Khoo Tiong Poh / Khoo Teong Poh 邱忠波 was the eldest son of Khoo Eng Chye 邱应财 . Born in China, Khoo Tiong Poh came to the Straits Settlement when he was 22 years of age. He went on to be a prominent shipping figure and leader among the Hokkien community. In November 1874, after being in business as partner in chop Teong Ho, Market Street, Khoo Tiong Poh decided to leave and partner with Rajah Wichit of Phya Puket to become senior partner of a prominent shipping company called Bun Hin and Co, based in Malacca Street, with offices in Penang, Hong Kong, Swatow and Amoy. He was also a partner in Ann Bee and Co. (a shipchandlery business). He own steamships such as Cheang Hock Kian, Carisbrooke, Pearl and Petrel. From the Straits Directory, 1881, Khoo Teong Poh was a partner in the Opium and Spirit Farm.
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| source: Singapore Straits Directory 1881 |
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| source: Singapore Straits Directory 1881 |
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| source: NewspaperSG |
Death
Khoo Tiong Poh died at the age of 62 on 1 March, 1892 after a prolong illness and was buried in Penang , his remains shipped by s.s. Cheang Chew to be buried in his plantation near Batu Lanchang. Khoo Tiong Poh had 3 wives (Yeoh Siew Kim, Tan Poo Neo, and Tio Oo Neo) and 8 sons (Khoo Geen Soon alias Khoo Phee Soon, Khoo Geen Haw, Khoo Geen Keat, Khoo Geen Lek alias Khoo Mah Lek, Khoo Geen Choe, Khoo Geen Yew, Khoo Geen Tah, and, Khoo Geen Teow), and 4 daughters (Khoo Sor Pek, Khoo Sor Tin, Khoo Sor Gan, and Khoo Sor Lan).
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| source: NewspaperSG |
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| Khoo Tiong Poh and Madam Yeoh Siew Kim |
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| Khoo Tiong Poh's tomb today. On the left is the caretaker's house |
On his tomb, engraved is a Qing title conferred to him by the Qing Government. There was also a report in the Local Advertiser, dated March 15, 1892 that Khoo Tiong Poh funeral expense was estimated to be $15,000.
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| source: NewspaperSG |
Family Tussle and Disputed Property
After the death of Khoo Tiong Poh, there were multi-claims for his assets and estates and cash of $250, 950.87 from plaintiffs consisting of Tan Poo Neo and Khoo Gin Keat and defendants consisting of Khoo Phee Soon, Khoo Mah Lek, Khoo Gin Cho, Khoo Teong Pan and Yeoh Siew Kem Neo. The estate of the late Khoo Tiong Poh was outstanding indeed with houses and land all over Singapore ! It was said that his estates in Singapore, Penang, Swatow and Amoy was worth over $2 million.
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source: NewspaperSG
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| Madam Khoo Sor Tin (daughter of Khoo Tiong Poh) near Khoo Tiong Poh's tomb |
Bukit Brown connection
Mrs Khoo Tiong Poh (Tio Oo Neo),
Khoo Phee Soon , his wife and his sons Khoo Peck Siew and Khoo Peck Lock are some of the personalities i know that are /were buried in Bukit Brown.
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| Mrs Khoo Tiong Poh( possibly Madam Tio Oo Neo) |
Khoo Phee Soon died in 5th March 1939 at his residence in No. 146 Carpmael Street and is buried in Block 4 Division C. He left behind 5 sons, Khoo Peck Hock, Khoo Peck Enh, Khoo Peck Guan, Khoo Peck Cheng and Khoo Peck Khye, 2 daughters ; Khoo Eng Phaik ( Mrs Chua Kwee Seng) , Khoo Eng Yan (Mrs Chia Keng Teow) and 2 son-in laws.
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| Khoo Phee Soon |
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| Mrs Khoo Phee Soon |
One of Khoo Phee Soon's sons, Khoo Peck Lock (1889-135) died before him and his name was not mentioned in the tombstone. Khoo Peck Lock married Ong Boey Neo, daughter of
Ong Sam Leong, and he was the secretary of New World before he died.
Khoo Peck Lock, whose residence is in No 46 East Coast Road died on 20 September 1935 at the age of 46, leaving behind is wife Ong Boey Neo (the only surviving sister of Ong Boon Tat and Ong Peck Hock) and three daughters (Khoo Gek Choo, Khoo Gek Khee, Khoo Gek Hiok). As a mark of respect, New World Amusement Park and all it shows were closed on the 20th September. Ong Boey Neo died in April 1951. Both Khoo Peck Lock and Ong Boey Neo are also buried in Bukit Brown close to Ong Sam Leong's family cluster of Mr and Mrs Ong Sam Leong, Boon Tatt and Peng Hock.
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| Khoo Peck Lock |
Legacy
There is a road in Tiong Bahru named after Khoo Tiong Poh.
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| Tiong Poh road |
[research on-going]
References
Advertisement. (1891, August 3). The Straits Times
The late Mr. Khoo Tiong Poh. (1892, March 3). The Singapore Free Press
Their names live on. (1955, July 18). The Singapore Free Press
Song, O. S. (1984). One hundred years' history of the Chinese in Singapore. E. Lee (Ed.). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
The Singapore and Straits directory for 1881, containing also directories of Sarawak, Labuan, Siam, Johore and the Protected Native States of the Malay Peninsula and an appendix. [website]
BookSG
https://chl.anu.edu.au/publications/csds/csds2012/csds2012_06.pdf
Thank you for the detailed research on the various characters!
ReplyDeleteLim Teck Ghee died shortly after he resigned from the company in 1891. Khoo Tiong Poh died a few months later.
ReplyDelete