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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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Wee Kiong Chiang of the Chinese Labour Corps (Kranji War Memorial)

December 11, 2024

kranji war memorial

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Corporal Henry Wee Hong Heng (Kranji War Memorial)

December 10, 2024

kranji war memorial tomb mason

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M.L. Wynne (Kranji War Memorial)

December 09, 2024

former bidadari cemetery kranji war memorial Police

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Yeo Hood Yew and family (Bukit Brown)

December 08, 2024

Hill 4 Yeo Clan Burial Ground

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Miss Koh Bee Hong (Kopi Sua)

December 08, 2024

Died Young kopi sua video

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Wong Geok Yin (Bukit Brown)

December 07, 2024

Block 4 Div A decorative tiles Died Young Hill 4

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Mrs. Tay Kim Hock nee Madam Tan Geck Liew (Bukit Brown)

December 07, 2024

Block 4 Div A Hill 4

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Cheong Chee Koon (Kranji War Memorial)

December 04, 2024

kranji war memorial

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Lee Lye Choon (Bukit Brown)

December 03, 2024

Block 1 Division F Died Young Hill 1

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Lee Seng Hong (Bukit Brown)

December 02, 2024

Block 1 Division G

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Ong Ah Bee (Bukit Brown)

December 01, 2024

Block 1 Division G Hill 1

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Teo Ban Neo (Bukit Brown)

November 30, 2024

Block 3 Div B Died Young Plus Codes

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Toh Tee Kia (Bukit Brown)

November 30, 2024

Block 1 Division C Died Young Hill 1

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Cheong Chye Eng (Bukit Brown)

November 30, 2024

Block 3 Div B Died Young Hill 3 Plus Codes

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Ko Teck Kin (Kopi Sua)

November 29, 2024

exhumed kopi sua

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Jewish Soldiers in Kranji War Memorial

November 28, 2024

kranji war memorial

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Labels

Bukit Brown957
Hill 3316
Hill 1184
Hill 4163
Died Young141
decorative tiles134
Block 3 Div D130
Block 4 Div A113
Hill 297
Block 3 Div B86

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

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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(2022)

Grave Matters-The Greater Bukit Brown(2023)

Newspaper mentions(2024)

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

Rojak Librarian+ (other Rojak matters)

Archive

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Popular Post

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...

Sir George Edward Noel Oehlers (former Bidadari Cemetery)

George Edward Noel Oehlers / George E N Oehlers / Geno Oehlers (1 April 1908- 27 October 1968) was educated at St. Andrew's School and Raffles Institution, George Edward Noel Oehlers was called to the Bar (Gray's Inn) in 1931 and to the Singapore Bar in March 1932. He practiced as advocate and solicitor in Singapore until he was appointed Speaker designate of Singapore Legislative Assembly in December 1954. He was appointed First Speaker of the Singapore Legislative Assembly in 1 June 1960. Sir George Edward Noel Oehlers was knighted in 1958 making him the first Eurasian in Singapore to be knighted. Other positions he held throughout his career included being the President of the Industrial Arbitration Court (1965) and Chairman of the Public Utilities Board, Singapore. Sir George Edward Noel Oehlers Sir George Edward Noel Oehlers passed away due at his residence in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur at the age of 60 on 27 October 1968 in Kuala Lumpur age 60 and was cremated on 28 Oc...

Tan Cheong Thye (Kopi Sua)

Tan Cheong Thye passed away at the age of 72 on 16 September 1951 at 11:15 am leaving behind 2 sons, Messrs. Wm. Tan and Tan Chwee Kim and also 2 daughters, 2 daughters-in-law, 2 sons-in-law and 10 grandchildren. Funeral procession started from 26 Sago Lane. In loving Memory of Mr. Tan Cheong Thye who passed away peacefully 16 September 1951 From Tan Cheong Thye tomb, the name of his children; Sons Tan Ah Lek, Tan Chwee Kim Daughters Tan Kim Moey, Tan Ah Moey, Tan Ah Kwee Grandson Tan Lin Siong, Tan Hoe Guan, Tan Gim Thong Grand-daughter Tan Heng Loo Tan Cheong Thye Tan Cheong Thye tomb at Kopi Sua Stories from the tomb Two things that strike me from Tan Cheong Thye's tomb; Funeral Procession from 26 Sago Lane The first one being was the funeral procession started from 26 Sago Lane, which during that time period (1951) was still an active "sick receiving house " or "death house" . Reading other newspaper archives during the Sep...

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...

