This is a sad and tragic story that was shared to me about Mr. Tan Huck Wan via the Bukit Brown facebook and inspired me to write further. Mr.Tan Huck Wan (1916-1944) is the the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Tan Chong Chew. Mr Tan Chong Chew is the main labour contractor for the Singapore Harbour Board. Tan Huck Wan studied in Anglo Chinese School and was gifted in sports. He played cricket,hockey and football for the SCRC and YMCA during 1935-1941
$100,000 worth of Jewels
Tan Huck Wan married Lim Chin Choo (daughter of Mrs Lim Mah Seang from Penang) in 17 Sept 1939 in a very traditional but grand affair. During the wedding procession, they were escorted by police guards as the bride was wearing $100,000 worth of jewellery with the bridal clothing specially imported from Penang. The band of the 2nd Battalion, Loyal Regiment accompanied the procession and a ronggeng party capped the celebration at "Penang Cot", 317 River Valley Road.
Two hundred people attended the tea party while four hundred people attended the dinner which followed later. Mr H.K. Rodgers, Chairman of the Singapore Harbour Board toasted to the health of the couple which was attended by the Who's Who of Singapore which include Dr.Lim Boon Keng, Tungku Mahkota of Johor, Mrs Lim Han Hoe, Mr and Mrs Lim Chong Pang, Sultan of Pahang, Lee Hoon Leong (grandfather of Lee Kuan Yew) among others. A film maker, a Mr Joe Fisher was even present to shoot the wedding procession using a cinema camera.
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| Wedding of Tan Huck Wan and Lim Chin Choo |
War and Double Tragedy
Tan Huck Wan was a Corporal with the service number 38243 of the Singapore Voluntary Field Ambulance, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force. No details of how he died, but it is pretty certain he died much later, possibly as a prisoner of war on 31st May 1944.
On his tomb, it is listed in English that he was born on 4th April 1916 and that he died on 31st May 1944 at the age of 28. He leaves behind his young widow, two sons Allan Tan Cheng Eng, Duke Tan Cheng Yew and a baby girl, Ruby Tan Suan Bee. Ruby Tan died on the 26th Oct 1944 and is buried beside her father. She was only 6 months old.
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| Tan Huck Wan and daughter |
His wife later remarried in 1952 to a Mr. Khoo Ewe Thuan.
It's future in Bukit Brown
Both Tan Huck Wan and Ruby are buried at Block 1 Div A close by the roundabout. His marker is 1061A, which means both are affected by the road and are likely to be exhumed.
Reference
Police Escort for Bride.(1939,September 18). The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser.
Singapore Memorial. Unmaintainable Graves
A story of one tomb and a grand wedding. Bukit Brown Cemetery
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