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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 exhumed

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Wee Ban Cheng (Bukit Brown)

February 11, 2025

Bukit Brown exhumed

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Madam Tan Kepok (Mandai Columbarium)

January 14, 2025

exhumed former Bukit Brown cemetery Mandai Columbarium

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Madam Lim Bee Neo and Lee Siew Fong (Mandai Columbarium)

January 12, 2025

exhumed former Bukit Brown cemetery Mandai Columbarium

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Wee Chim Yean revisited (Mandai Columbarium)

January 12, 2025

exhumed Family - Wee Boon Teng former Bukit Brown cemetery Kapitan Cina Mandai Columbarium

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Ho Siak Kuan cluster revisited (Mandai Columbarium)

January 11, 2025

exhumed Family - Ho Siak Kuan former Bukit Brown cemetery Mandai Columbarium

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Tan Huck Khong revisited (Mandai Columbarium)

January 11, 2025

exhumed former Bukit Brown cemetery Mandai Columbarium

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Poh Cheng Tee and family revisited (Mandai Columbarium)

January 11, 2025

exhumed former Bukit Brown cemetery Mandai Columbarium

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Ko Teck Kin (Kopi Sua)

November 29, 2024

exhumed kopi sua

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Labels

Bukit Brown965
Hill 3318
Hill 1185
Hill 4165
Died Young145
decorative tiles135
Block 3 Div D131
Block 4 Div A115
Hill 298
Block 3 Div B86

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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)

Rojak Librarian+ (other Rojak matters)

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Popular Post

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 Pah...

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. ...

Rattan furniture industry in Singapore: past and present

Exploring the HDB estate opposite Queensway Shopping Centre, i came across a Rattan furniture shop , Chun Mee Lee Rattan Furniture. It is not often you find a shop in Singapore that sells furniture solely made by rattan and indeed it was a pleasant and nostalgic surprise to encounter.The shop was filled to the brim with rattan furniture and ware, but what was more surprising for me, was to see a lady working on re-upholstering a chair with rattan trimmings. This indicates to me that not all the rattan ware was exported from either Indonesia and Malaysia, some were still done locally. Chun Mee Lee Rattan Furniture( directions here ) Rattan furniture stacked to the ceiling Worker reupholstering a chair with rattan trimmings Fast forward a few weeks, this time in Joo Chiat, i came across another shop called Teong Theng Co ( directions here ) which although wasn't filled to the brim with rattan furniture (there were other types of wood furniture as well), i...

By-laws for the Burial Ground for Chinese at Bukit Brown

Sharing the by-laws of Bukit Brown Cemetery and how Bukit Brown Cemetery came to be when it was first opened to public burial for all Chinese in 1922. There are many interesting nuggets in the by-laws - for example, you can only enter the cemetery between 6 am -6 pm daily only at one point in the past and you will notice that it is rare to find memorial headstone that is more than 6 feet in height in Bukit Brown. No. 59. SUPPLEMENT TO THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS Government Gazette, FRIDAY, 29th JULY, 1921. The Municipal Ordinance, 1913. By-Laws for the Regulation of the Municipal Burial Ground for Chinese at Bukit Brown. FRAMED BY THE MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONERS OF THE TOWN OF SINGAPORE UNDER SECTION 90 OF THE MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE, 1913. PASSED AT A SPECIAL MEETING HELD ON 24TH JUNE, 1921. 1. The Burial Ground shall be used only for the burial of Chinese not of the Christian religion. 2. A Superintendent who shall reside at the Cemetery shall be employed by the Municipal Commissioners. 3. The B...

Valley of Death (Siglap)

There was a series of pictures that were recently published on PictureSG, donated by Foo Chin Hwa 胡拯华 1962 that got me curious. It was a series of pictures that shows and describes exhumation being carried out and bones found in Siglap. However nothing further was added in the description and credit line of this pictures except for a few. For this series of pictures, a few things were consistent, the year the pictures were taken and the donor, Foo Chin Hwa 胡拯华. source: PictureSG Bones found in Siglap (source: PictureSG) Piles of discarded footwear source: PictureSG Storing bones in jar (source: PictureSG) Siglap's "Valley of Death" The newspaper article headline of 24 February 1962 caught my attention. It describes a recent sandwashing activity at 7.5 mile Siglap Road which led to a discovery of mass war graves. The location of this place is off Evergreen Avenue and very close to Puay Poon School. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce set-up a ...

Certificate of Reservation for Bukit Brown grave plots

When Bukit Brown first open for public burials, it was not popular because of its strict rules on the size of the tomb as well as restrictions for not allowing for multiple plots. That changed with the change of rules allowing for the size of the plots to be increased which was approved on 1 September 1922 with the size change from 14 by 8 feet to 20 by 10 feet From then on, i observed also on the Government Gazette, certificate of reservations being issued. Below are a few i managed to gather. Certificate No. 336 Madam Seow Poh Neo (died 23 March 1924) - Block 1 Section, plot 190 and 1/2 of 192) and husband. Chew Hock Seng (died 2 April 1957) - Block 1 Section F, plot 192 and 1/2 of 191. Certificate No. 337 Wee Siang Ho (died 20 March 1924) - Block 1 Section E, plot 4 and 1/2 of 3.

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...

Tan Jiak Kim (former Alexandra Cemetery)

Tan Jiak Kim, J.P. C.M.G. / 陈若锦 was born in Singapore on 29 April 1859 and came from an old and respected family. His grandfather was Tan Kim Seng, the founder of Kim Seng and Co, and a well known public benefactor. When he passed away in 1863, his son, Tan Beng Swee (Tan Jiak Kim's father) succeeded as head of the firm and was also a well known public figure in Singapore and Malacca. Educated privately, he entered the firm of Kim Seng and Co, as apprentice at the age of 18 where he gain business experience. After the death of his father, Mr. Tan Beng Swee in 1884, he was taken into partnership by his uncle, Mr. Tan Beng Gum . Tan Jiak Kim was also one of the founders of the Straits Steamships Company Ltd, a Director of the United Singapore Rubber Estates Ltd. In 1886, Tan Jiak Kim was elected a Municipal Commissioner and 1889 appointed as a member of the Legislative Council until he resigned in May 1915 when he resigned due to health reasons. On 1st January 1912 he was presented ...

Tan Kheam Hock and family (Bukit Brown)

Tan Kheam Hock /Tan Khiam Hock / 陈谦福 (1862-1922) was born in Penang to Mr and Mrs Tan Teng Poh and received his education in Penang Free School. He joined the Merchantile Bank before leaving for Calcutta, India to be a merchant in 1877, remaining there until 1899 before coming back to Singapore to join the syndicate that had the rights to Opium and Spirit Farms. In 1901, he became the labor contractor for the Singapore Harbor Board, which at at its peak provided over 5,000 labor force. Tan Kheam Hock was also the Chairman of Eastern United Assurance Corporation, Great Eastern Life Assurance and Director of an array of tin, rubber and industrial companies. Tan Kheam Hock was a Senior Municipal Commissioner, Straits Chinese British Association, Chinese Advisory Board, Justice of Peace (Board of Licensing Justices), First member of the King Edward VII Medical College (when he passed away Mr See Tiong Wah replaced him) and the Hospital Board. Tan ...

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