Madam Chua Siew Neo / Mrs. Chia Keow (Lao Sua)

October 25, 2023 contractor Lao Sua

Madam Chua Siew Neo, wife of the late Chia Keow passed away at the age of 49 on 21 July 1910. Unfortunately i do not have any information about Madam Chua Siew Neo for now.

Chua Siew Neo

Mr. Chia Keow was a building contractor who head the firm of Messrs. Chia Keow & Co., whose office is in 90 Bencoolen Street. During his career, he secured and completed many contracts including for the construction of the Hackney Carriage and Jinricksha Depot, Hongkong and Shanghai Bank.
His company was responsible for the construction of the Adelphi Hotel, Messrs. Fraser and Neave's Aerated Water Factory, the Cold Storage Company's Premises, the Singapore Cricket Club Pavilion
He retired owning to poor health in early 1900s and settled down back in China where he eventually passed away in November 1906 at the age of 63.

From a September 1894,article we get insight that Chia Keow and Chia Ong Cheng were partners of the firm "Chia Keow & Co" or chop "Teong Seng" before Chia Ong Cheng retired in September 1894.

Family

The late Mr. Chia Keow leaves a widow and quite a number of children and grandson to mourn his loss.

Son: Chia Tiong Kim / Chia Teong Kim
One of his sons, Chia Tiong Kim was a partner of Messrs. Kim & Co in Battery Road (then a well know bookseller of Singapore) and later the Secretary of the Garden Club

Son: Chia Tiong Suan / Chia Teong Suan
and another son, Chia Tiong Suan a partner of Messrs. Chuan Moh & Co, Teluk Ayer Street, but later went on to Banking and joined the Hongkong Bank under the guidance of the compradore, See Teong Wah. After that, the Chinese Commercial Bank as a manager and later manager of Overseas Chinese Bank. Mr Chia Tiong Suan passed away on May 1921. The funeral of the late Chia Teong Suan (late manager of the Overseas Bank, Singapore took place on 24 May 1921 from his house at No. 1 Emerald Hill.

Grandson: Chia Boon Thiam

Chia Boon Thiam (eldest son of the late Mr. Chia Tiong Suan and Mrs. Chia Tiong Suan) got engaged to Miss Lim Kim Neo (eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lim Teck Kim). In September 1926, over a hundred guest were present at a dinner at Ramsgate, Pasir Panjang in honour of the marriage of Miss Lim Kim Neo, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lim Teck Kim of Messrs. Lim Hoe Chiang Co. and of the Happy Valley Ltd and niece of Mr. Lim Teck Lock ) to Chia Boon Tiam (eldest son of the late Mr. Chia Tiong Suan and Mrs. Chia Tiong Suan).

Granddaughter: Chia Neo Cheow

Chia Neo Cheow (eldest daughter of Mrs. Chia Tiong Suan and the late Mr. Chia Tiong Suan of No. 96 Lorong, East Coast) married Mr. Lim Cheng Jin (eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Lim Chay Chuan, Merchant of Chop Nam Seng, Hong Kong) in 16 January 1926.

Buildings by Messrs. Chia Keow & Co.

Most of the architects for the building below were Swan and Maclaren. The building contractor was Chia Keow & Co.