Funeral of Mrs Ong Sam Leong (Bukit Brown)

One of the most featured families that you might come across in the archive papers are the family of Mr and Mrs Ong Sam Leong. So, it doesn't come as a surprise that when Mrs. Ong Sam Leong  nee Yeo Yean Neo passed away at the age of 73 in 25 May 1935 at her home in Bukit Rose, Bukit Timah Road, her funeral ceremony was covered by a number of major newspapers during that time. The headlines read "a two-mile procession for the widow of a Straits Pioneer". It was so crowded that the mourners who drove had to park as far back as Kampong Java Road and Stevens Road which was some distance from Bukit Rose. An estimate of 2,000 to 3,000 people attended the funeral and among them were the who's who of Singapore back then such as Mr. Aw Boon Par, Mr and Mrs. John Laycock, Mr. Lim Chong Pang, Mr. Tan Chin Tuan, Dr. Cheong Chee Hai, Messrs. J.M Sime, Julian Frankel, Lee Chim Tuan, Kwa Siew Tee and many more.

Mourners of Mrs. Ong Sam Leong in front of Bukit Rose (source: NewspaperSG) 

Hearse for Mrs Ong Sam Leong (source: NewspaperSG) 

Over 3,000 mourners at Bukit Brown 

The Johore State Band provided by the Sultan of Johore was also in attendance and the local police force helped in ensuring safety and crowd control. Numerous people from all walks of life and different races were present during the funeral procession. The cortege took over 2 hours to cover the distance of less than 2 miles (3.2 km) and the estimates where over 3,000 people were present including 600 Malays

Johor Military Band in front of Bukit Rose (sourceL NewspaperSG) 

Funeral procession (source: NewspaperSG) 

Funeral procession (source: NewspaperSG)

source: NewspaperSG

Mrs. Ong Sam Leong nee Yeo Yean Neo 

Madam Yeo Yean Neo , the daughter of Mr and Mrs. Yeo Koon Im and sister of Mr. Yeo Kang Swee was one of the first pupils of Miss Sophia Blackmore of the Methodist Mission (Methodist Girl's School) in 1887 and it was very touching to note that among the several hundred wreaths sent, one was from Miss Blackmore herself.

Mrs. Ong Sam Leong (source: NewspaperSG) 

The newspapers  paid tribute to her as the inspiration which led her two sons, Ong Boon Tat and Ong Peng Hock to start the show business industry as they were proprietors of the New World Amusement Park. It was said that their sons loved their mom dearly and this can be seen by the lavish birthday celebrations they threw for her in 1932 for her 69th birthday at Bukit Rose whereby the guest list numbered 400 ! (She passed away 3 years later at the age of 72).  As a mark of respect, the New World was closed during her funeral ceremony.

Mrs Ong Sam Leong  69th Birthday (source: NewspaperSG)

Mrs. Ong Sam Leong nee Yeo Yean Neo is survived by his two sons, Ong Boon Tat and Ong Peng Hock and 1 daughter, Mrs. Khoo Peck Lock) , 3 sons-in-laws (Messrs. Lim Teck Kim, Puey Yean Chuan and Khoo Peck Lock) and many grandchildren and great grandchildren to mourn her loss. (The eldest being Mr. T.W. Ong of Messrs. Braddell Brothers.)

References
Untitled. (1909, April 17). The Straits Times, page 6
Death. (1935, May 26). The Straits Times, page 13
Mrs. Ong Sam Leong. (1935, May 27). The Straits Times, page 12
Mrs. Ong Sam Leong. (1935, May 27). The Singapore Free Press, page 7
Untitled. (1935, June 4). The Singapore Free Press, page 6
Funeral Yesterday. (1935, June 3). The Straits Times, page 13
Funeral of  Mrs. Ong Sam Leong - Widow of Straits Pioneer. (1935, June 5). Malayan Tribune,page 18
The late Mrs. Ong Sam Leong. (1935, June 3). Malayan Tribune, page 16
Funeral of Mrs. Ong Sam Leong. (1935, June 5).The Straits Times, page 13

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