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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 August, 2025

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Tok Hock Guan (Bukit Brown)

August 01, 2025

Block 4 Div C video

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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

Tan Teck Siew Willie (Bukit Brown)

Tan Teck Siew Willie was born on 20 May 1930 and passed away on 14 December 1938. His tomb mound is rectangle in shape (similar to western style ones). He was 8 years old. Unfortunately that is the only information i have of him for now. Location of tomb On the burial registrar his name is listed as Tan Teck Siew and his dialect is Hokkien and 9 years old when he passed away. Block 4 Section C, plot 806 20250727 Tomb of Tan Teck Siew Willie at Bukit Brown

Madam Chan Ah Moey (Bukit Brown)

The marble tomb was damaged and most gathered on the ceramic photograph, but still able to make glimpse of it. After some effort to clean-up, we are able to find a bit more details. Madam Chan Ah Moey passed away on 30 December 1938. On the burial registrar, her age is listed as 44 and name written as Chan Ah Mui and her dialect, Teochew The name of her children; Son: Tan Cheng Hai Daughter: Tan Siew Gek Madam Chan Ah Moey ceramic photo is very beautiful with her wearing a kerongsang brooch and crown. Madam Chan Ah Moey Madam Chan Ah Moey / Chan Ah Mui Location of tomb Block 4 Section C, plot 838 20050726 Exploring: Is there a link to Tan Chin Tah (?)

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...

Wee Toh Nee (Bukit Brown)

Wee Toh Nee passed away on 23 May 1944 at the age of 85. From Raymond Goh's blog , i gathered the name of his children as follows; Sons : Wee Ban Choon, Wee Ban Swee, Wee Ban Guan Grandson : Wee Teck Bee, Wee Teck Poh In 1912, it was reported that Wee Toh Nee of Chop Bun Bee of 179 and 503 Havelock Road had acquired 2 new telephone lines - 1265 and 1266. I am not to sure what business Wee Toh Nee was in, but he definitely had money to buy properties and seemingly acquired many especially in Shanghai Road area. Wee Toh Nee Property Purchases Wee Toh Nee bought freehold land at Shanghai Road area 4854 square feet for $900 (17 June 1919) Wee Toh Nee bought freehold land at Shanghai Road area 12,120 sq. ft for $2,800 Wee Toh Nee bought freehold land and house, 4,5 and 6 Beo Lane area 4,237 sq. ft for $5,850 (21 March 1924) Wee Ban Guan bought freehold land at Shanghai Road area approximately 7,000 sq. ft for $3,200 (31 March 1931). Family Wife: Madam Tan Luan N...

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 Paha...

Dr. Lee Choo Neo (Bukit Brown)

Dr. Lee Choo Neo (1895-1947) is the daughter of Lee Hoon Leong . (Lee Hoon Leong is Mr Lee Kuan Yew's grandfather). Born in 1895, Dr. Lee Choo Neo received her education in Singapore Chinese Girls' School and later, 3 years in Raffles Girls School. Lee Choo Neo was the first Straits Settlement woman to obtain the Senior Cambridge Certificate in 1911. She excelled in school and was also active in organising plays in aid of the Chinese Red Cross Society First Female Chinese Doctor and a Progressive Woman She joined the King Edward VII Medical School despite criticism and discouragement from outside her family circle and in 1919 became the first Chinese woman to graduate in Medicine and was appointed Lady Assistant Surgeon at the General Hospital. She was a progressive woman and was one of the founders of the Chinese Ladies Association of Malaya, promoting physical and social education of Chinese woman including...

Madam Low Siok Imm (Bukit Brown)

This beautiful marble tomb has a placeholder for huge ceramic photo but unfortunately it was not used. What touch me most was the wise advise left behind to those still living. "To Live In The Memory Of Those Who Love Is Not To Die" The tomb belong to Madam Low Siok Imm, wife of Mr. Teo Tiang Seng. Madam Low Siok Imm passed away at the age of 26 on 28 Jan 1939. In the burial registrar, her name is written as Low Seok Imm . Her dialect is listed as Hokkien. Madam Low Siok Imm - To Live In The Memory of Those Who Love Is Not To Die I found some information about a Mr. Teo Tiang Seng who was in the debating team of the Straits Chinese Reading Club (1934) and also to badminton, but i can't be sure at the moment. Location of tomb Block 4 Section C, 890 Mrs. Teo Tiang Seng nee Low Siok Imm Peacock tile

Tok Hock Guan (Bukit Brown)

Tok Hock Guan passed away at the age of 68 on 11 December 1939. The names of his children; Son: Tok Khoon Seng Daughter: Tok Chwee Neo Son-in-law: Gan Soon Huat Tok Hock Guan If you take a closer look at the headstone, there are 2 flags in the middle, although you can't really tell which country they represent. I have seen such symbols before which are more detailed and this flags usually denote the early flags of the Republic of China. (see Tan Tang Niah ; Yeo Tuck Quan ). Family Son: Tok Khoon Seng / Johnny Tok Khoon Seng Tok Khoon Seng passed away on 13 June 2007. Nieces: Susie Gan Kwee Hong, Molly Gan Kwee Lian, Mary Gan Kwee Eng, Nancy Gan Kwee Lin, Maggie Gan Kwee Geok Johnny Tok Khoon Seng Daughter: Tok Chwee Neo / Mrs. Gan Soon Huat Mrs. Gan Soon Huat nee Tok Chwee Neo passed away on 19 June 1971 leaving behind her husband, Son; Gan Boon Leong Daughters: Susie Gan, Molly Gan, Mary Gan, Maggie Gan Sons-in-law: Leong Sum...

Chew Boon Lay (Bukit Brown)

Chew Boon Lay (周文礼) (1852-1933) was born in a small village in Changchow, Amoy. He became an orphan in his late teens and decided to take up his uncle's invitation to come over to Siam (formerly Thailand). He laboured hard under this tyrant of an uncle who paid him nothing and made him work from dawn to dust. Chew Boon Lay and Madam Ong Cheng Neo Saved by heavenly intervention On a faithful evening, 3 years after being practically been a slave, a visitor was said to have stole a sum of money and this uncle put the entire blame on Chew Boon Lay and threatened to turn him in to the police. In desperation, Chew Boon Lay came up with an idea to win the money through a stake on a lottery. Borrowing 1 tical from his sympathetic aunt, he prayed before Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy and in a moment of delirium or what is said a miracle, he heard two characters been spoken to him. He won, paid his uncle and with whatever left over vowed never to work for his uncle again and we...

Mrs. Koh Cheng Kiat nee Madam Lim Keok Neo in 2025 (Bukit Brown)

Mr. Koh Cheng Kiat nee Madam Lim Keok Neo passed away at the age of 71 on 3 July 1939. The names of her children are; Sons: Koh Soon Yee, Koh Soon Huat, Koh Soon Poh, Koh Soon Lin Daughter: Koh Tan Neo. I actually wrote about her before and took a number of photos over the years of her tomb. See below on how this area transform in the few short years. In my recent visit in July 2025, i was shocked by the intensive damaged cause by a fig tree that grew out of the altar table. In another 3-5 years if nothing is done, this tomb will likely no longer be visible. Madam Lim Keok Neo (2025) Madam Lim Keok Neo (photo taken at 2025) Madam Lim Keok Neo tomb (2019-2021) The jungle in Bukit Brown will always make a comeback due to the nature of the climate we live in. However fig trees are the number 1 "killers" of tombs as you can see below how this fig tree in just 4 years cause major irreversible damage to this tomb and this i have seen with my own eyes on many tombs. Madam Lim Ke...

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