Miss Koh Bee Hong (Kopi Sua)

Miss Koh Bee Hong passed away at the age of 14 on 2 May 1962. Miss Koh Bee Hong Location of tomb Kopi Sua aka Whitley Road Hokkien Cemetery. Miss Koh Bee Hong tomb in Kopi Sua

Sybil Medan Kathigasu (St. Michael's Catholic Church Ipoh Cemetery)

Sybil Medan Kathigasu ( 3 September 1899 - 12 June 1948) was born as Sybil Daly in Medan, Sumatra. She was the daughter of an Irish planter, Joseph Daly and Eurasian mother, Beatrie Mathilda Martin. While studying nursing and midwifery in Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, she met Dr. Arumugam Kanapathi Pillay, a Ceylonese. Faced with objections initially due to different religious background (she was Catholic and he, Hindu), he gain acceptance after becoming Catholic and taking the name Abdon Clement Kathigasu or Dr. A.C. Kathigasu. They married on 7 January 1919 at St. John's Church, Kuala Lumpur and eventually had 2 daughters and 1 adopted son. Sybil Kathigasu Together, they went into private practice with the clinic located at 141 Brewster Road, Ipoh but moved to Papan (a town outside of Ipoh), when the Japanese invaded Malaya. They established a clinic at No. 74 Main Street. During the Japanese occupation they continue to operate their clinic but got into trouble when they provide...

Wee Kiong Chiang of the Chinese Labour Corps (Kranji War Memorial)

The below picture is the military grave marker for Wee Kiong Chiang, who served in the Chinese Labour Corps and died during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore on 9 April 1945. His service number was CL/48. He is the husband of Madam Sim Kiew End of Bedok, Singapore. The Chinese characters (when read together from right to left (traditional Chinese reading direction) on the tombstone are 鞠躬盡瘁 which translates literally as "FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH". Another eloquent translation: Be loyal and devoted to the end. The full phrase is 鞠躬尽瘁死而后已 which can be traced from the 3 kingdom stories which describes the devotion of Zhuge Liang to the Shu Han cause at the death bed of Liu Bei. To me what is most interesting is the Chinese Labour Corps. I didn't know there was there even one. Who were they and what did they do during the war. Read on for my basic research and what i discovered so far. (Do note there is also ample research for the Chinese Labour Corps but that vers...

Yeo Hood Yew and family (Bukit Brown)

Yeo Hood Yew passed away in 1883. He was originally interred in the Yeo Clan Burial Ground or Heap Guan San, but in 1936 was relocated (i am still not sure what happened that caused that). His tomb ended up in Bukit Brown. Yeo Hood Yew Wife: Khoo Ann Neo Madam Khoo Ann Neo. Khoo Ann Neo passed away at her residence at No. 5 Tong Watt Road (off Mohamed Sultan Road) on 14 June 1912. She is the widow of the late Mr. Yeo Hood Yew and mother of Messrs. Yeo Hock Kee, Yeo Hock Chui and Yeo Hock Hoe. Son: Yeo Hock Kee The engagement of Mr. Yeo Hong Seng, Clerk Class III, General Post Office, Singapore (the elder son of Mr. Yeo Hock Kee) to Miss Tay Peck Lian (youngest sister of Tay Kah Chong of 97 Cross Street) on November 1918. (possible link) Son: Yeo Hock Chwee Messrs. Yeo Hock Kee and Yeo Hock Hoe thanked relatives and friends who attended the funeral of their late brother, Yeo Hock Chwee which took place on 7 November 1920. Son: Yeo Hock Hoe Yeo Hock Hoe...

M.L. Wynne (Kranji War Memorial)

Mervyn Llewelyn Wynne / M.L. Wynne was the former Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Straits Settlement. M.L. Wynne died during internment in Pladjoe, Sumatra on 4 April 1942 and his ashes returned to Singapore and laid to rest at Bidadari Cemetery on 19 April 1948. The ceremony was attended by a large number of officers and men of the Singapore and Federation of Malaya Police Forces. He was 51 when he passed away as a Prisoner of War in 1942 due to bacillary dysentery. Mervyn Llewlyn Wayme was born on 7 February 1891 and was educated at Corrig School, Ireland, Ellesmere College, Hanover and Munich in Germany. He was from a distinguished Anglo-Irish family, the Wynnes of Hazlebrook, County Mayo whose family has produced many eminent adminstrators, soldier and even privy-councillors. His great grandfather was Viscount Guillamore (the last person to be granted an Irish peerage). His father was an officer in the Royal Irish Constabulary was killed in a riot in Cork in the 189...

A kidnap bid foiled in the Shaw family - Bukit Brown connection

This week's news was abuzz with first, the passing of Sir Run Run Shaw (CBE, GBM), the legendary movie mogul. He died on January 7, 2014, aged 107. He is survived by 2 sons ( Shaw Vee Meng, Shaw Vee Chung, Harold ), 2 daughters (Dorothy Shaw, Violet Shaw ) , 2 daughter-in-laws ( Josephine Kho, Diana Wee) and many grand and great grandchildren. His wife was Lady Lily Shaw (deceased ) and years after his first wife passing married Madam Mona Fong. The second news that captivated many Singaporean's was the kidnap attempt of a 79 year old woman, Madam Eng Lai Poh. She is the mother of Mr Lim Hock Chee, Chief Executive of public listed company Sheng Siong, a supermarket chain. The ransom sought by the kidnappers was $20 million. Mr. Lim Hock Chee called the police who helped tracked down the kidnappers and caught the suspects. Bukit Brown connection to Shaw and kidnapping You may be wondering how this week's two story is related to Bukit Brown? Rewind back to October...

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