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 competition in the Balestier Range in August 10th 1907, the Chinese company of the S.V.I won the Warren Shield for the first time with a narrow margin of 2 points. Among the team members were a number of people which i have written about. The Chinese Company members who won included; Col-Sergt. Tan Soo Bin, L.Cpl. Tan Piah Eng, 2nd Lt. Song Ong Siang, L.Cpl. Chua Lip Kee, 2nd Lieut. E.A. Brown, Sergt. Tan Chow Kim, Pte. Seow Cheng Liew and Cpl. Teow Keong Hee.

Tan Piah Eng - A Warren Shield Winning Team of 1907

Bukit Timah Rubber Estates, Ltd.

In 1905, Tan Piah Eng was hired by Chasseriau Estate (owned by Mr. G. Pertila and Revd. N.J. Couveror representing the French Mission) and in 1909 that land was taken over by a British company called Bukit Timah Estates, Ltd. Mr. Tan Piah Eng has been long time employee associated with the Bukit Timah Rubber Estates, Ltd (1910 -1955) and you find many articles of annual profits or losses reported in the old newspapers. Part of the land where Bukit Timah Estate (244 acres or 98-hectres) was acquired for the Singapore Turf Club - Race Course in 1927 for $850,000. Eventually as more development took place, land was sold for landed properties around that area. The company survived till 1955 before it was liquidated. Both his sons, Tan Kim Seng and Tan Kim Kee (who were born on the grounds of the Bukit Timah Rubber estate) joined the company as assistants and work there for many years as well. When the estate liquidated in 1955, Tan Piah Eng already 75 years old then, wrote an emotional letter to his former company to be justly compensated for his loyalty and years of service. I was told he received nothing. 

In 1916, Tan Piah Eng bought 3 pieces of freehold land at Bukit Timah Road, opposite the Cluny Road railway station (total 7 acres, 1 rood and 39 poles) for $4,500. 

Bukit Timah Estate before the Race Course (Singapore Turf Club) -1924
(source: National Archives, Singapore)

Bukit Timah Estate after the Race Course appears (Singapore Turf Club) -1945
(source: National Archives, Singapore)

Family 

Note: This article is not meant to be a comprehensive mapping of the family tree of Tan Piah Eng (it is a work in progress with gaps that will be slowly filled up when information is made known and permission given). 

Wife: Madam Sim Khuan Neo alias Mama Siam

Madam Sim Khuan Neo nee Mrs. Tan Piah Eng passed away at the age of 48 on 26 October 1932. She is buried in Bukit Brown. The children listed on her tomb are as follows;
Sons; Tan Kim Seng, Tan Kim Kee, Tan Kim Swee, Tan Kim Siang
Daughters; Tan Yang Neo, Tan Hock Neo, Tan Onn Neo, Tan Chwee Neo,

Daughter (died before her mother): Tan Hoon Phian Neo (1906-1924) died at the age of 18 at on 27 July 27, 1924.

Madam Sim Khuan Neo and children (from left: Tan Hoon Phian Neo, Tan Kim Swee, Tan Kim Seng and Tan Oon Neo (photo courtesy of Melvin Yap)

Wife: Madam Sim alias Mama Peh Seh 

I have very little information about Madam Sim alias Mama Peh Seh.

Son: Tan Kim Kee. 

Madam Sim alias Mama Peh Seh
(photo courtesy of Tan Engsoo)

Wife: Madam Chan Ah Siew 

Madam Chan Ah Siew (11 July 1897 - 19 December 1969) and family stayed in 614-3 Bedok Road (later renumbered as 10- J Bedok Road, Singapore 16). 

Children: Teo Geok Neo,  Tan Kim Suan, Tan Mary, Tan Kah Eng, Nellie

Madam Chan Ah Siew and Tan Piah Eng at Kallang Airport
(photo courtesy of Tan Engsoo)

Wife: Oh Kim Soh

Madam Oh Kim Soh passed away at the age of 53 on 12 October 1960 and was buried at Hock San Teng Cemetery in Jalan Tiga Ratus. In 1978, Hock San Teng and Wah Suan Teng private cemetery in Jalan Tiga Ratus made way for development in 1979 and it was announced that more than 5000 graves are to be exhumed. Madam Oh Kim Soh now lies at rest at the Yishun Columbarium. 

From the information of her death certificate, the informant listed on the certificate was a Mr. Oh Sin Teck of 102-A Red Hill Close. With this 2 names, i can make an informed guess that they are siblings and the children of Mr. Ong Tiang Soo and Khoo Pek Yong alias Besar and grandchildren of Mr. Oh Kee Chuan. 

Madam Oh Kim Soh
(photo courtesy of Tan Engsoo) 

Niche of Madam Oh Kim Soh
(photo courtesy of Tan Engsoo) 

Location of tomb

Peter Tan Piah Eng was buried in Bidadari Christian Cemetery and subsequently reinterred in 2002 at Choa Chu Kang columbarium. 

Tomb of Peter Tan Piah Eng at Bidadari Christian Cemetery
(photo courtesy of Tan Engsoo)

Tan Piah Eng's signature
(photo courtesy of Tan Engsoo)

Invoice from Singapore Casket -1955 for the marble memorial of the
late Peter Tan Piah Eng in Bidadari Christian Cemetery
(photo courtesy of Tan Engsoo)

[research still on-going]

References & Credits

Most of the family photos and details of Madam Sim alias Mama Peh Seh, Madam Chan Ah Siew and Madam Oh Kim Soh were made possible via correspondence with Dennis Tan Engsoo (son of Tan Kim Suan). For his sharing and sharing of photos and documents - i am truly grateful.

Singapore Turf Club.(Singapore Infopedia). National Library, Singapore. 

Bukit Timah Rubber Estate Ltd. (website). Archives Online, National Archives, Singapore. 

John Hochstadt (former Bidadari Cemetery).(website). Rojak librarian, posted on 4 October 2024

Song, O.S. (1984). One hundred years history of the Chinese in Singapore. Singapore: Oxford University Press

https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/maps_building_plans/record-details/9e7767eb-d90f-11e9-90d4-001a4a5ba61b

https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/maps_building_plans/record-details/fba4c647-115c-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad