Ong Sam Bee (Bukit Brown)

In 1910, Towkay Ong Sam Bee and Co. opened a timber depot in Kota Bharu (Kelantan), It was mentioned that he exported good timber and planks from Kelantan back to Singapore where there is huge demand for it in the building of new houses. He was also a steamer agent at Tumpat (Kelantan) of the East Asiatic Company. Ong Sam Bee passed away at at the age of 76 on 23 March 1941. Ong Sam Bee was a brother of the late Mr. Ong Sam Leong , Ong Sam Kiat and uncle of Mr. Ong Boon Tat, J.P and Mr. Ong Peng Hock.

Ong Sam Bee (photo from the funeral of Ong Sam Leong)

Tomb of Ong Sam Bee

The City Opera of Singapore 

 The City Opera Co. has it beginnings as part of the New World Shows in Jalan Besar. Its popularity increased with good Malay Opera under the leadership of Mr. Ong Peng Hock and the conductor of the City Opera orchestra, Mr. C. Martinez. The City Opera was once labeled as the premier Malay opera house east of Suez. In short it was already well known and have traveled around Malaya (such as Penang, Malacca), before Ong Sam Bee took over City Opera, New World on 1st September 1929 from Tan Chim Cheng (the chief cashier of the New World). The troupe was in Malacca and at the Royalty Theatre Hall, Tranquerah Road in 1930. The company stage a comical Malay play entitled "The expected Marriage" in which Inche Sooin (the Malayan king of clowns and also of gramophone) was at his best. The intervening acts consistedof varied extra turns by Misses Yutat, Chacha Neng and Mary. Mr and Mrs Salleh entertained the audience with a Dyak dance and a magical performance. What a colorful troupe it was and indeed it was having done Malay, Hindi and even English plays.

City Opera, New World 

The City Opera with Ong Peng Hock at helm

The City Opera Orchestra

Location of tomb 

Ong Sam Bee's tomb is located at Hill 3 Section D, plot 1046. Ong Sam Bee is buried nearby his brother's Ong Sam Leong private tomb, closer to his nephew's tomb, Ong Boon Tat. An interesting nugget to note, Ong Peng Hock and Ong Boon Tat's tomb do not have plot numbers as they are buried within the grounds of Ong Sam Leong's vast cemetery plot. 

Ong Sam Bee's tomb in Bukit Brown

References

Kelantan Notes. (1910, January 5). The Straits Times, page 7

Kelantan Notes. (1910, February 2). The Straits Times, page 7

The City Opera Co. of Singapore, (1925, December 1925). Malayan Saturday Post, page 2

Untitled. (1930, March 4). Malaya Tribune, page 8

Death of Mr. Ong Sam Bee. (1941, March 24). Malaya Tribune, page 12 

Ong Sam Bee. (website). Singapore Tombstones Epigraphic Materials 新加坡墓碑铭集录