Madam Tan Eng Neo nee Mrs. Gaw Boon Chan (Bukit Brown)

Madam Tan Eng Neo (Mrs. Gaw Boon Chan) passed away at the age of 81 on 27th December 1941 at her residence at No. 23 Newton Road. Madam Tan Eng Neo / Tan Eng Nio is the wife of Mr. Gaw Boon Chan. The road, Eng Neo Avenue was named after her. The executors of the Will and the Estate of  the late Tan Eng Neo were Kwa Siew Tee and Gaw Khek Chiew. Freehold land and house, No. 23 Newton Road (89,594 sq ft) and No. 7 Sarkies Road (19,702 sq ft ) were auctioned off in May 1948. 

Towkay Gaw Boon Chan

Her husband, Gaw Boon Chan alias Go Boen Tjhan was a merchant and his residence was at No. 15 Syed Ali Road (Sunlight House). Gaw Boon Chan was born in Semarang, made his fortune there but eventually settled down in Singapore and became a naturalised British subject. Together with his brother Go Boon Kwan, they established the Ho Ho Biscuit Factory in November 1898 in Chin Swee Road and made it a limited liability company in 1900. Another person closely associated with Ho Ho Biscuit was no other than Mr. Chew Boon Lay. In 1902 at the Hanoi Exhibition, the quality of their biscuits led to a bronze medal award. It was principally exported to Java and the Federated Malaya States (F.M.S). From his marriage with Tan Eng Neo, they had 5 sons, (Gaw Khek Sin, Gaw Khek Khiam, Gaw Khek Swee, Gaw Khek Law, Gaw Khek Chim). 

Gaw Boon Chan 

Well-Known Towkay Shot Dead 

On 30th August 1911, Gaw Boon Chan and his friends, Wee Theam Seng and Tan Chow Pin were sitting together one night at the verandah of Villa St. Joseph, at 63 Pasir Panjang Road, (a temporary or rented home of Gaw Boon Chan) when around 9-9:30pm two man dressed in black and straw hats came in, one of them brandishing a revolver. The person with the revolver shot Gaw Boon Chan who got up after being shot and tried to ran away. The murderer followed him into one rooms and fatally shot him with several more rounds. Wee Theam Seng and Tam Chow Pin manage to flee and sought help from the police, but by the time they returned, the perpetrators have run away. Mr. Gaw Kheck Khiam (of 25-2 Boat Quay, son of Gaw Kheck Khiam) was reported to have handed a cheque of $10,000 as a reward for the arrest of the murders. Two men, Hoh Ah Thye and Wong Ho Cheng were arrested in Bangkok after a few months later in connection to the murder. Another person, Chan Kam was also arrested and was eventually sentenced to death for firing the shots that killed Gaw Boon Chan.

The funeral of Mr. Gaw Boon Chan took place on the morning of 16th September 1911 from his residence, Sunlight House, 15, Syed Ali Road. A large number of wreaths were sent including one from the Straits Chinese Football Association who attended in large numbers. Among there were the Vice-Presidents Messrs. Song Ong Siang, Tan Boo Liat and the Hon. General Secretary, Mr. Lim Kee Chiok. Amongst others who were present were: Messrs. A.P. Williams, Lee Pek Hoon, Tan Hap Leong, Lee Kim Swee and Lee Kim San, Tan Chow Pin, Tan Kwee Liang, Tan Hap Seng and Tan Kwee Wah and a number of Europeans. 

Gaw Boon Chan was buried at his private burial ground plot at the 5th mile Bukit Timah Road. 

Extent of Wealth and Contributions

Mrs. Gaw Boon Chan (in memory of the late Mr. Gaw Boon Chan) donated a generous sum of $1000 to the Singapore Chinese Girls School in 1924. One report mentions that the late Gaw Boon Chan leaves behind property worth over half a millon dollars. It was from the auction sale of the late Gaw Boon Chan estate, we have a glimpse of the extent of his wealth. He owned  properties such as "The Eagles" , No 30-A Killiney Road, 30-B, 30-C Killiney Road, "The Light House", No 15 Syed Ali Road, "The Ho Ho Biscuit Factory" 25,27,29,31,33,35,37, 39,41,43 and 45 Chin Swee Road and many properties and land.

