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My blog is about nature, heritage and birdwatching. I have written many articles about the pioneers of Singapore buried in Bukit Brown.

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Showing posts from August, 2007

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Chek Jawa - Part II

August 16, 2007

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Chek Jawa revisited -Part I

August 16, 2007

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Sime Forest Butterflies

August 06, 2007

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Sime Forest Amphibians

August 06, 2007

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Bukit Brown877
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Rojak Librarian: Nature has a lot to teach us, if only we stop to pay attention.

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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)

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

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Popular Post

Qing Ming in Bukit Brown (March 2023)

Qing Ming arrives once again to Bukit Brown. Post Pandemic measures also allows me to better interact without restrictions with the descendants paying respects to their ancestors and document this intangible cultural heritage practices that can only be seen in open air cemeteries. I hope you will appreciate my photo journal of today's event and interestingly both tombs that i documented in this article are from the Pauper section of Bukit Brown. Do subscribe to my Youtube Channel as well where you will see more videos of the tombs i encounter. Our first encounter was with the grandchildren of Madam C.H. Neo (as seen on her tomb). Madam C.H. Neo in the burial registrar is Madam Chua Hoe Neo who passed away at the age of 62 on 1 August 1937 and was buried in Bukit Brown, Block 3 Division 3, plot 219A. With the blessing of Eric Tan and his wife, they allowed us to partake in their Qing Ming ceremony and shared with us what little they know of Madam Chua. The fact is they actually k

Mother and Daughter visited (Qing Ming 2023)

I was fortunate to bump into the Yap family and thanks to them, i managed to get more insights into the family of Madam Sim Khuan Neo nee Mrs. Tan Piah Eng and her daughter, Madam Tan Hoon Phian Neo . I met the Yap family while they were paying respects to Madam Sim Khuan Neo and they kindly allowed me to observe their Qing Ming practices. They also knew that i blog about them in the past. It was in the brief moment, i gotten a bit more insights to the family and also got to see and most importantly share the precious photo of Madam Sim Khuan Neo and her children. In the picture below, the girl in the furthest left (tallest one standing) is Tan Hoon Phian Neo who predeceased her mother and hence her name was not etched on Madam Sim Khuan Neo tomb who passed away at the age of 48 on 26 October 1932. Her children's name that was etched on her tomb include; Sons: Tan Kim Seng, Tan Kim Kee, Tan Kim Swee, Tan Kim Siang Daughters; Tan Yang Neo, Tan Hock Neo, Tan Onn Neo, Tan Chwee Neo,

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

Miss Tan Gake Liew Neo (Bukit Brown)

Miss Tan Gake Liew Neo is the wife of Mr. Choa Kah Chwee . She pass away at the age of 34 on the 30 Day of the 5th Moon, Republic 8th Year (1919). She is the mother of; Mr. Choa Teng Yam and Miss Choa Gim Neo Miss Tan Gake Liew Neo -wife of Mr. Choa Kah Chwee In 1919, there was an article in the Straits Times date 28 June 1919 that mentions that owning to the death of the wife of Mr. Choa Kah Chwee, the offices of the Straits Lumber Co. and Straits Mercantile will be closed. Mr. Choa Kah Chwee tomb is located just behind the tomb of Miss. Tan Gake Liew.

Oh Hoon Khway (Kopi Sua and Bukit Brown)

There is a large tomb in Kopi Sua /Whitley Road Cemetery that Raymond Goh showed me many years ago. There is no mention of name on that tomb but only oral accounts by tombkeeper there that the tomb belongs to a son of a banker. The theory at that time was that it was the tomb of Oh Hoon Kway/Oh Hoon Khway and one of theories of how that tomb and the tomb of Oh Sian Guan could be possibly linked is via the couplets as shared by Raymond which are similar: Oh Sian Guan's tomb couplets - His writings are outstanding, His garden materials (legacy) help to spur his followers/descendants to flourish Kopi Sua big tomb - His essays are akin to those of top scholars His gardening skills (expertise) help to spread an industry Oh Hoon Kway tomb in Kopi Sua (1.327990,103.831169) Censer / Incense holder with characters: 胡偉吾 Close up of Oh Hoon Kway tomb in Kopi Sua Fast forward, 2020 a recent visit to the tomb, we saw the censer or incense holder

Valley of Death (Siglap)

