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Rojak Librarian

The Rojak Librarian is a blog that covers a range of topics related to Singapore's history, culture, and heritage. There are many articles on Bukit Brown, exploring the cemetery's past and present, the lives of the people buried there and the social and cultural significance of the site. I also cover about nature and Birdwatching in some of my articles.

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Showing posts from 2024

Posts

Lee Teck Puay (Bukit Brown)

October 20, 2024

Block 4 Div A Hill 4

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Ong Wah Ting (Bukit Brown)

October 20, 2024

Block 4 Div A Hill 4

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Goh Wong Chun (Bukit Brown)

October 20, 2024

Block 4 Div C Hill 4

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Kheam Hock Road Temple (Images from the Past)

October 16, 2024

Elliot Collection Images from the Past kheam hock road village temple

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Teow Keong Hee (Bukit Brown)

October 13, 2024

Block 5 Division B Hill 5

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Tan Piah Eng (former Bidadari Christian Cemetery)

October 10, 2024

Family - Tan Piah Eng former bidadari cemetery

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Amy Illovsky nee Amy Wong (former Bidadari Cemetery)

October 09, 2024

former bidadari cemetery

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Ee Boon Koon and Ang Liew Neo (Bukit Brown)

October 08, 2024

Block 5 Division B Hill 5

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Madam Tay Tit Neo (Lao Sua)

October 08, 2024

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Lau Kim Tuan (Bukit Brown)

October 08, 2024

Block 4 Div A Hill 4

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Miss Teo Geok Neo (Lao Sua)

October 06, 2024

Died Young exhumed Family - Tan Piah Eng Lao Sua

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Labels

Bukit Brown957
Hill 3307
Hill 1181
Hill 4160
decorative tiles133
Died Young131
Block 3 Div D130
Block 4 Div A111
Hill 296
birdwatching83

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Rojak Librarian: Nature has a lot to teach us, if only we stop to pay attention.

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Resource Guide on Bukit Brown

History from the Hills (2013)

Newspaper mentions (2014)

Newspaper mentions (2017)

Tuesday Report (2018) 星期二特写 | 行脚。发现第4集：武吉布朗之旅

Newspaper mentions(2022)

Grave Matters-The Greater Bukit Brown(2023)

Newspaper mentions(2024)

The Stories Behind: Birdwatcher turned grave hunter reunites families with forgotten tombs of their ancestors(2022)

Rojak Librarian+ (other Rojak matters)

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Popular Post

Kheam Hock Road Temple (Images from the Past)

The description of the photo reads - Chinese temple in Kheam Hock Road, Singapor e. This is from the Elliot Collection which is accessible online from the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology website . To me this is fascinating. I have seen and identified photos of the Bukit Brown Cemetery Temple but this is my first time seeing this temple photo that was described to be on Kheam Hock Road itself (assuming the description of the photo is correct). The photo was taken in 1950 -1951 and what i can see is that the roof is still a thatched roof one, with the temple built on wood and on slightly elevated ground. Behind the temple is another larger structure - a building built with concrete or bricks and is double story. From the typography of the pictures when combined together, it is unlikely to be the Seh Ong Temple / Ong Clan Temple in the main central area of Kheam Hock Road and Jalan Berahi (although the photos i have of the area around Kheam Hock Road is from the early 1992) and

Kamala Circus - The Great Indian Circus visits Singapore

I heard about the Tai Thean Kew circus from my involvement with Bukit Brown and during one my tours on the Queenstown Heritage Trail , i was told of another Indian circus troupe that existed in the late 1950's and 1960's. Recently, while curating ideas for a Bukit Brown tour on Pioneers of Early Entertainment, i came across a travelling circus troupe by the name of Kamala Circus. Kamala Circus (source: NewspaperSG) Kamala Circus was reputed to be the largest travelling show in the Far East. It boasted over 100 Indian artist and featured acts such as the flying trapeze act, the "Globe of Death" motor cycle act by two young girls, a 30 foot leap by a motorcyclist and the "cat" act. It claims over 300 tons of equipment and animals which include 16 horses, 8 Ceylon baby elephants, an African lion and 2 lionesses, 2 tiger cubs and 3 Indian mountain goats. It came to Singapore in 1947 from India via Ceylon and performed for a month before touring around th

