Batam Brick Works

At the tomb of Ong Sam Leong in Bukit Brown, you might notice surrounding its tomb shore are bricks with the word Batam embossed on it. The common information was that Ong Sam Leong was once the owner of Batam Brick Works, but beyond that what happened was not really clear. In fact reading from different sources, there was claims that Ong Sam Leong was not the owner, but rather a business partner of the Batam Brick Works for a short period of time (1898-1901). The Proprietor of Batam Bricks Company, Batam Island and Singapore was said to be Rajah Ali and Rajah Ali was the sole Proprietor until it was eventually bought over by Sam Bee Brick Works in 1910. However from  1912-1921, Ong Sam Leong & Co. seem to have taken back control of Batam Bricks again. Beyond that i have no idea what has happened to Batam Brick Works or when it stopped operation.

Batam Bricks at Ong Sam Leong 

Batam Brick Works at 135 Prinsep Street (source: Batam Blog)

Batam Brick Works 

When scanning the advertisements of Batam Brick Works over the years from NewspaperSG, it gives some insights to the evolution of Batam Brick Works. The first advertisements for the sale of these bricks were on 1900 and the Singapore office was located at 135 Prinsep Street and the agent was Syed Sheik Alhady.  In the 1902 advertisement, we get further insight that Batam Brick Works was established in 1898 and that in 1901 it won the Bronze Medal at the Penang Agriculture Show (for the quality of bricks). By 1904, it added another accolade, Hanoi Bronze Medal. The earlier advertisements does not mention owner but rather highlights the improving quality of the bricks which won 2 important awards for its quality

Advertisement 1900 (source: NewspaperSG)

Advertisement 1902 (source: NewspaperSG)

Advertisement 1904 (source: NewspaperSG)

However things start to get hazy moving ahead and in an 1909 article titled "A complicated story from Pulo Batam", a dismissed lawsuit claim by Messrs. Behn, Meyer and Co. Limited against Rajah Ali, Proprietor of Batam Brick Works gave some insights on ownership of the company and possible hints of that business was facing cash flow problems. By 1909, bricks was going for $160 per 10,000 bricks. In 1910 there was an advertisement which highlight's the change in ownership for Batam Brick Works who was taken over by Sam Bee Brick Works and signed by Teo Hoo Lye.

Advertisement (1909)

Advertisement 1909 (source: NewspaperSG)

Advertisement 1910 (source: NewspaperSG)

In 1912, there was another advertisement highlighting that the well known Batam Bricks have changed ownership yet again, this time around under European supervision with the selling agent as Messrs. Boustead & Co. and Ong Sam Leong (41 Robinson Road) and in 1921, Batam Bricks were still for sale by Ong Sam Leong & Co. 

Advertisement 1912 (source: NewspaperSG)

Advertisement 1921 (source: NewspaperSG)

Raja Ali Kelana / Raja Ali

Raja Ali was a Prince or a descendant of royalty of the Riau-Lingga Sultante. It was reported in the Batam News (6 February 2017) that Raja Ali was one of the modern pioneers that help developed Batam which prior to 1898 was dominated by Gambier plantation. With the royal concession, Raja Ali approach his business partner from Singapore, a chinese man by the name of Ong Sam Leong and Batam Brick Works was established at Batu Aji.The partnership was shortlived and Raja Ali became the sole Proprietor from 1901 -1910. In 1910, ownership of Batam Brick Works was transferred to Sam Bee Brick Works. The story goes was that Raja Ali faced political pressure by the Dutch Government who labelled him as a potential rebel and Raja Ali decide to sell his business and move to Johor. There was a road named after Raja Ali in Batam Centre that was controversially renamed to Jalan Ochard Boulevard.

Ong Sam Leong 

Ong Sam Leong (王三龙) (1857 -1918) was the owner of Sam Leong and Company that provided and supplied manpower (indentured labourers) for the mining of phosphate to Christmas Island and businessman and owner of substantial properties, rubber plantations or estates and even a brick works in Batam. Among the Chinese community, he was influential as well, being once the head of the Ban Chye Hoe Club.

Ong Sam Leong

References
Advertisement. (1900, November 9). The Singapore Free Press, page 2
Advertisement. (1902, February 27). The Straits Times, page 2
Advertisement. (1904, December 19). The Singapore Free Press, page 3
Batam Island Bricks. (1908, July 31). The Singapore Free Press, page 12
Rice Transactions. (1909, February 7). The Straits Times, page 7
Advertisement. (1912, April 9). The Straits Times, page 6
Advertisement. (1921, March 4). The Straits Times, page 6
Raja Ali Kelana dan Fondasi Hitoris Industri Pulau Batam (1896-1910).[website]. Tanjung Pinang Pos
Indrawan.(Editor).Ini Sejarah Raja H Ali Kelana Membangun Pulau Batam.(2017,February 2017).[website]. Batam News
Sejarah Batam Brick Works Pabrik Pertama Berdiri Di Kota Batam. (2016, October 21).Batamblog
Riau-Lingga Sultante. Wikipedia