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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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Showing posts from 2010

Posts

Bukit Timah Railway station

December 23, 2010

ktm railway railway bridge

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Rare Bird Book sets Auction record

December 08, 2010

book review books

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A visit to Lorong Halus landfill

December 06, 2010

birdwatching lorong halus

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Recommended: A Passion for Birds

December 05, 2010

Birding birdwatching book review

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Singapore Nature Trail Guides

November 17, 2010

nature trail singapore

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Butterflies of Singapore (Kranji Marshland)

November 04, 2010

butterflies kranji marshland singapore

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Singapore-Malaysia KTM Tanjong Pagar land swap

November 02, 2010

ktm Malaysia railway singapore

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Kranji Marshland walk

November 01, 2010

birdwatching kranji marshland sungai buloh sungei buloh

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Recommended read: Birds seen at the Istana

October 23, 2010

Birding book review singapore

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Smooth Otters in Sungai Buloh

October 21, 2010

smooth otters sungai buloh sungei buloh

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Birding in Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve

October 21, 2010

birdwatching sungai buloh sungei buloh

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Bird watching in Bukit Brown Cemetery (October)

October 20, 2010

birdwatching Bukit Brown

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Oriental Pied Hornbill Artifical Nest

October 11, 2010

hornbill Nesting oriental pied hornbill

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Pasir Ris Park - Grey Heron Nests and Black-crowned Night Heron

October 10, 2010

Black-crowned Night Heron Grey Heron Nesting Pasir Ris Park

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Reflections in Bukit Brown Cemetery

October 03, 2010

Bukit Brown cemetery

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Birding in Bukit Brown Cemetery

October 02, 2010

birdwatching Bukit Brown

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A visit to Penang Island and Seafood at Teluk Kumbar

September 29, 2010

Malaysia Penang

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Labels

Bukit Brown950
Hill 3344
Hill 1192
Hill 4172
Died Young164
decorative tiles156
Block 3 Div D138
Block 4 Div A120
Block 3 Div B101
Hill 2100

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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)

Newspaper mentions(2024)

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

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Popular Post

Madam Tan Gim Neo alias Jambol (Bukit Brown)

The fast growing buttress of the red-stem fig tree (ficus variegata) on the marble headstone has done severe damage to the marble tomb. The entire backing of the headstone has crumbled and the shoulder with the name of the daughter is also heavily damage. The names of the children that fortunately can still make out; Sons: Wee Chee Soo, Wee Chee Beng Daughters: Wee Geok Kim, Wee Geok Leng Fortunately the tomb contains the plot number 195 and the year she passed, allowing me to confirm that the person buried here is Madam Tan Gim Neo alias Jambol who passed away at the age of 37 and is buried in Bukit Brown on 21 March 1934. What an interesting alias. I wonder what "Jambol" means as it is clearly listed on her burial entry. Madam Tan Gim Neo alias Jambol Location of tomb Block 3 Section C, plot 195 Madam Tan Gim Neo alias Jambol

Dr. Lim Soon Kian (Bukit Brown)

Dr. Lim Soon Kian / Dr. S.K. Lim is the son of Mr and Mrs. Lim Cheng Wee. Lim Soon Kian studied in Raffles Institution and later graduated from the Hong Kong University. Dr. S.K. Lim, M.b., B.S. (son of Mr. Lim Cheng Wee of the P & Co ) married on 26 June 1917 at Bandjermasin to Miss Thio Kim Loen Neo (eldest daughter of Mr. Thio Soen Yang, the Captain China of Bandjermasin and sister of Mr. Thio Kim Chuan of Aik Leong Chan and Co. of Singapore). The reception was attended by over 400 persons, including the Resident of Borneo, his wife and daughters, the Controller and Secretaries and other leading Government officials and merchants. Dr. Lim has for some time was the house surgeon at the Government Civil Hospital of Hongkong. After marriage, they moved to Singapore where he opened us his practice. Unfortunately the marriage did not last long as just a little over a year after their marriage, Madam Thio Kim Loen passed away due to influenza at 56-8 Neil Road on 26 October 1918....

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...

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...

