Sim Cheng Mea and family (Bukit Brown)

Sim Cheng Mea /Sim Cheng Mia was a prominent Johore Tin miner. Sim Cheng Mia was a partner together with Tan Wi Yan, Tan Kim Wah, JC Robertson and E Fong Seng in the Hap Liong Company which worked on the Jemluang tin mines with great success. From a 1916 article, there was mention of Sim Cheng Mea buying the lease for 114 acres of mining land in the District of Endau at Mersing, Johore area from the Johore Government Mining Lease No 73 for $5000.

Sim Cheng Mea and Hon Loy Neo

Patriotic Contributions

Sim Cheng Mea was one of the Singapore patriots whom answered the call to contribute funds in the Great war effort.  He together with Tan Wi Yan and Tan Kim Wah contributed to the first plane of the Singapore Chinese Aeroplane Fund, a fund to buy military planes for the war effort. Malaya No 4 ( the "Wi-Cheng-Kim" name after the middle names of the donors) was presented on 16th August 1915 by Messrs. Tan Wi Yan, Sim Cheng Mia and Tan Kim Wah of chop Hup Liong & Co, merchants of No 4 Beach Road after they donated $11,150 to the Singapore Chinese Aeroplane Fund. Another interesting thing to note, Tan Wi Yan, Tan Kim Wah and Sim Cheng Mea are all buried and their tombs are still in Bukit Brown.

Malaya No 4 alias Wi-Cheng-Kim
(source: One hundred years history of the Chinese in Singapore.)

Sim Cheng Mea, Tan Wi Yan and Tan Kim Wah donated generously in 1917 for the Tientsin Flood Relief Fund. From this list below, you can make out many other prominent residents of Singapore as well, such as Lim Nee Soon, Lee Choon Guan, Lim Peng Siang, Tan Kwee Wah, Poh Cheng Tee.

Family

Sim Cheng Mea passed away on 6 July 1941 at the age of 65 at his residence in No. 2 Tong Watt Road, Singapore. He leaves behind 1 wife, a brother, 6 sons, 8 daughters, 1 son-in-law, 2 daughters-in-law, 2 nephews, 6 nieces and 16 grandchildren. On the burial records, he was listed as a Teochew and is buried n Hill 5 Section B, plots 77 & 76. From Sim Cheng Mea's tomb we can map up the name of his family who from the newspaper archives only mention the numbers but not their names. From the tomb the names are follows;
Sons: Sim Yong Seng, Sim Yong Fatt, Sim Yong Hin, Sim Yong Hock, Sim Yong Mok, Sim Hock Seng, adopted son, Sim Ah Kow.
Daughters: Sim Kim Neo, Sim Boey Hiang, Sim Boey Cheng, Sim Lan Hiang, Sim Lan Cheng, Sim Boey Neo
Grandsons: Sim Fah Onn, Sim Foo Onn, Sim Yew Onn, Sim Swee Chong, Sim Hock Chong, Sim Hock Choon, Sim Hock Thiam
Granddaughters: Sim Khek Eng, Sim Shie Eng, Sim Jit Eng, Sim Hock Kim, Sim Bak Eng, Sim Keng Leng

Children of Sim Cheng Mea

Children of Sim Cheng Mea 

Wife: Hon Loy Neo alias Yap Loy
When Hon Loy Neo passed away in 1942, her will dated 18th December 1941 was contested by Yap Kong Kee and Yap Ah Piang and brought to the Japanese Court (Syonan Kotohoin). The last article i read was the courts waiting for the respondents ( Sim Yong Seng, Sim Yong Fatt, Sim Yong Hin,  Sim Yong Mok) to prove the will in its solemn form, and if not, grants of letters of administration to the estate will be issued as if the said deceased died intestate.


Mother: Mrs. Sim Koon Kang nee Tan Gwek Neo
Mrs. Sim Koon Kang nee Tan Gwek Kee Neo passed away at the age of 82 on 31 May 1934 at 91 Desker Road. She is survived by 2 sons ( Sim Tang Kway and Sim Cheng Mea ), 2 daughter-in-laws, 13 grandsons, 8 grand daughters, 5 grand daughter-in-law and 15 great grandchildren to mourn her loss. Mrs. Sim Koon Kang is buried in Balestier Road Burial Ground.


[research on-going]

References

Advertisement. (1943, May 17). Syonan Shimbun, page 2
Domestic Occcurences. (1941, July 6). Sunday Tribune, page 15
Domestic Occurences. (1934, June 2). Malayan Tribune, page 12
Singapore Chinese Aeroplane Fund. (1915. August 19). Malayan Tribune, page 9

Mr and Mrs Sim Cheng Mea