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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 August, 2024

Posts

Chua Seng Kee and family (Kopi Sua)

August 31, 2024

decorative tiles kopi sua

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Miss Seat Eng Neo (Kopi Sua)

August 31, 2024

Died Young kopi sua

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Mrs. Yeo Kim Seng nee Chua Hok Neo (Images from the Past)

August 30, 2024

Elliot Collection Images from the Past Yeo Clan Burial Ground

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Chinese Funeral at Peck San Teng (Images from the Past)

August 27, 2024

Elliot Collection Images from the Past

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Cemetery picture from 1950 (Images from the Past)

August 25, 2024

Elliot Collection Images from the Past

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Qing Ming at Yeo Clan Burial Ground (Images from the Past)

August 24, 2024

Elliot Collection Images from the Past Yeo Clan Burial Ground

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49th day ritual after the burial of Yong Yit Lin (Images of the Past)

August 24, 2024

Elliot Collection Images from the Past

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Funeral of Yong Yit Lin (Images from the Past)

August 22, 2024

Elliot Collection Images from the Past Murder

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Tay Tek Neo (Lao Sua)

August 19, 2024

decorative tiles Lao Sua

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Bukit Brown Spirit Film Festival 2024

August 19, 2024

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Labels

Bukit Brown954
Hill 3307
Hill 1181
Hill 4156
decorative tiles132
Block 3 Div D130
Died Young128
Block 4 Div A108
Hill 295
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

Funeral of Tay Koh Yat at Bukit Brown

I am fortunate to get a glimpse of rare photos, this time of a gentlemen who was well loved by the people during his lifetime - Mr. Tay Koh Yat (鄭古悅) (1880-1957) , recipient of the Certificate of Honor, Order of the British Empire. This rare photos that i selected for this article were of his funeral procession at Bukit Brown and the photos came to light because it was donated by the family of Tay Soo Choon (one of Tay Koh Yat's son) and made available online via National Library Board (NLB) . For those who are not familiar with Tay Koh Yat, his story is one of rags to riches, eventually becoming the Proprietor of Tay Koh Yat Bus Company. He was also a war hero, a community leader and staunch anti-communist. He was conferred the Order of the British Empire in 1952 for his courage in keeping the bus service in operation despite Communist threats and repeated arsons. Tay Koh Yat passed away at midnight, 29 January 1957 (Chinese New Year eve) at his home at No. 58 Tras Street. He is

Bukit Brown Burial Receipt (Syonan Tokubetu Si)

The Syonan Tokubetu Si Cemetery Certification for Registration burial receipt caught my eye in a facebook group post recently. It was a Certification for Registration receipt issue for payment for burial under the Syonan Tokubetsu Si (Municipal Administration for Singapore as it was known during Japanese Occupation). The receipt has the word Bukit Brown written on it and the other important thing was the date - 2nd December 1945 . We know that the Japanese occupiers surrendered on 14 September 1945 and yet this receipt post-dates that significant date. Was there a mistake in the year ? Unlikely as 1945 is written twice in this receipt. It is more likely that post war, office supplies were still rare to come by, so the Municipal Administrators continued using the old receipts. But to be very certain, we looked at 2 things - the burial registrar of Bukit Brown and of another the actual tomb itself ! Burial receipt (photo courtesy of William Teo) The Bukit Brown burial registrar confir

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

Lee Soon Swee and family (Bukit Brown)

Lee Soon Swee passed away at the age of 68 on 4 June 1929. His residence was listed as No. 340-A, East Coast Road. He leaves behind an aged mother, a widow, 6 sons: Lee Tian Seck, Lee Tian Yew, Lee Tian Quan, Lee Tian Cheok, Lee Tian Teck and Lee Tian Whee 6 daughters, about 25 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Penang, Rangoon and China papers please copy. Lee Soon Swee was the Manager of the Batu Pahat Bank Limited. Lee Soon Swee Lee Soon Swee Batu Pahat Bank Limited Family Father: Lee Soo Tat The only clue i have is that Lee Soo Tat died somewhere before 1929 and he was a merchant in Singapore for many years. The nearest i could find of a Mr. Lee Soo Tat was one who was reported in an article titled - The Johore Scandal (September 1897). Lee Soo Tat was described as a person who traded in and around Singapore for the last 40 years. On 1st December 1895, he deposited $400 as security and became for 3 years an opium frmer for Poh Laylung (a small island near Pulau Ubin bel