Stella Yau alias Stella Moya (Ipoh)

Stella Yau alias Stella Moya (1916-2003) was born on 18 July 1916 in Ipoh to a Chinese father (Dr. Yau Ah Chee) and English mother. At the age of 3 she wanted to become a dancer which she excelled in Ipoh Convent during its school concert. At the age of 9, she left for England with her mother while her father remain in charge of the Malaya tin mines. Stella Yau continued her passion for dance and stage training under the tutelage of Jean Anderton and later Viola Compton School. Stella Yau alias Stella Moya (source: NewspaperSG) First Malayan to appear in a picture made in British Studios At the age nineteen, Stella Yau was talent-spotted at a London dance, and became the first Malayan to appear in a film produced in Britain, the 1935 comedy “Stormy Weather”. She played the part of a Chinese girl, Stella Moya, from which she took her stage name. Star dancer in the Tom Walls-Ralph Lynn film "Stormy Weather", she was given the part of Stella Moya, a Chinese girl in the film by ...

Madam Cheong Pin Neo (Bukit Brown)

Madam Cheong Pin Neo passed away at the age of 68 at 9:30 pm on 5 April 1936. However, i found an article that states; Mrs. Loo Tian nee Cheong Pin Neo passed away at the age of 68 at 9:30 pm on 4 May 1936 at No. 150-P. East Coast Road. She leaves behind her brother, Mr. Cheong Swee Teck and a grandson, Mr. Loo Boon Kwee. According to the article funeral took place at Bukit Brown. The name, age, year and place matches - however the date she died shows a difference of 1 month. I check with Raymond Goh and he shared with me that the name of the grandson, Loo Boon Kwee is etched on her tomb, so very likely it is the same person. Brother: Cheong Swee Teck For Cheong Swee Teck, there is a Cheong Swee Teck which i wrote about but i can't be sure it is the same person. Grandson: Loo Boon Kwee The address No. 150-P. East Coast Road and name Loo Boon Kwee allowed me to match her grandson. I have written about Loo Boon Kwee before after finding...

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 Yong Thian (Bukit Brown)

Tan Yong Thian (Tan Ah Tian ) was born in 1855 in the district of Chaoyang, Swatow in the province of Kwangtung (Guangdong). He came to Singapore at the age of 27 and became a building contractor. In 1895 (at the age of 40), at the pinnacle of his career and having thoughts of retirement, Tan Yong Thian nevertheless went into the produce industry investing in various plantations such as gambier, pepper, citronella, coconut and rubber. Tan Yong Thian Patchouli Oil and Chua Seng Heng & Co His foray into the produce/plantation business proved successful and with this new born energy, Tan Yong Thian decided to expand into the distillation and refining of the raw materials from his plantation. The distillation of patchouli oil (an essential oil used in making perfume) was what he was remembered for and he even managed to expand its export to other countries and its quality was parallel to the ones in Europe. The firm, Chua Seng Heng & Co became one of the...

Tan Kim Tian and family (Bukit Brown)

Mr. Tan Kim Tian arrived in Singapore from Malacca at the age of 15. He worked as an office boy in Paterson Simons & Company and impressed his boss, Mr. William Paterson so much that he helped arranged for Tan Kim Tian to learn English. He was eventually promoted to be the Storekeeper and Campadore that managed the trade of gutta percha, cloves and rattan. By the age of 30, Tan Kim Tian had the confidence to set out on his own and formed his own company, Tan Kim Tian and Son Steamship Company at No 1 Prince Street, the first local Chinese company that build and purchase steamships.The company also had assurance of cargo from Tan Kim Tian's previous employer. It started with three sailing vessels and two small steamers and the company grew to owned 11 ships with a tonnage of over 80,000 tons. Tan Kim Tian once bought a large shipment of coffee to be shipped to Europe. Instead of sending it all, he split it into 2 and got a better price for his second one. Tan Kim Tian an...

Mrs. Chia Cheow Beng nee Lee Guat Goh (Bukit Brown)

Madam Lee Guat Goh wife of Mr. Chia Cheow Beng passed away at the age of 50 on 24 February 1944. Listed on her tomb are the names of her children; Son: Chia Cheng Siang Daughter: Chia Swee Neo Grandson: James Chia Granddaughter: Elizabeth Chia It is a wartime tomb with beautiful decorative tiles. Mrs. Chia Cheow Beng nee Lee Guat Goh Location of tomb Block 3 Section C plot P147. On the burial registrar, Madam Lee Guat Goh is listed as Hokkien Mrs. Chia Cheow Beng nee Lee Guat Goh with beautiful decorative tiles

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