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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 Family -Yap Geok Song

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Aerial view of Bukit Brown in 1948 - Yap Gek Song's tomb

October 13, 2014

Aerial view Bukit Brown Family -Yap Geok Song

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

Madam Goh Choon Neo passed away on 24 March 1967 at the age of 75 years old. She is the wife of the late Mr. Teo Boon Gan. From the tomb, the name of her children are; Son: Teo Beng Siang, Teo Beng Hai Daughter: Teo Molly Adopted Sons; Goh Guinea, Goh Sunny Grandsons: Teo Soon Hock, Teo Soon Eng, Teo Soon Chye The tomb of Madam Goh Choon Neo was one of the many we were looking for. The request for the tomb of Madam Goh Choon Neo was a request from G.T. Lye way back in 2024 when he asked Raymond Goh to help find Madam Goh Choon Neo. The information provided - her sons are Charlie Teo Beng Siang, Georgie Teo Beng Hai and and daughter, Molly Teo. She passed away on March 1967. We been searching since that time based on the clue provided that it is along Kheam Hock Road and up hill. Finally today, through sheer luck we found it. The name all matches. Madam Goh Choon Neo nee Mrs. Teo Boon Gan Possible Connections [Note: This are unconfirm connections based on assumptions of connectio...

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...

Qing Ming with the descendants of Tan Tock Seng (2026)

I am fortunate to yet again to meet Roney Tan and other Tan Tock Seng clan members who were carrying out their annual tradition of visiting and paying respects to their ancestors, Tan Tock Seng , Tan Kim Ching , Tan Boo Liat , Tan Wi Yan , Mrs. Tan Wi Yan this year. Again this time around, i managed to catch them at the tomb of Tan Boo Liat (son of Tan Soon Toh, grandson of Tan Kim Ching and great grandson of Tan Tock Seng) at Bukit Brown. Yet again, there was big group with multi-generation presence showing that the Qing Ming traditions have been clearly passed on from generation to generation. I also do believe that Roney Tan of course played the biggest role in organising this event and keeping this tradition strong and alive. The last time i met them paying respects was in 2024 and in 2022 . My chance meeting in 2024 was especially special for me because after Bukit Brown, i accompanied Roney to also visit Tan ...

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...

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...

Gan Eng Seng and family (Bukit Brown)

Gan Eng Seng was born in Malacca ( Melaka) in 1844. His Great Grandparents came from Sam-Toh, Fukien province. Born third in a family of 5, he had two elder sisters, Gan Gin Neo and Gan Guat Neo. He was the eldest son. His younger brother was Gan Eng Chye followed by the youngest sister, Gan Guan Neo. Born poor, he still was able to received some education, giving him the ability to read and write simple English. His father died when he was 16 years old. He then left for Singapore and was involved initially in a nutmeg business in a small scale. He went on to served under Guthrie and Co. Gan Eng Seng Chief Campradore, Gutherie and Co. Thomas Scott, a partner of Gutherie, offered Gan Eng Seng a job in the godown at Coller Quay as a clerk and it was there he climbed up the ranks, from an Assistant Storekeeper to Chief Storekeeper and finally the Chief Campradore of Guthrie and Company after 13 years of service. He was the Chief Compradore for 25 years till he died in 1899. ...

Teo Siok Guan (Bukit Brown)

Teo Siok Guan came to Singapore with his father from Tung Ann District in his early youth. Teo Siok Guan is a motor accessories and bicycle dealer and owner of Guan Hoe Co. (Malaya) located at 14 Hill Street. He was also the president of the Singapore Cycle and Motor Dealer's Union. When the Bank of Singapore opened in 1955 (Singapore's 27th Bank), Teo Siok Guan was one of its directors. Guan Hoe & Co was also well known as the sole agents in Singapore and Malaya for Suzuki Motorcycles in the 1960's. In 1954, Teo Siok Guan build a $1 million factory in Johor to manufacture tyre rims and motorcycle accessories. Teo Siok Guan Guan Hoe & Co , Hill Street. Guan Hoe (Ipoh) Guan Hoe Co (Malaya) Suzuki Motorcycles , 1961 (source: NewspaperSG) Contributions Fairfield Girl School Building Fund (1952) Anti-Opium Society of Singapore (1935), Malayan Patrotic Fund (1939). President of the Buddhist Lodge. Founding director of the Bank of Singapore...

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...

Detective Toh Keng Hua - buried in Bukit Brown ?

The whole Singapore Police Force was reported to be looking for a missing detective by the name of Toh Keng Hua, 26 years of the Beach Road Station. He was last seen talking to a woman in Maude Road on 12 August 1954 but it was reported that the woman had no connection to his disappearance. Missing with the detective are his service revolver, 12 rounds of ammunition and a pair of handcuffs. Toh Keng Hua lived with his wife, Madam Lee Tan Moi in Carpmael Road, Katong and he joined the force in May 1950. Detective Toh was listed as a deserter as a result of a policy where all police officers who fail to report for duty at the end 30 days was classified as so.. The skeletal remains of detective Toh Keng Hua was found in a lallang patch at Paya Lebar (beyond the perimeter fence of the Shell Sports Club) on 1 March 1955 after reported missing for 6 months. It was a Sikh surveyor by the name of Kartar Singh who stumbled upon the remains while surveying the land. The police, while searching f...

Ng Boo Bee (Taiping)

Ng Boo Bee (1853-1921) 黄务美, was born and educated in Fujian, China before making his way to Malaya, first in Penang before eventually making a name for himself in the State of Perak. His father is Ng Koh Sung and mother, U Choot Kwah. He started out as a brick manufacturer and timber merchant under the name of Chop Swee Bee in Taiping, Ipoh and Teluk Anson. In Taiping, he acquired the tender contract as a railway contractor under Mr. C.R. Hanson, Resident Engineer for Perak Railways and was probably responsible for the building of the first railway in Malaya which connected Taiping to Port Weld. It was during this time he shrewdly acquired land around Kamunting. Ng Boo Bee Millionaire tin miner The land purchases around Kamunting made Ng Boo Bee a millionaire and with that he acquired also various houses in Taiping and also Penang. The Governor of the Straits Settlement, Sir John Anderson visited Ng Boo Bee tin mine in 1908 which had at that time, employed 4,500...

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