Relocated tombs from Heng San Teng (Kopi Sua Cemetery)

If you visit the Whitley Road Cemetery also colloquially known as Kopi Sua, there lies a cluster of tombs, each close to each other and each with only headstones. Many of this stones dates back to late 1800s and are from the Heng Sang Teng Cemetery at Silat Road where the Singapore General Hospital is now. What is also interesting are jars that store skeletal remains of the exhumed dead are also visible in concrete container holding areas. The Heng San Teng temple and its public cemetery was established by Seet Hoot Keh (1793-1847) a prominent Hokkien. Born in Malacca, he made his wealth in tin mining before setting business in Singapore during the time when Singapore began to prosper as a British colony and port of call. In 1828, Seet Hoot Keh established the Heng San Teng temple. He eventually retired in Malacca and pass away in 1847. and is survived by 6 sons and 11 daughters. Among them are his grandson, See Ewe Lay (owner of the first Chinese paper, Lat Pau) and his great grandso

Tan Piah Eng (former Bidadari Christian Cemetery)

Mr. Tan Piah Eng (1878 - 1955) was the Assistant Manager and later Manager of the Bukit Timah Rubber Estate and a member of the Singapore Voluntary Infantry. He was a rifle sharp shooter that together with fellow volunteers such as Tan Soo Bin , Sir Song Ong Siang and Tan Chow Kim won the Warren Shield. During the outbreak of War, he served a 4 year term dividing his time between his work in the Bukit Timah Rubber Estate and his duties at the Drill Hall as the Quartermaster. Mr Tian Pah Eng who was by 1922, a Company Quartermaster Sergeant was awarded the Long Service Medal on the occasion of King George V birthday parade on 3 June 1922. Tan Piah Eng / Peter Tan Piah Eng passed away at the age of 77 on 27 February 1955. The cortege left from 614-3 Bedok Road for Bidadari Christian Cemetery. Photo of Mr. Tan Piah Eng at the age of 75 Words mentions: With My Best Compliments, Piah Eng, 27 July 1952 (Photo courtesy of Melvin Yap) Chinese Co. S.V.I wins the Warren Shield In the compe

The end of former St. John's Church Cemetery at the Old Jurong Road

We had the opportunity to visit the former St. John's Church Cemetery at the Old Jurong Road on 4 February 2023 and to no surprises the hoarding marking the start of the development phase and the destruction of the jungle area and the cemetery. We were curious to see whether the tombs there have been exhumed but found that the area has been undisturbed. There were no markers nor anything stating that the effected tombs will be exhumed as of yet. The signs were cleared when we saw they were already starting to destroy the tar road of the former Old Jurong Road. Next were the green hoardings to prevent eventual entry of humans to the work area. Hoarding up marking the next phase of demolishing the forest The tar road of the Old Jurong Road being destroyed I took some videos to document both the undisturbed tombs there as well as some exhumed ones. Hopefully, proper respect will be given to those still intact and the tombs properly documented before they are exhumed and cleared.

Tan Swee Hoe and family (Batu Pahat)

Sometime back in August 2012, i wrote an article about Tan Swee Hoe who is buried in Bukit Brown. Tan Swee Hoe came to Singapore as a young boy and worked his way up, eventually becoming one of founders of Ho Hong Bank, and later a director of Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) after it merged with it. He was also for two terms, the president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Batu Pahat, shareholder of Ho Aik Steamships. Tan Swee Hoe was a member of the Council of State, Johore and received a title S.M.J (Setia Mahkota Johore) from the government of Johore in 1929 for his contributions. He owned several property in Singapore and Batu Pahat. Tan Swee Hoe In January 2014, i was fortunate to make a trip with like minded friends to Batu Pahat to visit one of the properties he owned as well as a temple he contributed too and finally the grave of his son. Tan Swee Hoe's mansion First on my wishlist was Tan Swee Hoe's mansion on 160 Jalan Kluang, Batu Pah

Albert Lim Liat Juay and family (Bukit Brown)

