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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 with the label Kuching

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Baby Theresa Chan (St. Joseph's Cathedral, Kuching Catholic Cemetery)

Catholic Kuching

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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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The story behind the iconic fig tree in Bukit Brown- Teo Chye Neo found

Madam Teo Chye Neo who lived in 40-A Onan Road was stab in the face and neck after a quarrel with a 16 year old Hylam Boy by the name of Yeo Tin Keng alias Ah Neok (Little Boy) who was employed as a cook in the deceased 's house at 10am in the morning of 23 June 1933. She died as result of extensive hemorrhage. It was also understood that Teo Chye Neo (who was married to Tan Siang Hee) had been pregnant for 7 months. Teo Chye Neo passed away at the age of 27 and was buried in Bukit Brown on 25 June 1933. Her burial entry is at Block 3 Section D, plot 373. Today we tried to find Teo Chye Neo and her unborn child. We found that a huge fig tree, a landmark in Bukit Brown hill 3 as taken over. Tombkeeper Queenie confirmed that there used to be a tomb there when she was young but even back as young lady, the fig tree with it aerial roots hanging down its branches has slowly enveloped the headstone. The fig tree that has engulfed the tomb of Madam Teo Chye Neo The fig tree w...

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...

Tan Ean Kiam (Bukit Brown)

Tan Ean Kiam (陈延谦)( Tan Eang Khiam / Tan Ean Khiam) was a successful rubber magnate and banker. He together with Khoo Koh Wah established the Overseas Chinese Bank (OCB) in 1919 and became the Managing Director. The Chairman of the Bank at that time was Mr Lim Nee Soon . Banks in the past were very much run by community leaders and "towkay's" of their respective dialect groups. As a way to strengthen the economic fundamentals of banks after a major recession and also to reflect the growing commonality of a unified "Chinese" identity not based on dialect groupings, Overseas Chinese Bank later merged with Ho Hong Bank and Chinese Commercial Bank on 31 October 1932 to form the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation or OCBC Bank. Tan Ean Kiam was its Managing Director until his death on 30 March 1943. Tan Ean Kiam was nominated as a member of the Chinese Advisory Board by Sir Shenton Thomas in November 1937. Tan Ean Kiam was a member of the Tung Meng Hui (Chinese R...

Junior Too : A name restored (Bukit Brown)

On 8 June 1941, a baby boy lived for only six and a half hours before passing away. His grieving parents, Mr. and Mrs. Too Joon Ting, may not have given him a name to the tomb mason in that moment of sorrow, and so his headstone reflects only the words - beloved boy. Yet history is not only written in stone. Through what feels like divine guidance, this story found its way back to the family. On 8 June 2026 , on the very anniversary of the boy’s death— my article - Unnamed boy of Mr. and Mrs. Too Joo Ting (published on 24 May 2026) managed to reached out to his younger brother, Henry Too, who was alerted about my blogpost by his niece. Henry (who now is based in Australia) reached out to me online and shared a precious recollection: their father had indeed given his elder brother who passed away a name— Junior Too . Junior Too has in total 3 brothers, 1 sister and many, many relatives. Divine Intervention What astonishes me most is not only that this mystery was ...

Lee Geok Hoe (Bukit Brown)

Lee Geok Hoe alias Lee Bah Chee passed away on 3 May 1941 on 1:40 am at No. 77 Pasir Panjang Road at the age of 56. From the tomb are listed the name of his children; Sons: Lee Teow Leong, Lee Tian Hong, Lee Tian Hock Daughters: Lee Sim Neo, Lee Gek Neo Grandsons: Lee Chwee Seng Granddaughter: Lee Chwee Sin Lee Geok Hoe tomb (photo taken in 2020) Lee Geok Hoe tomb (photo taken in 2026) Family Son: Lee Teow Leong Lee Teow Leong passed away at the age of 82 on 20 July 1981. Wife: Cheong Mary Sons: Lee Chwee Seng, Lee Chwee Whatt Daughter: Lee Chwee Kim Daughters-in-law: Dorren Chia, Toh Siew Wan Son-in-law: Low Mun Cheok Daughter: Maggie Lee Sin Neo / Mrs. Teo Ban Chong Mr. Two Ban Chong (eldest son the late Mr. Teo Choo Boon and Mrs. Teo) and Miss Maggie Lee (eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Geok Hoe) at the Singapore Chinse Consulate on December 1938. Margaret Teo Ban Chong nee Maggie Lee Sin Neo passed away on 6 May 1980. She leaves behind; 2 sons: John Teo Leng Hu...