St. John's Church - The "almost" forgotten Church at Old Jurong Road

One of the first villages with a significant Ann Kway population was Hong Kah Village. The name of the village comes from the Hokkien and Teochew term for "bestowing a religion" which was also the colloquial name for Chinese Christians. In 1876, a Chinese Christian convert, Tay Hong Seng contributed 3 acres of land for a church at the 11th milestone. St. John's Church was completed in 1884 and consecrated and dedicated under the name of St. John on 4 February 1884. It held services in Hokkien, Teochew and Hakka. According to oral account , the village was established when parishioners approach the Church pastor who applied to the colonial land bureau and was granted 60 acres of land and 10 families established what was known as "Hong Kah Choon" (Christian Village in Teochew and Hokkien dialect). An 1890 article mentions the mission in Jurong is stable and growing owning to the Christian population that cultivates the soil in that area. source: Jurong Heritage

Wee Oh Thow (Kopi Sua)

Wee Oh Thow passed away at the age of 81 on 16 January 1957. Wee Oh Thow Tomb of Wee Oh Thow Location of tomb Wee Oh Thow is located in Kopi Sua or Whitley Road Hokkien Cemetery. Wee Oh Thow tomb in Kopi Sua

Madam Tan Cheng Neo (Bukit Brown)

Madam Tan Cheng Neo passed away at the age of 68 on 29 November 1945. Listed on her tomb are the name of her children; Sons: Tay Siong Guan, Tay Siong Chuan Daughter: Tay Say Peck Neo Grandson: Tay Liang Chye, Tay Liang Teck Granddaughter: Tay Liang Neo From the various articles, i gather that Madam Tan Cheng Neo is likely Mrs. Tay Kee Choon. Madam Tan Cheng Neo / Mrs. Tay Kee Choon Husband: Tay Kee Choon The only mention i could find of Tay Kee Choon was a article in 15 March 1913 which mentions that Tay Kee Choon, a Straits-born was charged with being drunk and incapable in Malabar Street. Police Constable No.48 found him lying on the roadside drunk. He was taken to the police station in a rickshaw. Tay Kee Choon pleaded guilty saying his friends left him there. He was fined $1. Son: Tay Siong Guan The marriage of Mr. Tay Siong Guan (eldest son of Mrs. Tay Kee Choon) to Miss Ee Lee Neo (only daughter of Mr. Ee Ann Poh) took place at 20 Crane Road off Joo Chiat Road, the residence

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 Chian and family (Kopi Sua)

The tomb of Tan Chian alias Tan Kwee Chian 陳貴賤 was identified by Raymond Goh while we were exploring an area of the Hokkien Cemetery near Mount Pleasant colloquially known as Kopi Sua. While searching through the newspapers archives, we can slowly piece together the story of Tan Chian (1876-1944) and his family. Tan Chian passed away at his residence at No. 19 Scotts Road at the age of 68 on November 3, 2604 (the Japanese koki calender for 1944). He is survived by 7 sons, ( Messrs. Tan Beng Kee, Tan Beng Thong, Tan Beng Wah, Tan Beng Teck, Tan Beng Guan, Tan Beng Ghee and Tan Beng Hui), 4 daughters, 1 son-in-law and 14 grandchildren. Tan Kwee Chian Tan Chian alias Tan Kwee Chian Tan Chian (alias Tan Kwee Chian) was a timber merchant and sawmill propertier with company under the name of Chop Chye Hin, Beach Road. He was also a shareholder in the Chinese Commercial Bank. Mr. Tan Chian was granted a certificate of naturalization by the British Colonial Government in 1919.

Tan How Thiam (Bukit Brown)

Tan How Thiam / Tan How Theam (married to an Ng) passed away at the age of 36 on 9 December 1945. Tan How Thiam Location of tomb Block 4 Section A plot P552

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