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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 2026

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Robinson Road and Japan Street (Images from the Past)

Harrison Forman Collection Images from the Past

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Junction of Hugh Low Street and Belfied Street in Ipoh (Images from the Past)

Harrison Forman Collection Images from the Past

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Goh Eng Kian (Bukit Brown)

Block 4 Div B Died Young Plus Codes

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Chia Ek Kee (Bukit Brown)

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Unnamed boy of Mr. and Mrs. Too Joon Ting (Bukit Brown)

Block 4 Division 3 Died Young

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Madam Tan Keng Pin (Greater Bukit Brown)

Died Young Gelong Pah Greater Bukit Brown Plus Codes

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Lee Poon Lip (Bukit Brown)

Block 3 Division 4 Died Young marble

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Aw Seng Geok (Bukit Brown)

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Phuah Chong Wah (Bukit Brown)

Block 4 Div A decorative tiles marble Youtube Shorts

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Lim Huat Neo (Bukit Brown)

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Madam Lim Yew Neo (Bukit Brown)

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Chan Lian Cheng (Bukit Brown)

Block 4 Div A decorative tiles

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Another beautiful set of tiles uncovered

Art Nouveau decorative tiles

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Chee Wan Lee Neo (Lao Sua)

Lao Sua Plus Codes

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Chia Poh Siang (Lao Sua)

Lao Sua Plus Codes

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Mrs. Teo Boon Gan nee Madam Goh Choon Neo (Lao Sua)

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Labels

Bukit Brown902
Hill 3330
Hill 1185
Died Young183
decorative tiles168
Hill 4160
Block 3 Div D151
Block 4 Div A128
Block 3 Div C109
Block 4 Div C107

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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

Rojak Librarian+ (other Rojak matters)

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Popular Post

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...

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...

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...

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...

Unnamed boy of Mr. and Mrs. Too Joon Ting (Bukit Brown)

The simple marble headstone reads, No 75 Block 4 Here lies the Beloved Boy of Mr. and Mrs. Too Joon Ting To me this tomb is a rare find providing evidence where the baby buried here is unnamed ! Usually after many years of exploring, children who were unnamed and passed away don't even have a proper tombstone / headstone marked for them. The Beloved Boy of Mr. and Mrs. Too Joon Ting (photo courtesy of Soh Ah Beng) What was the boy's name and when did he die ? This information was missing from the tomb. Fortunately with the efforts of Raymond Goh in making the database of Bukit Brown burial registrar searchable , i manage to get a bit more insight about this boy. Child of Joon Ting Too - passed away 6 and 1/2 hours on 8 June 1941. He was buried on 10 June 1941 and was Hainanese boy. So in short it was a unnamed baby boy of Mr. and Mrs. Too Joon Ting who lived for 6.5 hours before passing on. Who is Mr. and Mrs. Too Joon Ting ? I cannot be ...

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...

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...

Lee Hoon Leong (Bukit Brown)

Lee Hoon Leong Lee Hoon Leong went to Raffles school and began his career as a pharmacist. He then joined Heap Eng Moh Steamship Co. Ltd and became a purser ( a person who manages money on board ship, and orders stores & supplies) making regular trips between Singapore and Semarang, Indonesia. It was in one of this trips, he married Ko Liem Neo in Semarang. During his career, Lee Hoon Leong build a good relationship with Major Oei Tiong Ham of Semarang who is also known as the "Sugar King" and eventually held the power of attorney for him in 1914 for Heap Eng Moh and Co and Guan Guan Saw Mill. At his peak, Lee Hoon Leong was the managing director of the Heap Eng Moh Steamship Co. Ltd and his fortunes peak during then. The family wealth however suffered somewhat during the Depression of 1929-1932. March 31,1914 Death Lee Hoon Leong passed away at his residence, 74-3 Bras Basah Road on Saturday, August 22, 2602 at 6.45 pm Tokyo Time. 2602 is the Japanese koki c...

Goh Eng Kian (Bukit Brown)

Goh Eng Kian passed away at the age of 20 on 29 August 1946. From the burial registrar he was listed as Hokkien. From the tomb shoulder it was stated 承继男祈福立 - which i come to understand that an adopted son was added to the tomb as a symbolic adoption as the deceased's posthumous heir. This is likely because Goh Eng Kian died young and to make it sound auspicious, a child name was added on. Goh Eng Kian Tomb of Goh Eng Kian Location of tomb Block 4 Division B, plot 169 8RRG+494 Singapore 1.340257, 103.825957

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