Sheums Circus

Shanghai-born, Mr. Sheum Cheng Fook ( 沈常福 / Shen Chang Fu) first started out as a strongman in an acrobatic show in Hong Kong at the age of 19. In 1927, when the troupe performed in Penang, he decided to start his own circus in a small way- with a pair of tigers he bought with his life savings. Sheum Cheng Fook sought permission from his mother, Madam Cheng Kao Shih and stepfather, Sun Si Ting, both founders of Tan Thean Kiew circus to allow him to set-up his own circus. Both gave their blessing and from there was born another famous circus troupe, Chang Fu Circus or also known as Sheum's Circus. Half of the troupe from Tai Thean Kew went over over with him including his biological sisters and her daughters. Both troupe as we know it, continue to co-exist post war. Sheums Circus was popularly known as "Sim Siong Hock" in Hokkien (but i don't really know the reason why is this so and if anyone of you might know, do leave a comment below). Mr. and Mrs. Sheum Cheng F...

Joseph William Cashin and family (Choa Chu Kang Christian Cemetery)

Joseph William Cashin / J.W. Cashin (1842-1907) was born in Singapore and is the second son of the late Mr. Cashin, a Maltese Inspector of Police. The Cashin family originally from Ireland, came down to Singapore many years ago. Joseph William Cashin was educated at the Christian Brother's Schoo and became a lawyer's clerk after going into work at the legal firm of Mr. F.E. Pereira, followed by Mr. Edwin Koek and finally Mr. J.P. Joaquim. Joseph William Cashin also joined the Opium and Liquor Farms of Singapore, rising the ranks to Managing Director before passing away. With the money, he invested and also made a fortune in land speculation and at one time own many properties, including about 400 shophouses. Joseph William Cashin passed away on 7th August 1907 at his country house at Pongol (Punggol) and the body was brought to his town residence at No 3 Gaylang (Geylang) at the end of the tramway terminus. He is survived by his widow, 3 daughters and an only son. Probate of h...

Lee Kim Soo (Bukit Brown)

Mr. Lee Kim Soo (8 May 1888-13 December 1933) was an industrialist and proprietor of Elkayes. The company name was derived from the first initials of his name, L.K.S. The company has factories in Singapore, Johor, Kuala Lumpur and Port Swettenham. He had his early education in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. He worked for the Singapore Association of Engineers before finally striking out on his own in 1910 as a merchant providing estate supplies. Mr. Lee Kim Soo's company, Elkayes Work started producing latex cups and pottery products on large scale in line with the rubber plantation boom in Singapore and Malaya, and in no time became the largest. He became a packing manufacturer, producing the wooden cases in which rubber was stored. An industrialist and a man full of ideas, he expanded and pioneered the match manufacturing industry in Singapore. The Elkayes Match factory is modern in design, using modern equipment and operated by a European manager with over 400 Chinese employees. L...

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 Public...

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Heritage in S'pore and M'sia

All things Bukit Brown
Singapore Tombstones Epigraphic Materials 新加坡墓碑铭集录
Bukit Brown Cemetery
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Burial Registrar
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Historic Chinese Architecture in Singapore
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Overseas Chinese in the British Empire

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Nature in S'pore and M'sia

Focus Ubin
National Parks(Singapore)
Mangrove Flora and fauna of Sg Buloh
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Online guide to Chek Jawa, Ubin

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