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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 June, 2026

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Lee Chim Sian (Bukit Brown)

Block 4 Div A decorative tiles

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

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

Newspaper mentions(2025)

Newspaper mentions(2024)

Newspaper mentions(2024)

Grave Matters-The Greater Bukit Brown(2023)

Newspaper mentions(2022)

Tuesday Report (2018) 星期二特写 | 行脚。发现第4集：武吉布朗之旅

Newspaper mentions (2017)

History from the Hills (2013)

Newspaper mentions (2014)

Resource Guide on Bukit Brown

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Popular Post

Alice Lim (Bukit Brown)

The ceramic picture of this lady caught my eye because on uniform top were chinese characters which i later found out to be Chung Hwa. Was she a student or teacher of Chung Hwa Girls' High School ? This remains a mystery for now. In the burial registrar, her name was listed as : Alice Lim. Alice Lim is a Teochew girl who passed away at the age of 18 on 24 January 1937. From this further information, it is more possible that she was a student there. Alice Lim of Chung Hwa Girls' High School (1937) (Postnote: 30 May 2026) - Thanks to Raymond Goh's latest article , i confirmed that Alice Lim / Alice Lim Moo Yee was indeed a student in Chung Hwa Girl's High School and not only that, from the chinese papers - she won first prize in a competition, maybe an inter-school mandarin oratory competition. Alice Lim (林木雨) winning first prize (source: NewspaperSG ) Translated from AI 中等組 (Middle School Category) 第一名 (1st Place): 林木雨（中華女校） Lin Mu Yu — Chung Hwa Girls' School 第...

Mr. Lim Teck Kin

An article that caught my eye which states that on 27 May 1951, more than 4,500 relatives and friends attended the funeral of the late Mr. Lim Teck Kin, a Chinese millionaire, pineapple magnate, rubber dealer and sole proprietor of Messrs. Teck Hin and Co. at Bukit Brown Cemetery, Bukit Timah . Another thing that caught my eye was that he was murdered under the orders of the Communist Party of Malaya also known as the Malayan Communist Party. Mr. Lim Teck Kin came to Singapore from Fukien (Fujian) in 1904. He owned the United Malayan Pineapple Growers and Canners Ltd. with a factory in Scudai, Johore. Beside pineapple (which the papers said that he once held a record sales of pineapples to Europe and America), he was one of the principal agents for Shell Company oil. He managed several benzine kiosk with the main one being in Beach Road (Kian Hin) and a dealer in motor tyres and spare parts. He was also well-known in Trengganu where he owned Teck Siong and Company, dealing in General m...

Lions of Wong Ah Fook - Raoul Bigazzi

Guarding the Peck San Theng temple are a pair of beautiful marble lions. On closer inspection, this are the lions that used to graced the tomb of famous building contractor, Wong Ah Fook (a bit about him later). The lions have also different facial expressions. One is in eternal sleep and the other is alert. On both lions, i can make out the artisan or company that constructed the pair of lions; Raoul Bigazzi Sculptor and Art Dealer Florence Raoul Bigazzi - Sculptor and Art Dealer, Florence From all my explorations in Bukit Brown, i do see some tombs constructed of marble, but not for lion guardians which are all done in granite. So it must be a interesting decision to marry east and west styles for the tomb of Wong Ah Fook (i saw the picture of Wong Ah Fook's tomb in a photo in the booklet "Becoming Bishan" which also shows the location of the lion). Fortunately after the clearing of the cemetery to make way for housing, the lions were saved and gift...

Brothers Lim Kim Siew and Lim Kim Hock (Bukit Brown)

Lim Kim Siew passed away at the age of 9 on 6 January 1937. His older brother, Lim Kim Hock passed away at the age of 12 on 13 January 1937. This means that both brothers passed away around 6 days apart from each other. A check with the tomb keeper (who has been working in the area for the past 30 years) told us the two boys died of high fever (typhoid fever). They are buried in the same hill and section. It must have been devastating for their parents to bury both sons who died at such a young age. Lim Kim Siew and Lim Kim Hock are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Lim Khiam Soon . Lim Kim Siew (9 years old) Lim Kim Hock (12 years old) Related Stories A similar story that comes to my mind is the story of Master Tay Tow Seeh (9 years of age) and his sister, Miss Tay Poon Neo (7 years old) who passed away on 16 and 15 December 1926 . Another story about brothers buried nearby or together is the story of brothers buried side-by-side when i met a then Mr. Chew Hay Teck (...

