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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 malaya

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Stella Yau alias Stella Moya (Ipoh)

Chinese Female Pioneer Ipoh +0 malaya

Chinese Female Pioneer Ipoh malaya

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First Chinese woman to qualify as a pilot in Malaya

Chinese Female Pioneer +0 malaya

Chinese Female Pioneer malaya

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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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Stella Yau alias Stella Moya (Ipoh)

Stella Yau alias Stella Moya (1916-2003) was born on 18 July 1916 in Ipoh to a Chinese father (Dr. Yau Ah Chee) and English mother. At the age of 3 she wanted to become a dancer which she excelled in Ipoh Convent during its school concert. At the age of 9, she left for England with her mother while her father remain in charge of the Malaya tin mines. Stella Yau continued her passion for dance and stage training under the tutelage of Jean Anderton and later Viola Compton School. Stella Yau alias Stella Moya (source: NewspaperSG) First Malayan to appear in a picture made in British Studios At the age nineteen, Stella Yau was talent-spotted at a London dance, and became the first Malayan to appear in a film produced in Britain, the 1935 comedy “Stormy Weather”. She played the part of a Chinese girl, Stella Moya, from which she took her stage name. Star dancer in the Tom Walls-Ralph Lynn film "Stormy Weather", she was given the part of Stella Moya, a Chinese girl in the film by ...

Qing Ming in Lao Sua with the Seah family (2025)

Today, 15 March 2025 - there is already a steady stream of visitors coming to Bukit Brown and its surrounding cemeteries to pay respects to their ancestors ! Qing Ming as started early. I even seen a chartered bus with many family members coming to clean and respects too. I am very fortunate today to be able to follow the Seah ( 谢) family in their regular yearly visits to pay respects to their grandmother / great grandmother, Madam Tan. Madam Tan tomb is located deep in Lao Sua (Hokkien Clan) cemetery adjacent to Bukit Brown. The Seah family all ready for Qing Ming and with company to assist Arriving in the middle of the jungle of Lao Sua Madam Tan passed away in 1951 and originally lived with in Kampong Chai Chee area. This is the only information i have for now. Paying respects to her grandmother, Madam Tan James Seah paying respects to her great grandmother The ceramic photo may have faded but the strength of filial piety is obvious Everyone taking...

First Chinese woman to qualify as a pilot in Malaya

Miss Wong Chiew Wan at 20 became the first Chinese airwoman in Malaya in May 1934. She is the daughter of Mr. Wong Siew Chong of 1 Hale Road, Kuala Lumpur, an ice manufacturer and a well-known member of the local Chinese community. Miss Wong was also labelled in the newspaper article as the first girl of Asiatic nationality to take up flying in Malaya. At the time, she was also a student at the Methodist Girls' School. She was also labeled in 1934 as the first woman in Malaya to secure an air pilot's "A" license. Miss Wong Chiew Wan - first chinese airwoman in Malaya (source: NewspaperSG) Ipoh visit Miss Wong Chiew Wan paid a flying visit to Ipoh on the morning of 3 September 1936 and was received by a large gathering of Chinese when she alighted at the Ipoh landing ground after a solo flight from Kuala Lumpur. She was the guest of honor at a tiffin given by the Perak Hainanese community before returning to Kuala Lumpur. Girl Pilot's Force Landing It was reporte...

Sybil Medan Kathigasu (St. Michael's Catholic Church Ipoh Cemetery)

Sybil Medan Kathigasu ( 3 September 1899 - 12 June 1948) was born as Sybil Daly in Medan, Sumatra. She was the daughter of an Irish planter, Joseph Daly and Eurasian mother, Beatrie Mathilda Martin. While studying nursing and midwifery in Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, she met Dr. Arumugam Kanapathi Pillay, a Ceylonese. Faced with objections initially due to different religious background (she was Catholic and he, Hindu), he gain acceptance after becoming Catholic and taking the name Abdon Clement Kathigasu or Dr. A.C. Kathigasu. They married on 7 January 1919 at St. John's Church, Kuala Lumpur and eventually had 2 daughters and 1 adopted son. Sybil Kathigasu Together, they went into private practice with the clinic located at 141 Brewster Road, Ipoh but moved to Papan (a town outside of Ipoh), when the Japanese invaded Malaya. They established a clinic at No. 74 Main Street. During the Japanese occupation they continue to operate their clinic but got into trouble when they provide...

