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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. I wrote many articles on Bukit Brown, exploring the cemetery's past and present, the lives of the early pioneers buried there and the social and cultural significance of the site. I also cover about nature and birdwatching.

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Qing Ming with the descendants of Tan Tock Seng (2026)

Family - Tan Tock Seng qingming

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Madam Chua Guek Oh (Bukit Brown)

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Qing Ming 2026 encounter with Kharisma again ! (Bukit Brown)

Bukit Brown qingming

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Detective Toh Keng Hua - buried in Bukit Brown ?

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Miss Tan Kim Lian (Bukit Brown)

Block 3 Div A Died Young

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Tan Bah Chee (Bukit Brown)

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Tan Chin Wah and Chan Phong Neo (Bukit Brown)

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Madam Wee Cheet (Bukit Brown)

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Phua Oen Wee and Tan Guak Sim (Bukit Brown)

benches Block 3 Div D sikh guard

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Mr. and Mrs. Tan Kim Teat (Bukit Brown)

Block 1 Division E Block 3 Div A

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Lim Keng Seng (Bukit Brown)

Block 1 Division E decorative tiles

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Qing Ming 2026 - with the descendants of Madam Tan Gim Neo

Block 1 Division E qingming video

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Elaine Ng Siew Nyuik (former Bidadari Christian Cemetery)

Died Young former bidadari cemetery

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Archibald Maclean (former Bidadari Cemetery)

elephant former bidadari cemetery marble

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Labels

Bukit Brown907
Hill 3330
Hill 1187
Died Young179
decorative tiles164
Hill 4162
Block 3 Div D151
Block 4 Div A122
Block 3 Div C109
Block 4 Div C106

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Rojak Librarian (Peter Pak): Advocate for Conservation of Bukit Brown Cemetery. Heritage and Nature Enthusiast.

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

Newspaper mentions(2025)

Newspaper mentions(2024)

Newspaper mentions(2024)

Grave Matters-The Greater Bukit Brown(2023)

Newspaper mentions(2022)

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

Newspaper mentions (2017)

History from the Hills (2013)

Newspaper mentions (2014)

Resource Guide on Bukit Brown

Rojak Librarian+ (other Rojak matters)

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Popular Post

Detective Toh Keng Hua - buried in Bukit Brown ?

The whole Singapore Police Force was reported to be looking for a missing detective by the name of Toh Keng Hua, 26 years of the Beach Road Station. He was last seen talking to a woman in Maude Road on 12 August 1954 but it was reported that the woman had no connection to his disappearance. Missing with the detective are his service revolver, 12 rounds of ammunition and a pair of handcuffs. Toh Keng Hua lived with his wife, Madam Lee Tan Moi in Carpmael Road, Katong and he joined the force in May 1950. Detective Toh was listed as a deserter as a result of a policy where all police officers who fail to report for duty at the end 30 days was classified as so.. The skeletal remains of detective Toh Keng Hua was found in a lallang patch at Paya Lebar (beyond the perimeter fence of the Shell Sports Club) on 1 March 1955 after reported missing for 6 months. It was a Sikh surveyor by the name of Kartar Singh who stumbled upon the remains while surveying the land. The police, while searching f...

Miss Tan Kim Lian (Bukit Brown)

Miss Tan Kim Lian was born on 27 July 1938 and passed away on 28 June 1940. On the burial registrar she is listed as 2 years when she passed away. Her tomb is located close to the road and because of this her tomb is relatively well maintained. As i was passing by i place a Sphagneticola trilobata (Singapore Daisy) on her headstone to remind her that she is not forgotten despite the fact it is Qing Ming now. Baby Tan Kim Lian Location of tomb Block 3 Section A, plot 636.

Khoo Kay Hian (Bukit Brown)

During the rubber boom of the 1910, Khoo Kay Hian / Khoo Kay Hean was well positioned and made money as a rubber broker based in The Arcade. He went on to be the founder of one of the best known stock broking firm in Singapore bearing his namesake, Kay Hian and Co in 1921. He was also a committee member of the Singapore Sharebrokers' Association (this was before it became the Singapore Stock Exchange). Throughout his career, he held various positions and they included: Assistant Secretary of the Ee Hoe Hean Club (1918) ; Management Committee of the Garden Club (1920) Chinese Lantern Procession (1922), Joint Honorary Secretary together with Lim Kee Cheok. (Lim Chwee Chian was the Chairman) and also Committee member of the Singapore Chinese Girls School (1925). He contributed to various causes and some of them include: Kampong Martin Relief Fund (1916), Chinese Halifax Relief Fund (1917), Sir Arthur Young's Portrait Fund (1919), St Andrew's Hospital Building (1920), Nanyang U...

Communal trenches of war victims in Bukit Brown

World War II and the invasion of Singapore by the Japanese military forces were dark times. During the period before and after fall of Singapore, there were many deaths, and many of the dead were put into communal trenches, some of these happen to be also at Bukit Brown. Records of individual burials continued until 12 Feb 1942, then stopped for a while (reflecting the chaotic week leading to fall of Singapore on 15 Feb and the records continued again on 24.2.1942. Also interesting to note that burial records written from March onwards, the entry date started to reflect the Japanese Koki calender which starts from 660 BC, so 1942 would have been listed as 2602 or simply 02 4 fallen soldiers An interesting find i made is a record entry of 4 soldiers-yes an entry that mentions 4 soldiers buried together at Block 1 Section A plot 340B on 27.03.1942. In this case, definitely evidence of casualty of the war and graves of unknown warriors. Mass Burials As i scan through th...

