo Hock Leng (Bukit Brown)

Teo Hock Leng passed away on 2 May 1934. From the burial registrar, he was 2 and 1/2 months when he passed away. Location of tomb Block 3 Division C, plot 145 8RPH+P7P Singapore

Kamala Circus - The Great Indian Circus visits Singapore

I heard about the Tai Thean Kew circus from my involvement with Bukit Brown and during one my tours on the Queenstown Heritage Trail , i was told of another Indian circus troupe that existed in the late 1950's and 1960's. Recently, while curating ideas for a Bukit Brown tour on Pioneers of Early Entertainment, i came across a travelling circus troupe by the name of Kamala Circus. Kamala Circus (source: NewspaperSG) Kamala Circus was reputed to be the largest travelling show in the Far East. It boasted over 100 Indian artist and featured acts such as the flying trapeze act, the "Globe of Death" motor cycle act by two young girls, a 30 foot leap by a motorcyclist and the "cat" act. It claims over 300 tons of equipment and animals which include 16 horses, 8 Ceylon baby elephants, an African lion and 2 lionesses, 2 tiger cubs and 3 Indian mountain goats. It came to Singapore in 1947 from India via Ceylon and performed for a month before touring around th

Tan Swee Hoe and family (Batu Pahat)

Sometime back in August 2012, i wrote an article about Tan Swee Hoe who is buried in Bukit Brown. Tan Swee Hoe came to Singapore as a young boy and worked his way up, eventually becoming one of founders of Ho Hong Bank, and later a director of Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) after it merged with it. He was also for two terms, the president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Batu Pahat, shareholder of Ho Aik Steamships. Tan Swee Hoe was a member of the Council of State, Johore and received a title S.M.J (Setia Mahkota Johore) from the government of Johore in 1929 for his contributions. He owned several property in Singapore and Batu Pahat. Tan Swee Hoe In January 2014, i was fortunate to make a trip with like minded friends to Batu Pahat to visit one of the properties he owned as well as a temple he contributed too and finally the grave of his son. Tan Swee Hoe's mansion First on my wishlist was Tan Swee Hoe's mansion on 160 Jalan Kluang, Batu Pah

Paying respects to Tan Chwee Lam during Qing Ming (Kopi Sua)

We meet a nice gentleman at the end of the tar road at Kopi Sua. He smiled and spoke to me first, curious to find out we we doing here as we were exploring Kopi Sua. The gentleman was Mr. Tan Kian Seng and he was there with his family to pay respects to his father, Mr. Tan Chwee Lam who passed away in 1955. Mr. Tan Kian Seng is the youngest son of Mr. Tan Chwee Lam. They already finished their Qing Ming and was about to head back when i met them and initially i didn't want to disturb them from leaving. I was again very fortunate because his sons (Tan Chee Wee and Tan Zhi Aun) just like their father were friendly and kindly stayed on for a short while allowing me to chat with them. Their cousin, Tan Cheng Lan was also present in the group in demonstration of the family's filial piety. Just like some families, they are concerned that their parents are getting older and will have difficulty paying respects in the future. Their concerns are real of course and exhumation to relocat

Lee Pek Hoon and family (Bukit Brown)

Lee Pek Hoon / Lee Peck Hoon (died 1934) was born in Singapore and educated in St. Joseph's Institution in both English and Chinese. He speaks several dialects as well as some Japanese. He first joined Messrs. Harris, Goodwin and Co before taking up in 1888, an appointment to act as an agent for Hong Kong, Amoy and Swatow for Llyods' Khw Tiong Po Bun Hin & Co. line of steam ships (founded by prominent shipping merchant, Khoo Tiong Poh) and for 10 years managed it from China before moving back to Singapore in 1898, becoming the Assistant Manager of the Straits Steamship Co. Lee Pek Hoon also owned a theatre named "Lee Peck Soon Theatre" at 499 North Bridge Road which performed Malay and Indian theatre performances. He was a shareholder of Soon Keck, Ltd and Nyalas Rubber Estate. Lee Pek Hoon A member of the Straits Chinese British Association, Lee Pek Hoon has a wide range of interest throughout his life, ranging from rearing prized poultry (chickens), an a

Miss Goh Kim Lian (Bukit Brown)

Miss Goh Kim Lian passed away at the age of 24 on 30 June 1933. The marble headstone is written in English and decorated with beautiful decorative tiles. Block 3 Section D, plot 425

Loh Kye Wee and family (Bukit Brown)

Loh Kye Wee passed away on 4th May 1934 at 96 Deskar Road (off Jalan Besar). He was a Director of Malayan Broadcasting Co. Ltd. Prior to this he was the Cashier of Jaegar and Co. for more than 20 years. Loh Kye Wee resigned from Messrs. Jaegar and Co and left for Bangkok in 1932 to take up a new appointment but returned to Singapore in March 1934 because of failing health. He is survived by his wife (Madam Chia Geok Neo), 1 son (Loh Hock Seng), 3 daughters, 5 brothers, 4 sisters. (Bangkok and Malacca papers please copy). The burial registrar list Loh Kye Wee's age as 42 years old. Family Brother: Loh Kye Juay Loh Kye Juay passed away at 14 Boat Quay on 3rd March 1937, age 62.He is survived by his wife (Yeo Liang Neo), 4 brothers, 3 sisters, 4 sons, 2 daughters, 1 son-in-law, 1 daughter-in-law and 5 grandchildren. Wife: Madam Seah Geok Whatt Madam Seah Geok Whaatt passed away on 16 September 1939. Listed on her tomb is the name of 1 son: Loh Hock Seng. Son: Loh Hock Seng / Wil

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