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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 with the label Building Plans

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Seh Ong Temple at Kheam Hock Road

December 09, 2025

Architecture Building Plans kheam hock road village

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Yap Geok Song's Pineapple Factory off Grove Road

November 18, 2025

Building Plans Merchant

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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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Lau Kim Tuan (Bukit Brown)

Lau Kim Tuan passed away on 18 October 1936 at the age of 53. Listed on his tomb is the name of his son, Lau Chwee Kim. In the burial registrar Lau Kim Tuan name is spelt as Low Kim Tuan Location of tomb Block 4 Section A, plot 684 (close by the tar road behind tombkeeper hut)

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...

Kwa Siew Tee and family (Choa Chu Kang Christian Cemetery)

Kwa Siew Tee, a Semarang born Chinese was a Municipal Commissioner (an appointment he held till 1949). He was also the General Manager of Overseas Chinese Bank Corporation Limited, Assistant General Manager of The Eastern United Assurance Corporation, Limited and a Member of the Hospital Board. He received a Certificate of Honour in 1951. Kwa Siew Tee passed away at the age of 89 on 20 March 1977. Group photo of the founding of Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation in 1932 Kwa Siew Tee is standing behind. (source: National Archives of Singapore) Family Kwa Siew Tee and family (source: National Archives of Singapore) Wife: Madam Wee Yew Neo Madam Wee Yew Neo is the daughter of Wee Theam Seng . She passed away on 14 May1980. She is survived by; 3 sons: Kwa Soon Siew, Kwa Soon Chuan, Kwa Soon Bee 4 daughters: Kwa Geok Neo, Kwa Geok Lan, Kwa Geok Choo, Kwa Geok Eng. Son: Kwa Soon Hock Kwa Soon Hock is the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Kwa Siew Tee. He was a sta...

The couple that death could not separate (Seh Ong)

The death of a couple at Kampong Henderson, Tiong Bahru area has touched the hearts of the people living there and may wept as Mr. Ong Kim Hoe (47 years old and a clerk in the Transport and Storage Ltd) and Mrs. Ong Kim Hoe nee Ah Hoon, (43 years old) passed away 43 hours later after her husband. Mr. Ong Kim Hoe passed away after a short illness on 26 November 1958. His wife, Mrs. Ong fainted and passed away on 28 November 1958 while weeping over his coffin. This article even came out on the front page of the Strait Times, 1 December 1958. Mr. and Mrs. Ong Kim Hoe - the couple that death could not separate Premonition of her own death Mrs. Ong elder sister, Madam Yeo Phee (49 years old) was quoted to say; Ah Hoon (Mrs. Ong) died of grief and could not be consoled. The were married for 27 years and were deeply in love till the end. Madam Yeo Phee said that Mrs. Ong has a premonition of her own death after husband had died. When she went with her sister to buy the ...

Tan Swee Hoe mansion in Batu Pahat

The status of Tan Swee Hoe's mansion at 160 Jalan Kluang, Batu Pahat was finally revealed! The mansion that was once owned by Tan Swee Hoe's descendants was sold and the rumors circulating at one point of time was it was going to be demolished. In fact various readers of my blog sent me pictures of the mansion after it was sold where the rooftop of the building and the interiors was completely stripped. Tan Swee Hoe's mansion (minus the roof) Well it was finally revealed in various Malaysian papers ( Sin Chew Daily , Johor China Press ) that it was purchased by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, the Sultan of Johor. It was reported in the papers that the Sultan of Johor plans to restore the building and turn it into a Heritage Centre featuring the artefacts of the Johor Chinese community as well as as artefacts from China as a strong symbol to reaffirm the long relationship between the Johor Sultanate and China. About Tan Swee Hoe Tan Swee Hoe Ta...