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 Pah...

Alice Lim (Bukit Brown)

The ceramic picture of this lady caught my eye because on uniform top were chinese characters which i later found out to be Chung Hwa. Was she a student or teacher of Chung Hwa Girls' High School ? This remains a mystery for now. In the burial registrar, her name was listed as : Alice Lim. Alice Lim is a Teochew girl who passed away at the age of 18 on 24 January 1937. From this further information, it is more possible that she was a student there. Alice Lim of Chung Hwa Girls' High School (1937) Chung Hwa High School Location of tomb Block 4 Section A, plot 877 Tomb of Alice Lim at Bukit Brown [research on-going] Chung Hwa Girl's High School To give a sense of appearance, i tried searching for photos from Chung Hwa Girl's High School and so far i found a photo from 1950's of a photo from the girls basketball team.

Ko Teck Kin (Kopi Sua)

Mr. Ko Teck Kin (高德根) was born in China in Leong Kay (Hokkien Province) in 1911. He came down to Singapore at the age of 10 and went to Sumatra at 20 years old to start a business. When he returned, he worked with the shipping firm owned by his father, Mr. Ko Yam Ee and had his own business dealing in local products. Post war, he started the rubber milling business of Kah Hin Rubber Co. Ltd in which he was the managing director. His other business included Ho Chiang Shipping Co. Ltd, Ko Liong Hin, importers and exporters. and the Chin Cheng Realty Ltd. By the time time he was 42 years old in 1953, he was labelled as one of the youngest Chinese millionaires in the Singapore rubber industry. He was also the chairman of Chung Khiaw Bank. Ko Teck Kin Ko Teck Kin was the Vice-President (1952-1953) and later President of Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce from 1954 to 1955, and again from 1958 to 1965. Other roles: Committee Member of Singapore Hokkien Hui Kuan; Deputy Chairman...

Mrs Koh Sek Lim nee Ang Chit Yan (Bukit Brown)

Madam Ang Chit Yan is buried in Bukit Brown, Hill 4 Section C plot no. 80. She is the wife of Mr. Koh Sek Lim whose legacy is remembered by two road named after him, Koh Sek Lim Road and Xilin Avenue. Madam Ang Chit Yan passed away at her residence Gulega Bedoh Estate, No 655-17, Padang Terbakar, Bedoh (Bedok) at 10:15 pm on Friday, 12th November 1937 at the age of 65. She is survived by her husband, Mr. Koh Sek Lim, 14 sons ( Koh Kong Wee , Koh Kong Wan, Koh Kong Boon, Koh Kong Seng, Koh Kong Sun, Koh Kong Hai, Koh Kong Leong, Koh Kong Hor, Koh Kong Thian and 5 others, 5 daughters-in-law, (Mrs. Koh Kong Wee, Mrs. Koh Kong Wan. Mrs. Koh Kong Seng, Mrs. Koh Kong Sun, Mrs, Koh Kong Hor, 10 daughters, 4 son-in-laws ( Yeo Eng Tiong, Wee Swee Seng, Lim Teck Seng, Lim Eng Yong and 30 grandchildren). On her tombstones, the complete names of the sons and daughters include: Sons: Koh Kong Wee , Koh Kong Wan, Koh Kong Boon, Koh Kong Seng, Koh Kong Sun, Koh Kong Hai, Koh Kong Leong, Koh Kong H...

Qing Ming - Five-colored paper

During Qing Ming, even if you are passive observer, you will noticed visited tombs with colored papers placed on tomb mount an/ or the headstone. Some are just strewn randomly behind while others follow a pattern of 5 color papers being grouped together. Whatever the individual descendant family practice, from what i read from online sources and asked through oral accounts from descendants is the act of placing the colored papers (called ya zhi (压纸) ) on top of the headstone is symbolic of the fact that this tomb is well taken care of by the filial descendants. The paper typically have 5 colors, representing the 5 elements (Fire, Earth, Gold, Wood and Water) and / or the 5 cardinal directions (North, South, East. West and Centre). 5 colored paper with stones to hold them down Five colored paper on the grave as well on top of the headstone 5 colored paper on headstone Note: None of the perspectives expressed here represent singular truths given the syncretic nature of Chinese...

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