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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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Showing posts from 2018

Posts

Cheah Kuan Oon (Kopi Sua)

December 21, 2018

heritage tour kopi sua whitley cemetery

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Chia Seng Quee (Bukit Brown)

December 02, 2018

Architecture Block 4 Div A Bukit Brown Hill 4 Suicide

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Tan Chian and family (Kopi Sua)

November 27, 2018

kopi sua Merchant video war whitley cemetery

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Sie Yok Swie (victim of 1954 airplane crash in Kallang Airport)

November 07, 2018

Gelong Pah Greater Bukit Brown Toa Payoh cemetery

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Loo Boon Kwee and family (Greater Bukit Brown)

November 05, 2018

Gelong Pah Greater Bukit Brown Toa Payoh cemetery

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Kwik Tiang Boon and family (Bukit Brown)

November 03, 2018

Banking Block 4 Div A Bukit Brown Hill 4

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Mrs. Chia Eng Wah (Bukit Brown)

October 20, 2018

Block 3 Div C Bukit Brown Hill 3

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Labels

Bukit Brown950
Hill 3344
Hill 1192
Hill 4172
Died Young163
decorative tiles153
Block 3 Div D138
Block 4 Div A120
Block 3 Div B100
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

Miracles do happen - restoration of the tomb of Mrs. Koh Cheng Kiat nee Madam Lim Keok Neo (2025)

It was just on 27 July 2025, i shared on the condition of the tomb of Mrs. Koh Cheng Kiat nee Madam Lim Keok Neo who passed away at the age of 71 on 3 July 1939. It was a tomb i passed by over the years and happen to wrote about her before and took a number of photos over the years. In my recent visit in July 2025, i was shocked by the intensive damaged cause by a fig tree that grew out of the altar table and commented that in another 3-5 years if nothing is done, this tomb will likely no longer be visible. A wonderful thing happened because on 30 September 2025, the great granddaughter of Madam Lim Keok Neo reached out to me and the long story short, she helped to restore the tomb. It was today i manage to visit the tomb again and i am so happy to see the efforts put to maintain it. I applaud her in honoring her great grandmother's memory. Below is what it looks like now. Tomb of Mrs. Koh Cheng Kiat nee Madam Lim Keok Neo (photo taken on 4 October 202...

Tan Hoo Chwee - founder of Kian Seng Huat (Kopi Sua)

Today was an interesting day as i was fortunate to join Raymond Goh as he brought the granddaughter of Tan Hoo Chwee to help her find her grandfather's tomb. Elsie Tan use to visit in the past together with her father, Tan Tee Seng and later on her relatives to visit the tomb. We were joined by 3 students from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) who were doing a documentary project as part of their degree and i must say the topic is very interesting and challenging at the same time focusing on Elsie Tan and her links to the tomb mason business in Kheam Hock Road and more specifically on Kian Seng Huat whose founder's tomb - Tan Hoo Chwee we were trying to find at Kopi Sua (Whitley Road Hokkien Cemetery). Finding Tan Hoo Chwee's tomb Back to the story at hand, Elsie Tan remembered parking at Onraet Road (nearer to Whitley Detention Centre) and after a brief walk along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) arrived at the tomb of her grandfather, Tan Hoo Chwee which was not far ...

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...

Tan Chian and family (Kopi Sua)

The tomb of Tan Chian alias Tan Kwee Chian 陳貴賤 was identified by Raymond Goh while we were exploring an area of the Hokkien Cemetery near Mount Pleasant colloquially known as Kopi Sua. While searching through the newspapers archives, we can slowly piece together the story of Tan Chian (1876-1944) and his family. Tan Chian passed away at his residence at No. 19 Scotts Road at the age of 68 on 3 November 2604 (the Japanese koki calender for 1944). He is survived by 7 sons, ( Messrs. Tan Beng Kee, Tan Beng Thong, Tan Beng Wah, Tan Beng Teck, Tan Beng Guan, Tan Beng Ghee and Tan Beng Hui), 4 daughters, 1 son-in-law and 14 grandchildren. Tan Kwee Chian Tan Chian alias Tan Kwee Chian Tan Chian (alias Tan Kwee Chian) was a timber merchant and sawmill propertier with company under the name of Chop Chye Hin, 368 Beach Road. He was also a shareholder in the Chinese Commercial Bank. Mr. Tan Chian was granted a certificate of naturalization by the British Colonial Gove...

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...

