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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 Plus Codes

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Tan Hoo Chwee - founder of Kian Seng Huat (Kopi Sua)

October 04, 2025

kheam hock road village kopi sua Plus Codes Reconnecting tomb mason Youtube Shorts

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Tan Teck Yam (Kopi Sua)

September 22, 2025

accident kopi sua Plus Codes

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A visit of rediscovery and closure (Bukit Brown)

August 17, 2025

Block 4 Div B Block 4 Div C Block 4 Division 3 Plus Codes Reconnecting

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Loo Sam Seng (Lao Sua)

Lao Sua Plus Codes unique name

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Mrs. Koh Eng Tiong nee Lee Siok Puay (Lao Sua)

Died Young Lao Sua Plus Codes video

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Neo Guan Beng (Bukit Brown)

Block 3 Div C decorative tiles Hill 3 Plus Codes video

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Miss Gan Chiew Neo (Bukit Brown)

Block 3 Div C Died Young Hill 3 marble Plus Codes

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Qing Ming at the tomb of Lee Peng Seng (2025)

customs Pauper Section 3 Division 7 Plus Codes qingming

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Rojak Librarian (Peter Pak): Advocate for Conservation of Bukit Brown Cemetery. Heritage and Nature Enthusiast.

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Resource Guide on Bukit Brown

History from the Hills (2013)

Newspaper mentions (2014)

Newspaper mentions (2017)

Tuesday Report (2018) 星期二特写 | 行脚。发现第4集：武吉布朗之旅

Newspaper mentions(2022)

Grave Matters-The Greater Bukit Brown(2023)

Newspaper mentions(2024)

Newspaper mentions(2024)

The Stories Behind: Birdwatcher turned grave hunter reunites families with forgotten tombs of their ancestors(2022)

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Teo Hoo Lye (Bukit Brown)

Teo Hoo Lye (1853-1933) Teo Hoo Lye (18 Oct 1853- 16 Nov 1933) was born in China and came to Singapore when he was 18. Like many stories of rags to riches of the early pioneers, Teo Hoo Lye worked from ground up, starting as a manual labourer, saving money to open a small grocer business called chop Soon Bee in Rochore Road. At the age of 25 he went to the Natuna and Anambas Islands and got into the copra (extracted for its coconut oil) business which was a valuable commercial product then. This then led him to expand and become a steamship owner (Aing Hong, Flevo, Batavier, Benuit, etc) and he became a consignee of ships for the export of copra, sago, rubber, etc from Natuna to Singapore and also to Sarawak. His company, Teo Hoo Lye S.S. Co. (or Soon Bee Steamship Co.) was eventually liquidated in 1935, for half a million dollars (by his trustees after his death) and 12 steamships such as Willy o' the Wisp, Massima, Huat Chiang among others bought up by Heap Eng Moh Steamsh...

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 Soon Lam (Bukit Brown)

Teo Soon Lam was born on 9 March 1941 and passed away on 10 September 1941. His tomb is rare as it as a huge ceramic photo of him. From the burial registrar, Teo Soon Lam was listed as Hokkien and his age, 6 months old. From the photo i can make two possible bangles on his hand - maybe jade bangles ? and what looks like his pacifier ! Baby Teo Soon Lam Teo Soon Lam, 6 months old -passed away on 10 September 1941 Location of tomb Block 5 Section C, plot 18 Close-by his tomb is another tomb of Tan Kai How who died young at 4 years old . Teo Soon Lam tomb in Bukit Brown 20240220

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...

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...

Bertram Yong Shee Jen (Choa Chu Kang Christian Cemetery)

I came across this obelisk shape tomb while exploring the Christian section of the Chao Chu Kang Cemetery. It carried the following words: In ever loving and proud memory of a very dear and fine son 2LT. BERTRAM YONG SHEE JEN (Singapore Air Defence Command) who died in the course of duty 6th January 1951 8th November 1971 "THY WILL BE DONE" On the back, engraved are the names of his family: 2LT. Bertram Yong Shee Jen, fourth son of Dr. & Mrs. Yong Kon Vui, brother of Victor Yong Shee Hueng, Leslie Yong Shee Keong, Yong Shee Bok and Jeanette Yong Second-Lieutnant Bertram Yong of Singapore Air Defence Command was 20 years old when his Hunter jet crashed into a hill in Central Wales during a training flight. His British instructor also died in the mishap. A student of Anglo-Chinese School, Barker Road, he excelled in the sports ( a national champion sprinter) and also became the first Singapore Air Defence Cadet to receive the best trainee award. The bo...

Yap Geok Song's Pineapple Factory off Grove Road

Yap Geok Song was a land property owner, pineapple and rubber planter merchant. His rubber estate was privately owned and was called Kuan Tian or Yap Geok Song's estate. He was also a shareholder / director of Eastern United Assurance and Oversea Chinese Bank. This supplement article focuses on him as a pineapple owner or rather i would say owner of a pineapple canning factory business. With the building plan below dated 1911, Yap Geok partial name can be seen. But what made me a bit more confidence it was his signed name - Yap Geok Song. The building plan was the plans to repurpose existing builds on 50, 51, 52 and 53 off Grove Road for a pineapple factory. This factory is for Yap Geok Song. There was even an article that dates back to 1 September 1906 of a lawsuit by Yap Geok Song against Adam-seroo for alleged breach of contract in stopping the supply of carts for the removal of pineapple porings. Pineapple Factory to Existing Building - at 50,51,52 and ...

The school in the jungle off Kheam Hock Road (Chin Chung Public School)

I have long known that there was a school that existed near Bukit Brown since its mentioned back when there was an exhibition about Bukit Brown ( Bukit Brown: Documenting New Horizons of Knowledge 2014 ). The name of the school was called Chin Chung Public School (振中学校) and it's address was No 25, Jalan Berahi, off Kheam Hock Road, Singapore 11 (The postal code was only 2 digits !). The interest came back recently when Soh Ah Beng, a friend and fellow explorer showed me his school report card and that spurred me to ask this question, where is the original location of the school and is it still there? Today's discovery was a very exciting one because we manage to find out the foundations of Chin Chung Public School was very much still intact and the road that led to the school was still intact as well ! Chin Chung Public School Report Card of Soh Ah Beng Chin Chung Public School no longer exist but the foundation and the steps leading to the school from Jalan Berahi is ...

Punjabi / Sikh Guards at Bukit Brown

What makes this cemetery unique is the reflection of what once was a community of people who came, lived and subsequently died and laid to rest in this grounds. The memories, stories and impact they left behind is something cannot be duplicated anywhere else. The fusion of styles adopted as a result of socialisation with the other races they meet in their daily lives and adoption of various Asian and western influences with their own Chinese customs and beliefs thoroughly makes this place a one-of-a kind heritage cemetery and the last in Singapore. I would like to call this a Heritage Park. The Punjabi / Sikh guard statues are a fine example of this. I would imagine the local Chinese population in the past were impressed with the diligence, loyalty and bravery of the Punjabi /Sikh guards brought in by the British colonial masters to provide security, decided that they would also be adequate symbolic guardians of their final resting when they passed on. The artisans that crafted ...

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...

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