Lim Dwan Inn and Yeo Ai Lin (Lao Sua)

The double tomb with beautiful tiles accompanied by the statues of Jade Girl and Golden Boy and a bagua in between the tombs was what drew us to the tomb overgrown and covered with fauna for many years. From the marble etching, the tombs belonged to Mr. Lim Dwan Inn and Madam Yeo Ai Lin.

Lim Dwan Inn / Liem Dwan In passed away at the age of 37 on 12 June 1920. The name of the children listed are Master Lim Hup Hin and Miss Lim Swee Lian. The tomb of Madam Yeo Ai Lin does not have a death date listed as she was not buried there.

Lim Dwan Inn with Yeo Ai Lin and their daughter Lim Swee Lian
(source: Sarong Kebaya: Peranakan Fashion in an Interconnected World) 

Lim Dwan Inn

Family 

Madam Yeo Ai Lin - the batik dealer and property investor

His wife Yeo Ai Lin was born in 1886 in Juana, a batik-producing town in Java, Indonesia. She is the daughter of a poor chinese migrant, Yeo Tiong Wee and a wealthy heiress, Tan Ja Dee Neo. Her parent's move to Singapore in the 1890's and set up a batik business in Arab Street in the 1910s. Yeo Ai Lin married Lim Dwan Inn (also from Juana, Java) and they had 2 children (Lim Hup Hin, Lim Swee Lian).  Lim Dwan Inn / Liem Dwan In passed away at the age of 37 on 12 June 1920

5 years the death of her husband, Madam Yeo A Lin (of 113 Bencoolen Street, only daughter of Mrs. and the late Mr. Yeo Tiong Wee of 122 Albert Street) remarried to  Dr. Lim Soon Kian / Dr. S.K. Lim, of Lim Dispensary, 36 High Street (eldest son of the Mr. and Mrs. Lim Cheng Wee) on 17 November 1925. It was also around this time she established her own batik shop near her mother's shop in Arab Street. 

Yeo Ai Lin permit to travel from Semarang to Singapore 
(source: Facebook post 2019)

Yeo Ai Lin passed away at the ripe old age of 96 on 11 March 1981. She is survived by her children;

Son: Lim Hap Hin

Daughter-in-law: Chua Swee Lan

Grandsons: Lim Huat Chye, Lim Huat Ho, Lim Huat Guan

Granddaughters: Caron Lim Guek Choo, Lim Guek Nee, Lim Guek Poh,Lim Guek Eng, Rosie Wee, Betty Wee, 

Granddaughters-in-law: Michelle, Katherine, Poh Hong

Grandsons-in-law: Andy Goh, Karin Virabhak, Victor Sodhy, Yong Khee Ngean

 

Yeo Ai Lin and her grandchildren 
(source: Sarong Kebaya: Peranakan Fashion in an Interconnected World )

Mother: Mrs. Yeo Tiong Wee / Madam Tan Ja Dee Neo

Mrs. Yeo Tiong Wee nee Tan Ja Dee Neo passed away at the age of 86 at her residence, No. 285, Jalan Besar on 24 September 1951 leaving behind; 

1 daughter: Mrs. S.K. Lim nee Madam Yeo Ai Lin 

1 son: Yeo Beng Teck

8 grandsons:Yeo Hock Thye, Yeo Hock Leong, Yeo Hock San, Yeo Hock Hye, Yeo Hock Chwee, Yeo Hock Peng, Yeo Hock Seng and Lim Hap Hin

3 granddaughters, 4 grandsons-in-law, 4 granddaughters-in-law and great grandchildren. She is buried in Heap Guan Suah, Pasir Panjang Road. (relocated to Choa Chu Kang and later relocated again as it was affected by the Tengah expansion and development) 

Daughter: Lim Swee Lian / Mrs. Oei Koen Hian

Mrs. Oei Koen Hian, only daughter of Madam Yeo Ai Lin (Mrs. S.K. Lim) passed away at the age of 40 at 170 Bencoolen Street on 11 September 2603 (1943) leaving behind her mother, husband, 2 daughters, and 1 brother (Lim Hap Hin) to mourn her loss. She is buried in Bukit Brown (Block 3 Division A, plot P128) on 14 September 1943. 

Son: Lim Hap Hin / Matthew Lim Hap Hin / 

Lim Hap Hin (proprietor of Messrs. H. H. Lim and Co., only son of Mrs. S.K. Lim) married Miss. Chua Swee Lan (eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chua Tian Chong) in 1936. Lim Hap Hin's name was associated as the President of the Singapore Association of Magicians for many years.  Matthew Lim Hap Hin passed away at the age of 92 on 15 May 2007. He is survived by:

Wife: Chua Swee Lan Theresa

Sons: Lim Huat Chye, Peter ; Lim Huat Ho ;  Lim Huat Guan, Harry

Daughters-in-law: Michelle Loh, Kathrine Tay, Yeo Poh Hong

Daughters: Lim Guek Choo, Caron ; Dr. Lim Guek Nee ; Lim Guek Poh ; Lim Guek Eng 

Sons-in-law: Andy Goh, Dr.Karin Virabhak, Vixtor Sodhy, Terence Yong

Grandchildren: Celina Goh, Cynthia Goh, Vivienne Lim, Marc Sodhy, Lim Shu Ning, Tania Sodhy, Yong Yan Rong, Lim Shu Fen 

(see obituary notice for complete list)

 

Lim Hap Hin and Chua Swee Lan 

Matthew Lim Hap Hin 

How the tomb look in 1923 and 2020 (after 77 years have pass) 

With the recent rediscovery of the tomb and comparing with the photo from 1923, we can see how the surrounding environment has changed after 77 years have passed. A huge fig tree now grows behind the tomb and we definitely cannot see the top of the hill with all the vegetation behind compared to the picture from 1923 is able to show. 

Tomb of Lim Dwan Inn (1923)
source: Peranakan Association. 2012 

 

Yeo Ai Lin and her daughter, Lim Swee Lian (in black) with other family members at Lim Dwan Inn's tomb
(source: Sarong Kebaya: Peranakan Fashion in an Interconnected World )

Lim Dwan Inn tomb in 2020

[research on-going]

References

Sarong Kebaya :  Peranakan fashion in an interconnected world 1500-1950 /  Peter Lee. (photos from the book were from the collection of Mrs. Lim Hap Hin and family)

Peranakan Association. 2012 Issue 2