Tan Hong Tek and Quah Cheng Lian (Bukit Brown)

It was a double tomb and upon closer inspection, only the wife (Madam Quah Cheng Lian) was buried there and the husband (Tan Hong Tek / Mr. H.T. Tan) wasn't as he was buried in Bidadari Christian Cemetery. This tomb was documented before by Raymond and he shared that there are many interesting layers to this tomb. 

In Loving Memory of 

Quah Cheng Lian

the

Beloved wife of Tan Hong Tek 

who died on 

April 8th 1927

God Moves in a mysterious way

Deeply Mourned by 

Her Son :-

Tan Ghim Swee 

From the burial registrar, Madam Quah Cheng Lian was only 18 years old when she passed away. 

Sacred to the Memory 

of 

Tan Hong Tek 

who departed this life 

on

Aged

Deeply Mourned by

Sons: Tan Ghim Swee, Tan Ghim Him 

Daughter: Tan Ghim Neo

Tan Hong Tek 

Quah Cheng Lian

Advertising Pioneer of Singapore and Malaya

Tan Hong Tek was born in Kuala Kangsar, Perak in 1895 and came to Singapore at the age of 17. In 1928, he founded the Yan Publicity Co. and later the Tan Publicity Bureau Ltd., After the Japanese occupation, it became Tan Hong Tek and Co. Tan Hong Tek (Mr. H.T. Tan, Managing Director of Tan Hong Tek & Co., Advertising Agents, 30-A, Medeiros Building, Singapore) was reported to passed away at the age of 57 on 31 August 1952 at his residence, No. 12 Emerald Hill, Singapore. Tan Hon Teck, late proprietor of Messrs. Tan Hong Tek & Co., Singapore (a Singapore advertising firm) was buried in Bidadari Cemetery. A mixed choir of Bedok Methodist Church sang at the graveside of Mr. Tan Hong Teck. The service was taken by the Rev. Chew Hock Hin of Paya Lebar Methodist Church. He left behind his wife, 2 sons and a daughter. 

Kept vow to build church

Mr. Tan Hong Tek was said to made a vow during the Japanese occupation to build a church and he held true to this promise when he paid for the cost of the new Methodist Church at Bedok. What was the event that triggered this vow to build a church? I assumed at some point, Tan Hong Tek also converted to Christianity. Unfortunately i was not able to find any information for this reason but who knows, one day this answer might come to light. Tan Hon Tek was not able to see the first service held for this church on 11 January 1953 attended by 300 Bedok residents. Bishop Raymond L. Archer, head of the Methodist Mission, dedicated the new church to the worship of God .

 

Bedok Methodist Church 

Tan Hong Tek - Ng Oon Jiew 

On 8 December 1923, Tan Hong Tek, Secretary, Teng Seng Hin and Co. (eldest son of Tan Cheow Chow, Kuala Kangsar) married to Miss Ng Oon Jiew (daughter of the late Ng Hoon Seck, Amoy). 

Tan Hong Tek - Madam Oh Kim Eng

Madam Oh Kim Eng and family thank friends, relatives and Commercial Houses for their messages of sympathy, floral tributes, assistance and attendance at the funeral of her husband, the late Mr. Tan Hon Tek. 

Family

Son: Tan Kiat Hin 

Tan Kiat Hin (second son of Mr. Tan Hong Tek of Singapore sails for Britain for this university studies.

References

Domestic Occurrence. (1923, December 8). Malaya Trubune, page 6

Mr. H.T. Tan passes away. (1952, September 2). Indian Daily Mail, page 8

Choir sings at graveside. (1952, September 2). The Straits Times, page 7

Kept vow to build church. (1952, September 1). The Straits Times, page 5 

Acknowledgements. (1952, September 3). The Straits Times, page 6 

Bedok Church dedicated. (1953, January 12). Singapore Standard, page 3 

Location 

Block 2 Division A, plot 118.

Tan Hong Tek and Quah Cheng Lian