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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 October, 2025

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Mrs. Chia Cheow Beng nee Lee Guat Goh (Bukit Brown)

October 26, 2025

Block 3 Div C decorative tiles

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Teo Lily - Moving House (Bukit Brown)

October 23, 2025

Block 3 Div C exhumed

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Madam Maria Khoo Siew Neo (Bukit Brown)

October 23, 2025

Block 3 Div C decorative tiles

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Madam Cheong Pin Neo (Bukit Brown)

October 22, 2025

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Mrs. Tan Siew Kuah nee Quek Lim Neo (Bukit Brown)

October 20, 2025

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Neo Sun Chye (Bukit Brown)

October 20, 2025

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Tan Thoo Khian alias Tan Siew Jian (Bukit Brown)

October 20, 2025

Block 3 Div C decorative tiles

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Madam Loh Guat Eng (Bukit Brown)

October 20, 2025

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Tan Boon Guan and Madam Tay Siew Neo (Bukit Brown)

October 19, 2025

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Madam Lim Kin Neo (Bukit Brown)

October 18, 2025

Block 3 Div C marble

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Lim Kang Swee - Hokkien Syonanto (Bukit Brown)

October 18, 2025

Block 3 Div C Japanese Koki Calender

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Wee Teck Bock (Bukit Brown)

October 15, 2025

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Mrs. Cheang Keng Lam nee Ching Guat Loon (Bukit Brown)

October 15, 2025

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Bukit Brown Wayfinder 2 - Our continued efforts to Save Bukit Brown

October 13, 2025

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Labels

Bukit Brown950
Hill 3344
Hill 1192
Hill 4172
Died Young164
decorative tiles156
Block 3 Div D138
Block 4 Div A120
Block 3 Div B101
Hill 2100

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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

Teo Lily - Moving House (Bukit Brown)

A simple marble tomb with ceramic portrait with a sign board behind alerted me that this tomb is about to "move house". Her descendants have decided to relocated their ancestor to another place. The name of the person that is going to be exhumed is - Teo Lily as per written on the signboard. A quick check of the burial registrar confirms it. Teo Lily passed away on 12 October 1933. She was 26 years old. Teo Lily - 26 years old -moving house soon Location of tomb Block 3 Section C, plot 444

Baby Sng (Bukit Brown)

Baby Sng was born on 31 January 1933 and passed away on 12 April 1933. From the burial registrar entry, i get a bit more insight about Baby Sng. In the burial entry, Baby Sng was a baby boy who passed away at 2 and 1/2 months old. The record for his name was Sng Baba. Baby Sng alias Sng Baba Location of tomb Block 3 Division C, plot 564. 8RQG+3XF Singapore Baby Sng tomb revisited on 18 Oct 2025

Teo Soon Kim (pioneer female lawyer)

Teo Soon Kim (1904-1978) was a pioneer female lawyer, becoming the first Singapore woman to be admitted to the bar of the Straits Settlements in 1929 and the first woman barrister in Hong Kong. She studied in London and was the second Malayan Chinese woman to qualify as a barrister in England. Her female contemporary during the same period was Miss Lim Beng Hong ( Mrs B. H. Oon ) of Penang, who won the honors as the first Chinese Malayan woman admitted to the English bar and the first woman qualified to practice law in Malaya in 1927. After her came Miss Lucy See (daughter of See Tiong Wah ) and Miss Teo Soon Kim, both from Singapore and finally Miss Lim Beng Teik (younger sister of Miss Lim Beng Hong). Miss Teo Soon Kim went to England in 1926 and for 3 years she studied and was mentored by Dr H. H Bellot, Secretary of the International Law Association and Grotius Society and finally called to the Bar in the Inner Temple. She even found time to travel to America and China. ...

Dr. Lim Soon Kian (Bukit Brown)

Dr. Lim Soon Kian / Dr. S.K. Lim is the son of Mr and Mrs. Lim Cheng Wee. Lim Soon Kian studied in Raffles Institution and later graduated from the Hong Kong University. Dr. S.K. Lim, M.b., B.S. (son of Mr. Lim Cheng Wee of the P & Co ) married on 26 June 1917 at Bandjermasin to Miss Thio Kim Loen Neo (eldest daughter of Mr. Thio Soen Yang, the Captain China of Bandjermasin and sister of Mr. Thio Kim Chuan of Aik Leong Chan and Co. of Singapore). The reception was attended by over 400 persons, including the Resident of Borneo, his wife and daughters, the Controller and Secretaries and other leading Government officials and merchants. Dr. Lim has for some time was the house surgeon at the Government Civil Hospital of Hongkong. After marriage, they moved to Singapore where he opened us his practice. Unfortunately the marriage did not last long as just a little over a year after their marriage, Madam Thio Kim Loen passed away due to influenza at 56-8 Neil Road on 26 October 1918....

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 Paha...

Madam Cheong Pin Neo (Bukit Brown)

Madam Cheong Pin Neo passed away at the age of 68 at 9:30 pm on 5 April 1936. However, i found an article that states; Mrs. Loo Tian nee Cheong Pin Neo passed away at the age of 68 at 9:30 pm on 4 May 1936 at No. 150-P. East Coast Road. She leaves behind her brother, Mr. Cheong Swee Teck and a grandson, Mr. Loo Boon Kwee. According to the article funeral took place at Bukit Brown. The name, age, year and place matches - however the date she died shows a difference of 1 month. I check with Raymond Goh and he shared with me that the name of the grandson, Loo Boon Kwee is etched on her tomb, so very likely it is the same person. Brother: Cheong Swee Teck For Cheong Swee Teck, there is a Cheong Swee Teck which i wrote about but i can't be sure it is the same person. Grandson: Loo Boon Kwee The address No. 150-P. East Coast Road and name Loo Boon Kwee allowed me to match her grandson. I have written about Loo Boon Kwee before after finding...

Madam Maria Khoo Siew Neo (Bukit Brown)

Madam Maria Khoo Siew Neo passed away at the age of 48 on the 25th day of 10th chinese moon, 1933. (Wednesday, 13 December 1933) Madam Maria Khoo Siew Neo Madam Maria Khoo Siew Neo Listed on her tomb are the name of her children; Son: Gan Hock Seng Daughters: Gan Chit Nya, Gan Chit Ding Maria Khoo Siew Neo in the burial registrar is written as Khoo Mak Yah. The location and plot number matches. Location of tomb Block 3 Section C, plot 359 Madam Maria Khoo Siew Neo tomb in Bukit Brown

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...

Kopi Sua Cemetery left untouched for now

For a number of years i was concerned that with the Mount Pleasant MRT station and Toa Payoh extension plans already announced, this would eventually translate to Kopi Sua Cemetery / Whitley Road Hokkien Cemetery and its surrounding jungles being claimed for this extension and housing. With today's announcement, it seems that this plans have being put on hold for now. The announcement published on the 23 November 2021 titled " New HDB estate with 5,000 flats to be built in Mount Pleasant at Old Police Academy site " gave insight that - "an environmental impact study (EIS) was conducted in January 2019 for the area and its wider surroundings, looking at biodiversity and water quality among others. After the EIS, HDB engaged nature groups to refine plans to minimise potential impacts to the environment. In particular, the proposed road network for future residents was adjusted so the surrounding greenery in Bukit Brown and graves at the adjacent Kopi Sua Cemetery wou...

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