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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. I wrote many articles on Bukit Brown, exploring the cemetery's past and present, the lives of the early pioneers buried there and the social and cultural significance of the site. I also cover about nature and birdwatching.

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Showing posts from March, 2025

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Battle for Singapore Heritage Tours 2025 - Bukit Brown Cemetery

Bukit Brown war

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Bukit Brown968
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Rojak Librarian (Peter Pak): Advocate for Conservation of Bukit Brown Cemetery. Heritage and Nature Enthusiast.

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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)

Newspaper mentions(2024)

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

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Popular Post

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...

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...

Mak Kanaga (Lao Sua)

It was a simple tomb in Lao Sua (Heng San Teng), but the words of MAK KANAGA, died 21 December 1915 that caught our eye and made this tomb very unique. I was told that she either married a Lim or was adopted into the Lim family. The Lim family ancestry village listed on the tomb is Kinmen. So who is Mak Kanaga ? She is very likely a non-chinese lady. The word Mak translates from Malay to mean the honorific title of "Aunt". Kanaga could be a Malay, Tamil, Japanese, etc lady, but this will remain a mystery for now.

Lim Nee Soon and family (Bukit Brown)

Mr. Lim Nee Soon's wife (Wee Pek Hay) and two of his son's ( Lim Chong Kuo and Lim Chong Pang ) tomb can be found in Bukit Brown, Block 4 Division A. Mr. Lim Nee Soon is not buried there but in Nanking, China. It is however difficult to write a story about Lim Nee Soon family members tomb cluster in Bukit Brown, without first introducing Mr. Lim Nee Soon first. Pineapple King and Patriot Mr. Lim Nee Soon (1879-1936) is the son of Mr Lim Peng Guan and was born in Kampong Glam, Beach Road in 1879. His father died when Lim Nee Soon was only 8 years old and was left in the care of his maternal grandfather, Mr. Teo Lee (Mr Teo Eng Hock's father). Lim Nee Soon received his early education in both St. Joseph Institution and Anglo-Chinese School and therefore proficient in both English and Chinese languages. A Teochew, he started from scratch, working as a shopkeeper assistant at the age of 18 and from there he climbed the rungs by next working for timber merchant Tan Tye a...

Soh Boon Hup and family (Bukit Brown)

Soh Boon Hup was a stevedore and proprietor of Son Boon Hup and Co. with office at Raffles Chamber. He owned many "tongkangs" or "twakows". This boats were used primarily to transport cargo between ships in the outer harbour and godowns along the Singapore river. He started Soh Boon Hup and Co. , a tongkangs and twakows business 20 years ago with a capital of $20,000 being his own savings since the time he worked for his father about 30 years ago. Soh Boon Hup was an avid football player who played with White Star in 1912-1918 and continued play for senior charity matches, and there was records of Soh Boon Hup playing soccer up to 1932. Soh Boon Hup passed away on 14th February 1939 at the age of 51. Madam Poh Lye Neo and Mr. Soh Boon Hup Soh Boon Hup's company Tongkangs and Twakows at Boat Quay along Singapore River in the 1930s The decline of Soh Boon Hup Co. The business was a little profitable at first but started to decline since 1927 onw...

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...

Royal Johor Mausoleum Telok Blangah (Makam Diraja Telok Blangah)

Makam Diraja Johor Telok Blangah or The Royal Johor Mausoleum Telok Blangah stands out to visitors as you pass by its premise (opposite Harbour Front MRT -Vivo City) and the first thing you will notice other than the mosque (Masjid Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim Johor Darul Ta'zim) and mausoleum is that the flag raised on the flag pole - it is the Johor State Flag. Indeed the land and buildings on this grounds belong to the Royal Family of Johor. Fortunately i did not need to bring my passport but one should not trespass into this grounds unless for official reasons or invited to visit. Fortunately for me, i was able to visit the cemetery behind the mausoleum to take a peek at the personalities buried here and listen to the interesting nuggets shared by Sarafian Salleh (aka Tuah Bugis) a heritage expert and volunteer guide for MyCommunity whose tour, MyCommunity Festival - My Last Journey i signed up for. This wasn't my first time visiting the Royal Johor Mausoleum. I joined Sarafia...

Superintendent House and Office at Bukit Brown Cemetery

Thanks to Beng Tang who alerted me to the aerial photograph of the Superintendent House / Office / Coolie Quarters (not to be confused with the coolie lines ) of Bukit Brown. This photo does not provide a full and clear picture of the Superintendent House, but at least now there are more pictures available that show how beautiful and large this building actually was. It is also nostalgic to see the Bukit Brown "roundabout" where we use to gather in the past before the highway was built. Superintendent House at Bukit Brown (source: NAS ) Superintendent House with Bukit Brown roundabout in front of it Tomb of Yeo Seok Hwa (in background is the Superintendent Quarters) (photo courtesy of Tan Keng Leck) Bukit Brown Aerial View of the major buildings (source: NAS ) (source: NAS )

Battle for Singapore Heritage Tours 2025 - Bukit Brown Cemetery

I lost count of the number of times i did tours in support of the National Heritage Board's annual event to commemorate the anniversary of the Fall of Singapore and a constant reminder never to forget the past and to never take Total Defence Day for granted. It is also an opportunity to remind everyone how important Bukit Brown Cemetery is as space that represents not only the pioneers who died during that period but also as a battlefield site where an intense battle was fought during the final hours before Singapore surrendered. The information and photos of my tour below: Bukit Brown Memorial Tour - Remembering the Victims and Its Heroes by Peter Pak Date: 1 March 2025 Time: 9.00am - 12.00pm (3 hrs) Price: Free with registration (Session is limited to 25 pax) Meeting Point: Platform at Hill 1 via Lorong Halwa into Bukit Brown Cemetery Join Peter Pak on an exploration of Bukit Brown Cemetery. Learn about tragic events, such as the sinking of a ship that killed women and ch...

Raboenah Djambi (Bukit Brown)

Raboenah Djambi or Ragumah binte Eusofe was a Malay woman from Djambi who married a Chinese man with the surname of Lee and eventually settled down in Singapore and from that union they had 2 sons and 2 daughters. Raboenah passed away at the age of 46 on 23th April 1926. In the burial registrar, Ragumah binte Eusofe was listed as a Malay who converted to Chinese. Her tomb is located at Hill 1 Division F, plot 27. Raboenah Djambi Raboenah Djambi age 46 years Malay converted into Chinese Other tombs in Bukit Brown who are non-chinese include: Masiyah , Yamada Ofuni , Wiesje De Haay , Nek Mina .

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