Teo Soon Kim (pioneer female lawyer)

Teo Soon Kim (1904-1978) was a pioneer female lawyer, becoming the first Singapore woman to be admitted to the bar of the Straits Settlements in 1929 and the first woman barrister in Hong Kong. She studied in London and was the second Malayan Chinese woman to qualify as a barrister in England. Her female contemporary during the same period was Miss Lim Beng Hong ( Mrs B. H. Oon ) of Penang, who won the honors as the first Chinese Malayan woman admitted to the English bar and the first woman qualified to practice law in Malaya in 1927. After her came Miss Lucy See (daughter of See Tiong Wah ) and Miss Teo Soon Kim, both from Singapore and finally Miss Lim Beng Teik (younger sister of Miss Lim Beng Hong). Miss Teo Soon Kim went to England in 1926 and for 3 years she studied and was mentored by Dr H. H Bellot, Secretary of the International Law Association and Grotius Society and finally called to the Bar in the Inner Temple. She even found time to travel to America and China. ...

Wee Thiam Kee and family (Bukit Brown)

Wee Thiam Kee, Wee Thiam Siew and Wee Thiam Leong were partners in the business of Cigars, Cigarettes and Tobacco Dealers under the firm name Ban Leong and Company at 229, Rochore Road. On July 1, 1930, Wee Thiam Kee left this partnership to form his own company under the company name Chop Hong Leong. His two brothers, Wee Thiam Siew and Wee Thiam Leong continued the partnership under the name of Ban Leong and Company. There is not much information about his career, but because he passed away intestate (i.e, without a will) in 1939, it lead to a probate suit which gave me more information about him, his wife and three secondary wives. His first wife was Madam Ang Boey Neo and secondary wives are Khoo Ah Kow, Tan Beng Choo and Koh Cheng Keow. Wee Thiam Kee Secondary wives legal widows In a court case that span several days, the defendant, Madam Ang Boey Neo (alias Ang Meow Neo) contended that the 3 women were just mistresses and not lawful widows. Wee Thiam Siew (broth...

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...

Lim Nee Soon and family (Bukit Brown)

Mr. Lim Nee Soon's wife (Wee Pek Hay) and two of his son's ( Lim Chong Kuo and Lim Chong Pang ) tomb can be found in Bukit Brown, Block 4 Division A. Mr. Lim Nee Soon is not buried there but in Nanking, China. It is however difficult to write a story about Lim Nee Soon family members tomb cluster in Bukit Brown, without first introducing Mr. Lim Nee Soon first. Pineapple King and Patriot Mr. Lim Nee Soon (1879-1936) is the son of Mr Lim Peng Guan and was born in Kampong Glam, Beach Road in 1879. His father died when Lim Nee Soon was only 8 years old and was left in the care of his maternal grandfather, Mr. Teo Lee (Mr Teo Eng Hock's father). Lim Nee Soon received his early education in both St. Joseph Institution and Anglo-Chinese School and therefore proficient in both English and Chinese languages. A Teochew, he started from scratch, working as a shopkeeper assistant at the age of 18 and from there he climbed the rungs by next working for timber merchant Tan Tye a...

Lim Leong Geok (Bukit Brown)

Lim Leong Geok was the managing partner of the Straits Typewriter Agency and President of the Change Alley Rubber Communication Office. He was also actively involved in the Eng Hoe Kok Association. Lim Leong Geok passed away at his residence, 72 Cornwall Road at 9:30 am at the age of 50 on 14 March 1937. Lim Leong Geok left behind his widow, 5 sons: Lim Teck Swee, Lim Teck Siong, Lim Teck Chye, Lim Teck Whatt, Lim Teck Hin 5 daughters: Mary Lim, Lily Lim, Helen Lim, Lucy Lim, Susie Lim 4 nephews: Lim Teck Kim, Lim Teck Khuan, Lim Teck Lee and Wee Cheng Kow 1 niece: Lim Cheong Neo 1 adopted daughter: Winne Ng. The tomb of Mr. Lim Leong Geok Family Mother: Madam Ong Chai Neo Madam Ong Chai Neo passed away at the age of 55 at her residence No. 52 Cornwall Street on 23 October 1919. Madam Ong Chai Neo is the mother of Messrs. Lim Leong Geok and Lim Choon Leng Son: Lim Teck Swee (1915 - 6 Jan 1978) Lim Teck Swee took over the managing of the Straits Typewr...

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