 

Family 

Son: Gaw Khek Sin / Goh Khek Sin (24th May 1882 -7th June 1936) 

Gaw Khek Sin / Goh Khek Sin and his wife, Kwa Kiong Neo both hail from Semarang before settling down in Singapore. They are buried in Hill 4 Block A, plot 355 a tomb you can't miss if you are exploring that area. From what i can find so far, is information of Gaw Khek Sin purchasing 10 pieces of freehold land at Rangoon Road of 18,300 sq ft for $1,200 in January 1918. Goh Khek Sin passed away on 7th June 1936 at his residence  No 203, Moulmein Road. 

Son: Gaw Khek Khiam (3rd March-1883-September 1936)

Gaw Khek Khiam, second son of the late Mr. Gaw Boon Chan was born in Java and later moved to Singapore. Educated in Raffles Institution, he became a J.P. in 1918. Gaw Khek Khiam was the managing director of the Ho Ho Biscuit and director of several big companies (including Chinese Commercial Bank). A member of the Straits Chinese British Association, he was also a member in the Rent Assessment Board, Income Tax Committee.  He passed away at the age of 51 on September 1936 while on board the S.S. Conte Verde. 

Son: Gaw Khek Swee

Gaw Khek Swee married Miss Wee Inn Neo (a daughter of Wee Theam Seng). They had 2 sons (Gaw Synn Laye and Gaw Synn Ghee) and a daughter. 

Son: Gaw Khek Law (1890- died 28th March 1936)
Gaw Khek Law, fourth son of the late Mr. Gaw Boon Chan and Mrs. Gaw Boon Chan at the age of 46 passed away on 28th March 1936 at 23 Newton Road. He leaves behind an only daughter Gaw Giok Tee to mourn his loss. The executors of the Will and the Estate were Kwa Siew Tee and Gaw Khek Chiew. Gaw Khek Law is buried in Bukit Brown, Hill 4 Section A, plot 665. 

Son:Gaw Khek Chiew/Gaw Kek Chiew (1895- died 5th July 1971)

Gaw Khek Chiew married Miss Wee Ek Neo (a daughter of Wee Theam Seng). He was educated at Raffles Institution and was a Director with the OCBC. He passed away at his residence at 251 Pasir Panjang leaving behind his wife and 1 daughter, Gaw Geok Lan. 

Son: Gaw Khek Chim / Go Kek Chim (1896-1963)

Educated at Raffles Institution  and married Bee Twee Nio. He passed away on 2 Sept 1967.  

Son: Gaw Khek Siew
Gaw Khek Siew married Miss Wee Inn Neo (Mrs. Gaw Khek Siew)

Location of tomb 

Block 3 Section C, plot 630. The tomb of Madam Tan Eng Neo lies close by to the tomb of Mr. and Mrs. Chew Boon Lay and Mabel Tay Kheng Gian nee Mrs. Lim Seow Eng. 

Madam Tan Eng Neo nee Mrs Gaw Boon Chan 

Madam Tan Eng Neo's tomb slowly been forgotten

Variant Names: Gaw Boon Chan also known as Goh Boon Chan, Gaw Boon Tjhan, Go Boen Tjhan

[research on-going]

References

Daring Murder. (1911, September 1). The Singapore Free Press, page 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG
Funeral of Mr. Gaw Boon Chan. (1911, September 16). The Straits Times, page 8.Retrieved from NewspaperSG

Advertisement. (1911, September 16). 

The Pasir Panjang Tragedy. (1912, September 7). The Straits Times, page 9.Retrieved from NewspaperSG

Advertisement. (1912, October 26).The Straits Times, page 14. Retrieved from NewspaperSG

The Singapore Chinese Girl's. (1924, November 29). Malaya Tribune, page 9. Retrieved from NewspaperSG
Death. (1936, March 30). The Straits Times, page 13. Retrieved from NewspaperSG

Mr. Gaw Khek Khiam. (1936, September 19). The Singapore Free Press, page 6.Retrieved from NewspaperSG
Death. (1941, December 28). The Straits Times, page 7. Retrieved from NewspaperSG

Advertisement.(1948, May 15). Malaya Tribune, page 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG

One Hundred Years' History Of The Chinese In Singapore: The Annotated Edition.(2020)

by Ong Siang Song (Author), Kevin Y L Tan (Editor), G Uma Devi (Editor), Bak Lim Kua (Editor), Stephanie Pee (Contributor)

Gaw Khek Swee. (website). Geni.com

The Rediscovery of Tan Eng Neo (Avenue). (website). Asia Paranormal Investigators