Tan Beng Gum (former Alexandra Cemetery)

Tan Beng Gum / 陳明岩 (16 October 1823-15 September 1893) was the the senior partner in the well known firm of Messrs. Kim Seng & Co. Mr. Tan Beng Gum was the son of Tan Kim Seng, younger brother to Tan Beng Swee and hence the uncle of the Honourable Tan Jiak Kim whom he took in as a partner in Messrs. Kim Seng & Co in the year 1884. He has only 1 son, Tan Jiak Chuan and several daughters. His son, Tan Jiak Chuan and nephew, Tan Jiak Kim (eldest son of Tan Beng Swee) became managing partners of the firm after Tan Beng Gum retired in 1885. His estate was said to be about 2 thousand acres at Pasir Panjang. Tan Beng Gum passed away on 15 September 1893. 

Tan Beng Gum

Family 

Wife: Koh Yan Neo ( 2 Feb 1836 - 17 April 1902) . 

Koh Yan Neo is the eldest daughter of Koh Cheng Jean

Son: 

Tan Jiak Chuan (13 April 1858 - 4 Jan 1909)

Daughter:

Tan Teck Ghee (husband: Lim Soon Leong)

Tan Teck Hoe (husband: Gwee Cheng Tiong)

Tan Teck Soon

Tan Teck Lye

Tan Teck Kiam 

Contributions

Tan Beng Gum was a member of the Poh Leung Kuk, a society established for the protection of Chinese women and girls. He contributed to the library of the Anglo-Chinese School of Singapore and after his passing bequeath money to the Malacca High School and Malacca Hospital. After the death of his elder brother, Tan Beng Swee, Tan Beng Gum played an important role in the chinese community both in Malacca (a President of the Chinese Temple in Malacca) and Singapore.

Legacy 

There is also a scholarship called Tan Beng Gum Scholarship funded by Tan Soo Guan in 1919 (eldest son of Tan Jiak Chuan and grandson of Tan Beng Gum) which provides for chinese graduates of Raffles College.  

Tan Beng Gum 

Funeral procession nearly 2 miles long 

The cortege and procession was nearly 2 miles long and attend by several thousand people (majority being the retainers of the late Tan Beng Gum's large estate started from the residence in River Valley before reaching the family private cemetery in Pasir Panjang (in other reports such as the Straits Times Weekly Issue it mentions Alexandra Private Cemetery instead). The canopy enveloping the hearse was borne by 72 persons and the cost of the canopy about $10,000. Many delegates also came from Malacca and the Sultan of Johore's band played. 

Location of tomb 

The photo of this cluster of tombs related to Tan Kim Seng descendants was taken when it was located at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery. However in 18 July 2017, a jointly issued statement by MND, NEA and SLA  required the exhumation of 45,500 Chinese and 35,000 Muslim graves for the Tengah Air Base expansion. This cluster of tombs no longer exist. The remains are likely now at Choa Chu Kang Columbarium. 

Tan Beng Gum

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Choa Chu Kang Cemetery where the cluster of relocated tombs was once located before being exhumed yet again due to Tengah Airbase expansion 

Variant Name

Tan Beng Gum is also spelled as Tan Beng Gam