There was a series of pictures that were recently published on PictureSG, donated by Foo Chin Hwa 胡拯华 1962 that got me curious. It was a series of pictures that shows and describes exhumation being carried out and bones found in Siglap. However nothing further was added in the description and credit line of this pictures except for a few. For this series of pictures, a few things were consistent, the year the pictures were taken and the donor, Foo Chin Hwa 胡拯华. source: PictureSG Bones found in Siglap (source: PictureSG) Piles of discarded footwear source: PictureSG Storing bones in jar (source: PictureSG) Siglap's "Valley of Death" The newspaper article headline of 24 February 1962 caught my attention. It describes a recent sandwashing activity at 7.5 mile Siglap Road which led to a discovery of mass war graves. The location of this place is off Evergreen Avenue and very close to Puay Poon School. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce set-up a

Chew Yeat Tee nee Mrs. Lim Bock Kee (Bukit Brown)

It is very heartening to see tombs restored and descendants visiting. While i was exploring in Block 3 yesterday, i encountered the recently restored tomb of Madam Chew Yeat Tee nee Mrs. Lim Bock Kee. Madam Chew Yeat Tee passed away at the age of 32 at 17 Amber Road on 19 September 1928. She was the only daughter of Mr. and the late Mrs. Chew Koh Beng. She left behind a widow, Mr. Lim Bock Kee, 3 sons and 4 daughters. Madam Chew Yeat Tee nee Mrs. Lim Bock Kee From her restored tomb, Madam Chew Yeat Tee is born on 30 Jan 1898 and passed away on 19 September 1928. The children listed on her tomb are as follows: Sons: Lim Chin Hin, Lim Chin Seng, Lim Chin Guan Daughters: Lim Hock Neo, Lim Cheng Neo, Lim Joo Neo, Lim Chee Neo The name of her husband, Lim Bock Kee is also listed. Reformed Style of Chinese Funeral When Mrs. Lim Bock Kee, wife of the manager of the Ho Hong Bank passed away, it was reported in the papers that a well known member of the Straits Chinese community passed away a

Ho Siew Tian and Gwee Lip Neo (Bukit Brown)

An early pioneer of Singapore, Mr. Ho Siew Tian (何秀填) came down to Singapore in 1882 and started a firm in his 20's in Beach Road then known as Chop Ho Hock Ann dealing in hardware and building materials. In 1948 it became a limited company and he subsequently was the Chairman until he retired a few years later leaving his company to his children. Mr. and Mrs. Ho Siew Tian ( 何秀填 ) A dinner party was given on 21 March 1950 by Messrs. Ho Cheow Chan, Ho Cheow Hin, Ho Chew Hua, Ho Cheow Chye, Ho Cheow Cheng and Ho Cheow Hock in honour of their father, Mr. Ho Siew Tian for his 81st Birthday at their residence, 47 Lorong 29, Geylang. In fact his birthday parties were mentioned several times in the papers over the years and it was well attended by family and relatives. Ho Siew Tian and family on his 85th birthday Mrs. Ho Siew Tian (alias Madam Qwee Lip Neo) passed away at the age of 77 at her residence, 47 Lorong 29 Geylang on 30 July 1948 at 9 pm, leaving behind her husband, Ho Sie

Lim Chong Pang (Bukit Brown)

Lim Chong Pang is the second son of Mr Lim Nee Soon . He received his early education in St. Andrew's School and later St Stephen's College, Hong Kong before returning to Singapore in 1920 and joining his father's firm, Nee Soon and Sons Ltd, one of the leading rubber and miller merchants of the time. Lim Chong Pang Community leader and youngest Justice of Peace Lim Chong Pang had the honour of being one of the youngest Justice of Peace when he took oath before the first Magistrate, J. L. McFall in June 1939. Among the same batch of people sworn in were Mr Lee Kong Chian and Mr Tan Chong Chew, both prominent Chinese leaders. Lim Chong Pang was elected as member of the Board of Licensing Justices in 1940 and also a member of the Rural Board which he served for 10 years. He was the Vice President of St. Andrew's Old Boy Association and committee member at St. Hilda's school. He was a director of the Overseas Assurance Corporation, trustee of a Chinese temple

Kian Guan Hin Tomb Mason (Kheam Hock Road)

Kian Guan Hin is a tomb mason company based at No. 261 Kheam Hock Road, Singapore. What is interesting to note is that in the advertisement it list its head office in Kulangsu, China and branch office in Amoy, China. It exports the beautiful white and green stone flowers, animals from Chuanchow, China. The tomb mason calling card can be seen in many stones in Bukit Brown, Toa Payoh Cemetery and also Whitley Road Hokkien Cemetery. So do pay attention as well to the materials and the "calling card" that is placed on the tombstone. References Map of Singapore City, 1954 . (website). National Archives Singapore [Singapore - Ulu Kalang (Kallang), Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio and Tanglin] . (website). National Archives Singapore

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