It all started with a tomb request to find the burial location of Albert Lim Liat Juay (Dr. Albert Lim). Armed with 2 important oral account clues, the first one being that Albert Lim Liat Juay cremated remains were placed in an urn in Bukit Brown and the second clue was that there was a marble plaque that is said to be located together with his parents tomb, Mr. Lim Ie Ging and Mrs. Lim Ie Ging, nee Oei Khoen Neo (sister of the Sugar Baron Oei Tiong Ham). After confirmation that indeed there was a burial entry in Bukit Brown registrar, it was off to look for the marble plaque. Long story short, we found the plaque on the second attempt. Dr. Albert Lim Liat Juay was one of Singapore's most senior general medical practitioners. His secondary education was at George Watson's College in Edinburgh and medical education at the University of Edinburgh. He was a Municipal Commissioner until 1942 and served on the council of Raffles College, the visitors' board of the General Hosp

Miss Teo Geok Neo (Lao Sua)

We came across the tomb of Miss Teo Geok Neo during our hike in Lao Sua in June / July 2024. There was a sign next to it. Usually from experience, we guessed that this is a sign that the descendants have reconnected with her and wish for her to "move house" (exhumed) and placed together with her fellow love ones. Miss Teo Geok Neo / Annie Teo Geok Neo passed away at the age of 28 on 3 November 1952. She unfortunately passed away due to either pneumonia or tuberculosis. Miss Teo Geok Neo (photo courtesy of Tan Engsoon) A young Miss Teo Geok Neo with her mother, Mrs. Tan Piah Eng nee Madam Chan Ah Siew (source: Tan Engsoon) Miss Teo Geok Neo tomb in Lao Sua before she "moved house" Fast forward to September 2024, i manage to see pictures of her tomb posted by a nephew of Miss Teo Geok Neo under the moniker of Our Bedok Kampong House - Singapore on Bukit Brown facebook group ! What amazing coincidence and the black and white documentation of photos was of her tomb

The last kampong in Singapore (Buangkok)

The last surviving kampong (village) cluster of houses in Singapore mainland is Kampong Lorong Buangkok. Feburary 14 was my second visit to Buangkok with my friends. The last time i visited this place was in June 2011 and am pretty glad, father time has been gentle with this place for now. Getting there The nearest MRT if you are coming from the South, East or West of Singapore is the Serangoon Station (NE12 / CC13). From Serangoon Interchange, take bus 103 and get down at the bus stop that is in front of the Church of St.Vincent de Paul (bus stop: 67079). The landmark in front of you should be the Shell petrol station. Bus stop and buses that come here Cross Yio Chu Kang road and you should see a bridge that you will need to cross over. The bridge will bring you across the canal to Gerald Drive. After the bridge turn left and follow the road and at the bend of the road, on your right, the first house that you should be seeing is No 8 Lorong Buangkok. Welcome to Kampong Buangk

Mrs Koh Sek Lim nee Ang Chit Yan (Bukit Brown)

Madam Ang Chit Yan is buried in Bukit Brown, Hill 4 Section C plot no. 80. She is the wife of Mr. Koh Sek Lim whose legacy is remembered by two road named after him, Koh Sek Lim Road and Xilin Avenue. Madam Ang Chit Yan passed away at her residence Gulega Bedoh Estate, No 655-17, Padang Terbakar, Bedoh (Bedok) at 10:15 pm on Friday, 12th November 1937 at the age of 65. She is survived by her husband, Mr. Koh Sek Lim, 14 sons ( Koh Kong Wee , Koh Kong Wan, Koh Kong Boon, Koh Kong Seng, Koh Kong Sun, Koh Kong Hai, Koh Kong Leong, Koh Kong Hor, Koh Kong Thian and 5 others, 5 daughters-in-law, (Mrs. Koh Kong Wee, Mrs. Koh Kong Wan. Mrs. Koh Kong Seng, Mrs. Koh Kong Sun, Mrs, Koh Kong Hor, 10 daughters, 4 son-in-laws ( Yeo Eng Tiong, Wee Swee Seng, Lim Teck Seng, Lim Eng Yong and 30 grandchildren). On her tombstones, the complete names of the sons and daughters include: Sons: Koh Kong Wee , Koh Kong Wan, Koh Kong Boon, Koh Kong Seng, Koh Kong Sun, Koh Kong Hai, Koh Kong Leong, Koh Kong H

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