Rojak Librarian

Lim Kim Siew passed away at the age of 9 on 6 January 1937. His older brother, Lim Kim Hock passed away at the age of 12 on 13 January 1937. This means that both brothers passed away around 6 days apart from each other.  A check with the tomb keeper (who has been working in the area for the past 30 years) told us the two boys died of high fever (however what cause the high fever will be only known from the burial registrar proper at National Archives along with their last known address). The are buried in the same hill and section. It must have been devastating for their parents to bury both sons who died at such a young age. Another unconfirmed clue i gathered from the tombkeeper was that the brothers tomb are related to the tombs of Miss Oh Twa Koh and Madam Wee Cheng Neo (also nearby). How are they related, i am not sure for now.  Lim Kim Siew (9 years old) Lim Kim Hock (12 years old) A similar story that comes to my mind is the story of Master Tay Tow Seeh (9 years of age) and his

Mary Chua was only 5 years old when she passed away on 10 May 1951. It must have been a devastating moment for her parents to lose their daughter at a such a young age. I passed this tomb a few times while exploring Lao Sua at the old Lorong Halwa Road. Although not easily visible from the road, this tomb has touched me because it is one of the few ones in that area that has pictures of little children. Including Mary Chua, i only encountered another baby tomb with a picture in this area outside Bukit Brown. We have cleaned her tomb before, but the jungle around that area is one on steroids and its get overgrown very fast. That being said, Qing Ming period offers the chance for many of us to observe this intangible cultural heritage practice and also sometimes the opportunity for oral interview with the descendants that do help us give insights to the personalities buried in Bukit Brown and Greater Bukit Brown. Today i was shocked and of course pleasantly surprised to see a large numbe

Madam Chua Kiat Neo passed away at the age of 46 on 15 August 1933. She is the wife of Mr. Lim Siew San. Listed on her tomb are the name of their children; Sons: Lim Yew Wee, Lim Yew Boon, Lim Yew Liang, Daughter: Baby Lim Her husband, Lim Siew San (late Government Treasury pensioner) passed away at the age of 78 at his residence, No 463-X Lorong Low Koon, off Upper Serangoon Road on 10 March 1961 leaving behind his wife Madam Tan Seck Neo, 5 sons, Lim Yew Wee, Lim Yew Boon, Lim Yew Liang, Lim Yew Choon, Lim Yew Leng and 1 daughter, Baby Li, 3 daughters-in-law and  1 son-in-law, Chua Chwee Guam 14 grandchildren. Mr. Lim Siew San is one of the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Lim Koh Seng.  Madam Chua Kiat Neo nee Mrs. Lim Siew San Family  Madam Tan Seck Neo nee Mrs. Lim Siew San  Lim Siew San had another wife, Madam Tan Seck Neo. Madam Tan Seck Neo passed away at the age of 81 on 31 May 1980. The name of the children listed in her obituary are: Sons: Lim Yew Wee, Lim Yew Boon, Lim Yew Liang, Lim Y

Eddie Chan Sin Chuan is a 16 year boy buried in Block 1, Section B, plot P64. His tomb is simple but at the same time one of the most beautifully decorated tomb with majolica tiles or peranakan tiles covering almost the entire tomb. Eddie Chan Sin Chuan  Completely tiled tomb of Eddie Chan Sin Chuan Peacock  Who is Master Eddie Chan who died during the Japanese occupation in June 29, 1942 ? It would have been difficult and expensive for his parents to able to afford such a beautifully decorated tomb especially during the war years where materials were hard to come by.  So far i have found nothing about Eddie Chan Sin Chuan nor about his parents. The only lead i have is this simple group photo taken in August 1941 (less than a year before Eddie's death) celebrating the eight anniversary of Playfair B.P. Eddie Chan is standing, first row from the left. If you remember Eddie Chan and have more information about him, do let me know. August 10, 1941 (source: NewspaperSG)

Tan Soon Leong passed away at 256 Joo Chiat Road the age of 55 on 23 February 1948. On his tomb are the names of his children; Sons: Tan Wee Hock, Tan Wee Hai, Tan Wee Boon Daughters: Tan Nya Chwee, Tan Nya Chee, Tan Nya Kim Grandsons: Tan Eng Hua, Tan Eng Kwee Granddaughters: Tan Chye Hoon, Tan Chye Luan  From the engagement notice of his youngest daughter, i gathered that Mr. Tan Soon Leong's wife is Madam Sng Buay Lian (daughter of Sng Kan Nah and Madam Lim Siak Neo ) Daughter: Tan Nya Kim Engagement is announced on 18 November 1956 between Lim Boon Huat (third son of Madam Koh Geok Puay and the late Mr. Lim Keat Seng) to Tan Nya Kim (youngest daughter of Madam Sng Buay Lian and the lateMr. Tan Soon Leong). Location of tomb Tan Soon Leong tomb is located at the top of the ridge of Kopi Sua facing the road heading towards the tombkeeper shed coming in from Mount Pleasant.  At the ridge 

Whitley Cemetery was know "colloquially" as Kopi Sua, but it still a large cemetery system with parts of it cut of due to the construction of the Pan Island Expressway. While exploring the section of Kopi Sua area that was cut of by the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) (the entrance to this section of cemetery complex is via the long staircase just before St.Joseph Institution ), we rediscovered the tomb of Madam Tan Pheck Hong. Madam Tan Pheck Hong was the wife of Mr. Wee Aik Leng. Wee Ai Leng is a son of Wee Thiam Siew (well know millionaire and hotelier). Listed the name of her sons: Wee Choo Keng, Wee Choo Boo, Wee Choo Chuan , Wee Choo Chye, Wee Choo Tiong, Wee Wee Choo Yong. daughter: Wee May Lee, Wee May Hoon. Madam Tan Pheck Hong nee Mrs. Wee Aik Leng Death leaves a heartache no one can heal.  How dark is life around us,  we missed her so much still,  we missed her fond and earnest care,  what is home without her there. Very much missed by husband, children, son

Established in 1918, Chop Lim Teck Lee was one said to be one of the first few establishments to set up shop along Circular Road during the 1920s ( source: Roots.sg ). The Roots.sg website provides insights that Lim Teck Lee business started with shophouse no 2 and 3 and that the business specialised in the import of German dyes for distribution in Singapore and the region. When their business grew, they subsequently acquired shophouse 3 and 4 and merged with the existing two units during the mid-1930s. This observation matches with the photo below taken by the American photographer, Harrison Forman in 1941, where from this rare picture, the name of the street can be clearly seen and the shophouse that is displaying the long advertisement banners is where the Lim Teck Lee building was. The shophouses that previously occupied these lots were demolished for the construction of the Lim Teck Lee Building (i am not sure exactly when the new building came about, but it has to be before 1962)