Tan Soo Bin, J.P. (the second son of the late Mr. Tan Jiak Kim) was born in Singapore on 15 December 1882. After been initially home schooled in Chinese and English at home, he was sent at the age of 12 to Anglo-Chinese School and later Raffles Institution. He enrolled as one of the original members of the Chinese Company, S.V.I and won many accolades (1904 Singapore Bisley, 1905 General Cup and Tan Soo Bin was also one the volunteers together with Song Ong Siang, Tan Chow Kim and Tan Piah Eng that won the Warren Shield). He held the rank of Colour-Sergeant until he resigned in 1911. Tan Soo Bin was later given the honorary rank of Major when he retired after coming back to be the first Chinese to lead the Chinese Company that was reconstituted. He was in the Council of King Edwards VII Medical School and Vice-Chairman of the Singapore Chinese Girls School.
Tan Soo Bin was a director of the Kim Seng Land Co. Ltd, Hong Soon Choe Choo Ltd, director of the Straits Steamship Co. Ltd. and many other companies. Tan Soo Bin passed away on 11 August 1939 at his residence, "Dingwall", in Pasir Panjang at the age of 57 and was buried at the private family burial ground at Alexandra Road Cemetery.
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| Mr. and Mrs. Tan Soo Bin |
Wife 1 : Lo Tsung Kee
Tan Soo Bin married Miss Lo Tsung Kee in 1902. She is the second daughter of Sir. Chi-chen Lo Feng Luk, KCVO, at one time Chinese Ambassador to the Court of St. James's. She was educated in Chinese and was also studying English in London. From their union, 2 sons: Tan Eng Chiang, Tan Eng Wan
Lo Tsung Kee passed away due to pneumonia at 4:25am, 21 May 1914 at the age of 33 at "Dingwall" Pasir Panjang. The funeral procession started from Panglima Prang, River Valley Road on 24 May 1914.
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| Lo Tsung Kee (when it was at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery) |
Wife: Yeo Yam Neo / Nancy Yeo Yam Neo / Nancy Tan Soo Bin
Born 3 November, 1896, Yeo Yam Neo is the daughter of daughter of the Mr. Yeo Poon Seng and Mrs Yeo Poon Seng of No. 2 Stanley Road and sister of Madam Yeo Hee Neo / Lady Helen Song Ong Siang. Nancy Yeo Yam Neo passed away at the age of 50 on 23 December 1943 at her residence No. 325 River Valley Road, leaving behind 2 sons, 3 daughters and several grandchildren. She was buried in Bidadari Cemetery before relocated to All Saints Memorial (the niche list her death date as 1944).
In a Strait's Times article dated 11 May 1936, Mrs. Tan Soo Bin was identified as the first Singapore Chinese woman to fly from Europe (she flew from Amsterdam with the K.L.M ).
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| Mrs. Tan Soo Bin |
t.b.c
Son: Tan Eng Wan
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Son: Tan Eng Ann / Nanson Tan Eng Ann
Mr. Tan Eng Ann (the youngest son of the late Mr. Tan Soo Bin and Madam Yeo Yam Neo ) passed away peacefully at the age of 26 on 15 October 2603 (1943) at his residence, No 325 River Valley Road after a short illness. He was buried at Bidadari Cemetery.
Daughter: Tan Mary
Miss Tan May (eldest daughter of Mr. Tan Soo Bin and eldest granddaughter of the Hon. Tan Jiak Kim, C.M.G) passed away at the age of 9 in August 1912.
Daughters: Grace Tan, Alice Tan
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Daughter: Tan Hoe Neo / Rosalind Tan Hoe Neo
Rosalind Tan passed away on 29 April 1941 in Melbourne. She was the youngest daughter of Mrs. Nancy Tan Soo Bin and the late Mr. Tan Soo Bin.
Daughter: Tan Cheok Neo / Florence Tan
Tan Cheok Neo passed away at the age of 23 at her residence, No. 12 Kim Yam Road on 24 December 1933. She was the wife of Ong Cheng Bee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tan Soo Bin and daughter-in-law of Mr. Ong Hood Hin. She was buried in the family ground at Boon Teck Road.
Funeral Procession
The Loyal Regiment took part in the funeral procession and the E (Chinese) Co. 2nd Bn S.S.V.F furnished the firing party at the late Major Tan Soo Bin.
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| Funeral procession of Tan Soo Bin |
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| Major Tan Soo Bin |
"Dingwall" Pasir Panjang
Tan Jiak Kim, father of Tan Soo Bin passed away at also at Dingwall.
Tan Soo Bin caught a 11 foot Shark and brought it back to their seaside bungalow Dingwall at Pasir Panjang.
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| 11 feet shark caught by Mr. and Mrs. Tan Soo Bin |
[Research on-going]
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.
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| Tan Soo Bin |
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| Tan Soo Bin |
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| Tan Soo Bin's Baby ( I can't make out the name ) |
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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 |
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| Tan Eng Chiang's Baby 16.6.1933 |
References
Chinese Personalities. Mr. Tan Soo Bin. (1935, December 8). The Straits Times, page 19
Death of Mr. Tan Soo Bin. (1939, August 12). Malaya Tribune, page 12
Death of Mr. Tan Soo Bin. (1939, August 12). Malaya Tribune, page 12
Death of Miss Tan Hoe Neo In Melbourne. (1941, May 1). Malaya Tribune, page 5
Deaths. (1943, October 16). Syonan Shimbun, page 2
Funeral of Mr. Tan Soo Bin tomorrow. (1939, August 14). The Singapore Free Press, page 7
Chinese Gift To R.A.F. (1940, September 8). The Straits Times, page 7
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