Lim Teck Whee (Bukit Brown)

Lim Teck Whee is a son of Lim Liak and brother of Lim Teck Ghee. Lim Tech Whee passed away in 1884 and was initially buried in the family land in Tiong Bahru area. The 1884 tomb was re-interred in Bukit Brown from Tiong Bahru in 1928 after the family land was acquired by the Municipal Government . The precious picture below shows the tomb of Mr. Lim Teck Whee being visited by his descendants. Another thing to note is how clear the background behind the tomb is with few trees to block the view of Hill 2 of Bukit Brown. One last gem to note is the vehicle that is parked on the road behind the tomb. From the descendant (Mr. Lim Soonhoe) who kindly allowed me to use the picture , i found out it was known as a "Mosquito Bus". I will come to that later.

Lim Teck Whee's tomb in Bukit Brown
Lim Chin Chye (seated with pith hat) and his son, Lim Bock Chwee (4 year boy seated with pith hat) 
(photo courtesy of Lim Soon Hoe, great grandson of Lim Chan Siew, grandson of Lim Chin Chye )

Wife: Wee Watt Neo
Wee Watt Neo passed away at the age of 82 at 49, Tiong Bahru, off Sit Wah Road. She leaves behind 2 sons, Lim Chan Sin and Lim Chan Siew, 3 daughters, 28 grandchildren and many great grandchildren. From Geni.com, Wee Watt Neo's husband is Lim Teck Whee.  She was buried in the Seh Lim cemetery probably in Alexandra area. After the land was redeveloped for housing, Wee Watt Neo's remains together with many other Lim family members were relocated to Choa Chu Kang Cemetery. That area was also recently affected by Tengah airbase expansion and once again the remains exhumed and relocated. 

Original Burial Ground 

Lim Teck Whee was buried on a Tiong Bahru land (9 acres and 7 poles) that has 2 graves on the property as well as a brick and tiled house. The land was once owned by his father, Mr. Lim Liak / Lim Leack) who died some years ago and now the land is in the property of his grandson and nephew.  (namely Lim Chan Sin and Lim Chin Chye (son of Lim Chan Siew). The other tomb belongs to Lim Liak's mother-in-law, Madam Chan Kiam Soon (1790-1863), whose daughter, Yeo Im Neo married Mr. Lim Liak. 

1924 and 1954 map of Tiong Bahru (Mukim 1, Lot 185)

Madam Chan Kiam Soon (mother-in-law of Mr. Lim Liak)

Lim Teck Whee tomb

Mosquito Bus

Mosquito Bus is a small, seven-seater motor bus commonly seen on Singapore roads in the 1920s and 1930s.The mosquito buses were modified American cars, and the most favored chassis was Ford’s Model T. The demand for this buses came from a time in the early 1920s where Singapore’s population was growing rapidly and larger number of people are living outside the city where public transport is lacking and hence this buses appeared to fill the gaps. 

 

Mosquito Bus (source: National Archives, Singapore)

Location of tomb 

Thanks to the sleuthing by Raymond Goh, this tomb was located in 2013 after fig vines were cut to reveal the the beautiful tomb of Lim Teck Whee. The tomb is located at Hill 2 Division G, Plot No 199,200 and 201

Lim Teck Whee's tomb in Bukit Brown

References

Lim Teck Whee. (website). Singapore Tombstones Epigraphic Materials 新加坡墓碑铭集录

Lim Liak's mother Mdm Chan Kiam Soon.(website)Singapore Tombstones Epigraphic Materials 新加坡墓碑铭集录

Lim Liak's family at Lim Cemetery, Alexandra Road. (website). Singapore Tombstones Epigraphic Materials 新加坡墓碑铭集录

Most Extraordinary Figure. (1927, February 16). The Singapore Free Press, page 20

Mosquito Bus. (website). Infopedia, National Library

Location of 2 tomb. Facebook sharing between Raymond Goh, Charles Goh and Lim Soon Hoe