Hua Tuo scrapes away the poison from Guan Yu (Stories from the Stones)

The beautiful carving from the tomb of Mr. and Mrs. Teo Chin Chay tells a very interesting story from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms ( 三國演義 ). The carving from the tombstone below depicts the famous Chinese Physician Hua Tuo healing General Guan Yu, who was hit in the arm by a poisoned arrow during the Battle of Fancheng by using a knife to cut the flesh and scrape of the poison from the bone. Hua Tuo initially offered to anaesthetise Guan Yu, but he simply laughs and says that he is not afraid of pain. During this treatment, Guan Yu continues to play a game of weiqi with Ma Liang without flinching from pain. When Ma Liang asks him later, Guan Yu says that he feigned being unhurt to keep the morale of his troops high. Guan Yu rewards Hus Tuo with a sumptuous banquet and offers a gift of 100 ounces of gold, but Hua Tuo refuses, saying that a physician's duty is to heal patients and not to make profit. Although Hua Tuo historically died in 208, a decade before Guan Yu...

Khoo Teng Leong and Tan Siam Neo (Bukit Brown)

Khoo Teng Leong is a son of Khoo Ban Seng. His father, Khoo Ban Seng passed away at age of 76 on February 8, 1924 at his residence in No 5 Shanghai Road. The paper said that he is survived by two sons; Messrs. Khoo Teng Hin and Khoo Teng Leong and 16 grandchildren. The funeral was held on February 17, 1924 at Selat Road Cemetery. Madam Ho Lek Neo , the mother of Khoo Teng Hin and Khoo Teng Leong passed away on January, 1912. Madam Tan Siam Neo (alias Ona) passed away at the age of 50 at her residence, No. 13A, Jervois Road. In the obituary notice, it is stated that Madam Tan Siam Neo leaves behind her husband, Khoo Teng Leong, 1 adopted son, Mr. Khoo Eng Teck and 4 sons, Khoo Eng Teow, Khoo Eng Kim, Khoo Eng Chun and Khoo Eng Chew, 2 daughters, Khoo Pak Neo and Khoo Chik Neo, 1 grandson and 1 granddaughter. Funeral took place on 30 March 1935 (Penang and Medan papers please copy). From their tombs, the marble carving of Khoo Teng Leong and Tan Siam Neo is clearly visib...

Lee Choon Seng and family (Kopi Sua)

Mr. Lee Choon Seng (李俊承), was a prominent businessman, philanthropist and Hokkien community leader. Lee Choon Seng came to Negeri Sembilan, Malaya in the early 1900's at the age of 17 from Yong Chun County, Fujian Province, China and got involved as a wholesaler in provisions following in his father's (Mr. Lee Lip Chai) footsteps. He then went to Singapore to expand the family business, founding several companies such as Thye Hin Ltd, Eng Hin Company, Thye Hong Biscuit, Popular Aerated Water and also got involved as a rubber planter. He went on to be the Managing Director of Ho Hong Bank before the amalgamation of the major banks. In 1931 he became the Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Vice-Chairman of the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation. Lee Choon Seng (1940) (source: NewspaperSG) Positions held President of Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce (1931-1932), President of Ee Hoe Hean Club (1935) President of Singapore Buddhist Federation (1949-19...

Notice of Exhumation - Unidentified Coffins uncovered near Bukit Timah Road

In the Classified Section under Notices - a Land Transport Authority (LTA) - Notice of Exhumation caught my eye. The content informed that unidentified coffins were uncovered during an ongoing construction near Bukit Timah Road. Notice of Exhumation - Unidentified Coffins near Bukit Timah (source: The Straits Times, 3 December 2025) Based on the location found, it is very likely the Christian Cemetery at Bukit Timah. This Christian Cemetery was opened for burials after the "Old Christian Cemetery" in Fort Canning was closed for burials. Using the NUS Historical Maps of Singapore reinforces my theory as you can see the overlay between today's map vs a map from 1932. The site that the unidentified coffin was found is likely the location were LTA is digging for the North South Corridor, which is on the grounds of the former Kampong Java Park . (Refer to the red dot), which i learn subsequently is likely to be on the Catholic Section of the Bukit Timah Christian Cemetery. ...

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