Notice of exhumation of graves at St. John Church Cemetery Singapore

St. John Church Cemetery grounds at Jurong Road Track 20 has be cordoned of for some time. I was fortunate enough to visit and document the place twice - see my article from November, 2021 and February, 2023. Finally the notice is out on today's Strait Times - the graves will be exhumed.  

The article reads:

Based on the Urban Redevelopment Authority's gazetted Master Plan 2019, the St. John Church Cemetery is located with the Tengah Town on land zoned "Residential". The Housing & Development Board (HDB), as the agent appointed by the Government, is undertaking site clearance to facilitate future development. To support HDB in the land preparation work, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will assist in undertaking the exhumation of the affected graves on site. 

Registration of Claims 

"Forest Town" - Tengah HDB coming up just beyond the hill 

Exhumation process

From the article, you will have the various exhumations options available. Do also note that if unclaimed, the ashes of the unclaimed Christian person will be scattered at sea after 3 years. 

For a Christian, this is shocking news as by right, remains of a Christian should be kept "whole" and not disposed at sea. My personal opinion is The elders of the St. John Chapel (now located at 111 Farrer Road) should ultimately be responsible in claiming the remains of those not claimed assuming all tombs have been identified and documented. 

Affected Tombs 

I took some videos to document both the undisturbed tombs there as well as some exhumed ones. Do note it is not comprehensive and i would have missed many in that area as well as the non-Christian tombs located at the foot of the hill.

The oldest tomb we found there was one from 1895. There was also an exhumed tomb that perked my interest because the tomb mason who erected the tomb (Lim Choon Seng) was clearly engraved also on the marble stone foundation. 

Background 

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.

The Anglican Church has moved to Farrer Road and is known today as St. John's Chapel at 111 Farrer Road.

References

Notice of Exhumation of graves at St.John Church Cemetery - Classifieds. (2024, August 16). The Straits Times, page C11

St. John's Church - The "almost" forgotten Church at Old Jurong Road. (Rojak Librarian), published on 27 November 2021

The end of former St. John's Church Cemetery at Old Jurong Road. (Rojak Librarian), published on 9 February 2023.