Dr. Charles Joseph Pemberton Paglar (former Bidadari Cemetery)

Mr. Charles Joseph Pemberton Paglar, / Dato C.J. Paglar (1st September 1894- 9 December 1954) was a prominent Eurasian gynaecologist, and President of Singapore Recreation Club from 1946 to 1954. He was a graduate of King Edward VII College of Medicine (1917); Progressive Party Member of Legislative Council for Changi (1951-1954); Justice of the Peace; Vice-President (1948) and later President of Boy Scouts Association, Singapore (1949-1951); Vice-President of Eurasian Association. Born in Batu Gajah, Perak, he was the illegitimate son of an English planter from Wigan and a local Indian woman (that's where the family name Pemberton came from). C.J. Paglar was adopted from an orphanage convent in Penang by Mr. Alexander John Francis Paglar and his wife Mary Emaline, both Catholic Eurasians and childless (Mr. A.J.F. Paglar was a Malacca planter and miner, customs officer, Justice of Peace, magistrate). He received his education in St. Francis Institution, Malacca before heading to Si...

Khoo Kay Hian (Bukit Brown)

During the rubber boom of the 1910, Khoo Kay Hian / Khoo Kay Hean was well positioned and made money as a rubber broker based in The Arcade. He went on to be the founder of one of the best known stock broking firm in Singapore bearing his namesake, Kay Hian and Co in 1921. He was also a committee member of the Singapore Sharebrokers' Association (this was before it became the Singapore Stock Exchange). Throughout his career, he held various positions and they included: Assistant Secretary of the Ee Hoe Hean Club (1918) ; Management Committee of the Garden Club (1920) Chinese Lantern Procession (1922), Joint Honorary Secretary together with Lim Kee Cheok. (Lim Chwee Chian was the Chairman) and also Committee member of the Singapore Chinese Girls School (1925). He contributed to various causes and some of them include: Kampong Martin Relief Fund (1916), Chinese Halifax Relief Fund (1917), Sir Arthur Young's Portrait Fund (1919), St Andrew's Hospital Building (1920), Nanyang U...

Batik for Peranakan Altars (Peranakan Museum)

On Sunday (8th June), I had the pleasure of being invited to join a tour led by Alvin Yapp, the collector and donor of the Peranakan Museum's current and latest exhibition titled Auspicious Designs - Batik for Peranakan Altars. Alvin Yapp who is an avid collector of all things Peranakan had, over 7 years accumulated 72 unique batik cloth (mostly from Java, Indonesia) that are used in Peranakan Altars. He went one step further by bequesting this entire collection to the Peranakan Museum and named the primary donors as his parents, Matthew and Alice Yapp. Batik cloths are usually associated with Malay or Javanese clothing but rarely as materials used to adorn the altars of the household deity. To me this is another lovely example of how Overseas Chinese has evolved, adapt and amalgamate the local culture and materials and created their own unique styles. One must not forgot the local artisans commissioned for the Batik creation who may not have seen how deities such as the 8 i...

Wee Kim Chong (Bukit Brown)

In ever loving memory Of Our Darling Wee Kim Chong Born 6th March 1932 Died 28 December 1936 The shield shaped marble tomb holds the remains of baby Wee Kim Chong who died at the age of 4 years and 9 months. On the burial entry he was listed as Hokkien and was buried on the same day he passed away. It was a chanced encounter, has the shield shaped marble was 2/3 buried underneath the soil but fortunately with some work, we can share that baby Wee Kim Chong was of the many buried in Bukit Brown. The tomb of baby Wee Kim Chong (1932 - 1936) Location of tomb Block 4, Division A, plot 855

An ode to Tombkeeper Ah Soon (Bukit Brown)

I received the dreaded news today that Ah Soon passed away. He was sick for a while and wasn't around during this year's Qing Ming. For those not familiar with him, he was the tombkeeper that looks after Block 4 Section A. To me, Ah Soon was a person of quiet disposition who always carry a friendly smile and will greet you back when you say hi to him. One of his characteristics was that he was a chain smoker and wears a green towel like a bandana on his head. It was Ah Soon who shared with me the stories of some of the tombs he managed in "his" area. I still remember him proudly showing me (knowing i can't read chinese) the tombs he manages especially the tomb of two brothers who died one after the other and are buried there - the tomb of Brothers, Lim Kim Siew and Lim Kim Hock . He also shared that they were related to Miss Oh Twa Koh and Madam Wee Cheng Neo . Thanks to his insight, i manage to get more information and link them to many tombs not just in Bukit ...

Lee Poon Lip (Bukit Brown)

Master Lee Poon Lip was born on 12 August 1932 and passed away on 31 March 1938 at the age of 5 years and 7 months. From the marble headstone, it states that he is the beloved grandson of Mr. And Mrs. Yeo Wah Hin. It is interesting that his simple marble headstone is etched entirely in English. Master Lee Poon Lip (1932-1938) Unfortunately i can't find any information about Lee Poon Lip, who was almost 6 years old when he passed away, but is grandparents name provided some information. Yeo Wah Hin was a vice president of the Wales Minstrels Association and it was mentioned that her eldest daughter married on 24 November 1931 at his residence at 11 Enggor Road where more than 300 guest were present. Performing was a ronggeng and a string band and the Wales Minstrels. Yeo Wah Hin was later its President in 1947. He was also the patron of the Oleh oleh Party and also once the President of the Tiang Ho Kok Association (1933) and Amateur Sporting Association (1923). Mr. Yeo...

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