Qing Ming with the descendants of Tan Tock Seng (2026)

I am fortunate to yet again to meet Roney Tan and other Tan Tock Seng clan members who were carrying out their annual tradition of visiting and paying respects to their ancestors, Tan Tock Seng , Tan Kim Ching , Tan Boo Liat , Tan Wi Yan , Mrs. Tan Wi Yan this year. Again this time around, i managed to catch them at the tomb of Tan Boo Liat (son of Tan Soon Toh, grandson of Tan Kim Ching and great grandson of Tan Tock Seng) at Bukit Brown. Yet again, there was big group with multi-generation presence showing that the Qing Ming traditions have been clearly passed on from generation to generation. I also do believe that Roney Tan of course played the biggest role in organising this event and keeping this tradition strong and alive. The last time i met them paying respects was in 2024 and in 2022 . My chance meeting in 2024 was especially special for me because after Bukit Brown, i accompanied Roney to also visit Tan ...

Tan Kheam Hock and family (Bukit Brown)

Tan Kheam Hock /Tan Khiam Hock / 陈谦福 (1862- 21 April 1922) was born in Penang to Mr and Mrs Tan Teng Poh and received his education in Penang Free School. He joined the Merchantile Bank before leaving for Calcutta, India to be a merchant in 1877, remaining there until 1899 before coming back to Singapore to join the syndicate that had the rights to Opium and Spirit Farms. In 1901, he became the labor contractor for the Singapore Harbor Board, which at at its peak provided over 5,000 labor force. Tan Kheam Hock was also the Chairman of Eastern United Assurance Corporation, Great Eastern Life Assurance and Director of an array of tin, rubber and industrial companies. Tan Kheam Hock was a Senior Municipal Commissioner, Straits Chinese British Association, Chinese Advisory Board, Justice of Peace (Board of Licensing Justices), First member of the King Edward VII Medical College (when he passed away Mr See Tiong Wah replaced him) and the Hospital Boar...

Gan Eng Seng and family (Bukit Brown)

Gan Eng Seng was born in Malacca ( Melaka) in 1844. His Great Grandparents came from Sam-Toh, Fukien province. Born third in a family of 5, he had two elder sisters, Gan Gin Neo and Gan Guat Neo. He was the eldest son. His younger brother was Gan Eng Chye followed by the youngest sister, Gan Guan Neo. Born poor, he still was able to received some education, giving him the ability to read and write simple English. His father died when he was 16 years old. He then left for Singapore and was involved initially in a nutmeg business in a small scale. He went on to served under Guthrie and Co. Gan Eng Seng Chief Campradore, Gutherie and Co. Thomas Scott, a partner of Gutherie, offered Gan Eng Seng a job in the godown at Coller Quay as a clerk and it was there he climbed up the ranks, from an Assistant Storekeeper to Chief Storekeeper and finally the Chief Campradore of Guthrie and Company after 13 years of service. He was the Chief Compradore for 25 years till he died in 1899. ...

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 Paha...

Ng Boo Bee (Taiping)

Ng Boo Bee (1853-1921) 黄务美, was born and educated in Fujian, China before making his way to Malaya, first in Penang before eventually making a name for himself in the State of Perak. His father is Ng Koh Sung and mother, U Choot Kwah. He started out as a brick manufacturer and timber merchant under the name of Chop Swee Bee in Taiping, Ipoh and Teluk Anson. In Taiping, he acquired the tender contract as a railway contractor under Mr. C.R. Hanson, Resident Engineer for Perak Railways and was probably responsible for the building of the first railway in Malaya which connected Taiping to Port Weld. It was during this time he shrewdly acquired land around Kamunting. Ng Boo Bee Millionaire tin miner The land purchases around Kamunting made Ng Boo Bee a millionaire and with that he acquired also various houses in Taiping and also Penang. The Governor of the Straits Settlement, Sir John Anderson visited Ng Boo Bee tin mine in 1908 which had at that time, employed 4,500...

Tan Chin Wah and Chan Phong Neo (Bukit Brown)

Tan Chin Wah passed away away at the age of 58 on 14 May 1935. Madam Chan Phong Neo passed away at the age on 34 on January 1924. The tomb is partially blocked by a huge fallen tree across it years ago but fortunately i can still make out enough. The names of their children; Sons: Tan Hin Pung, Tan Hin Choon, Tan Hin Yam, Tan Hin Seng, Tan Hin Whatt, Tan Hin Kheng, Tan Hin Siong Daughters: Tan Swee Kee, Tan Swee Min, Tan Swee Neo Grandsons: Tan Chian Eng, Tan Chian Joo Granddaughters: Tan Quee Hong, Tan Quee Siew Tan Chin Wah and Chan Phong Neo Million dollar appeal over family property rejected In a newspaper article dated 27 May 1969, three brother - Tan Hin Choon, Tan Him Yam and Tan Hin Pung (owners by equal shares in 1953 of a land the size of 85,323 square feet in Pasir Panjang) brought to court a civil suit against the Ban Hin Lee Bank Ltd of Singapore for that said land currently by the bank after it was mortgaged on 23 December 1953. I learned fro...

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