My first encounter with this pair of tiled bench was many years ago and i also featured and documented it in my blog article (May 2013) on tombs that have benches or seating structures. We did our best to clear it up but efforts were just purely for documenting then. It was in 2019 that with the efforts of the supporters and volunteers of the Singapore Heritage Tile Project, the tomb and tiles was cleaned and repaired and what a wonderful gem it has turned to be. It was made possible by the many volunteers who came from all walks of life and nationalities to help clean up this double tomb and i must say it was very tough work, but eventually it was revealed to the press (Straits Times 21 October 2019) and has become a Brownies free guided tour destination where we bring people on tours to Lao Sua or Greater Bukit Brown (before Circuit Breaker happened). This tomb with the decorative tile benches are indeed rare and i hope they can be enjoyed by many in-situ for many years and eventually conserved as well.
After the big clean-up
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| Tiled benched tomb (after clean-up) |
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| Tiled Bench -taken on 24th Feb 2013 (Before clean up -actually we cleaned up 1 of the bench) |
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| Photo of tile bench after clean up (Photo by Brice Li) |
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| Transfer Print Tiles from London (likely Minton) |
The occupants of the tomb
Until today we are unable to determine for sure the relationship between the the two ladies (Madam Teo Tuan Neo and and Madam Le Pang Neo). We know their names, age and death date as inscribed in the tomb. The mystery is understanding their relationship and who their families are.
Teo Tuan Neo
Born 3rd March 1877 Died, 17th October 1913 Age 37 years
Lee Pang Neo
Born 39th October 1849 Died 5th November 1913 Aged 65 years
Born 3rd March 1877 Died, 17th October 1913 Age 37 years
Lee Pang Neo
Born 39th October 1849 Died 5th November 1913 Aged 65 years
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| Madam Teo Tuan Neo and Madam Lee Pang Neo |
Below are the people who help clean up the tomb as well as the organiser of the clean up, Jennifer Lim (standing in the middle). The final picture shows one of the first public tour organised that lead to this tomb.
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| Singapore Heritage Tiles Project (Jennifer Lim and some of the volunteers) (source: Straits Times) |
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| In the process of tiding up (photo by Uncle Foo) |
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| Bukit Brown Free Tour and Participants |
References
Teo Tuan Neo and Lee Pang Neo. (website).Singapore Tombstones Epigraphic Materials 新加坡墓碑铭集录
Benches in Bukit Brown. (website). Rojak Librarian, posted on 22 May 2013
History lessons in tiles from a cemetery. Melody Zaccheus.(online).Straits Times.(Premium), published 21 October 2019
Thank you to everyone for all your hard work!
ReplyDeleteWhat a magnificent tomb!