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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 video

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Aerial View of Woodneuk House and Building Plans of Tyersall

Heritage Houses johor Singapore Botanic Gardens video

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Beatification and canonization of Sybil Kathigasu ?

Ipoh St. Michael's Catholic Church Ipoh Cemetery video

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Tyersall Park land swap near Botanic Gardens - a hope for Istana Woodneuk ?

Heritage Houses johor Singapore Botanic Gardens video

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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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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

The day when Ave. Maria Convent Girls Ipoh clashed with the police

The 20 November 1957 newspaper article reads: Chinese girls in a Roman Catholic convent in Ipoh attacked policewomen with umbrellas, sticks and bottles yesterday, in a demonstration in sympathy with other Chinese students. Similar incidents also flared not only in Ipoh but in other states as well (e.g. Seremban where 200 boys of Chan Wa High School demonstrated). In Penang and Kedah, peaceful demonstrations from about 1,300 students were also reported. The protest started from what i read as a result of the Federation Government Education Policy, that plan to do away with vernacular schools and convert this Chinese schools to main stream government schools. There were many other political considerations (both internal and external) that drove this, but that is more for political historians to discuss. In Ave Maria Chinese Convent in Ipoh (that had roughly 1,000 students at that time), it was reported that about 100 girls in school uniforms age from 13 to 17 resisted policewomen wh...

Tan Sri Koo Chong Kong - Lest We Forget

Koo Chong Kong (1925-14 November 1975) was born in China. Due to civil war there, he left with some of his family members and settled first at Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. From there, he moved to Ipoh where he studied in Anglo Chinese School in Ipoh. During the Japanese occupation, he joined the resistance movement, becoming a liaison officer with the Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army and his comrades in arms included top communist such as Chen Tien. Post Japanese occupation, he refused to joined the Communist when emergency was declared in 1948. The communist decided to eliminate him as he knew too much and several attempts were indeed made. Koo Chong Kong moved to Sarawak in 1950 for refugee. He joined the Sarawak Constabulary in 1952 before being sent to Hendon Police College in Britain in 1955 where he won the "Baton of Honour". In 1963 he was honoured with the Colonial Police Medal. He was made a Datuk by the Governor of Sarawak, Tuanku Haji Bujang. Promoted to Ass...

Tan Hoon Phian Neo (Bukit Brown)

Tan Hoon Phian Neo (1906-1924) was the wife of Mr Yap Gim Teck. Tan Hoon Phian Neo, who is the daughter of Mr. Tan Piah Eng and Madam Sim Khuan Neo , unfortunately died at the age of 18 at on 27 July 1924. It was mentioned in a Straits Times article dated 29 July 1924, that Tan Hoon Phian Neo, dearest beloved wife of Mr.Yap Gim Teck and daughter of Mr. and Mrs Tan Piah Eng passed away at at Bukit Timah Rubber Estate. Madam Tan Hoon Phian Neo nee Mrs. Yap Gim Teck (photo courtesy of Melvin Yap) Tan Hood Phian Neo (died at age 18) Madam Tan Hoon Phian Neo nee Mrs. Yap Gim Teck (photo courtesy of Melvin Yap) Tomb of Madam Tan Hoon Phian Neo, passed away at the age of 18 Parents: Tan Piah Eng and Sim Khuan Neo Her father, Mr Tan Piah Eng is the Assistant Manager of the Bukit Timah Rubber Estate and a member of the Singapore Voluntary Infantry. He was a rifle sharp shooter that together with fellow volunteers such as Tan Soo Bin, Sir Song Ong Siang and Tan Chow Kim won th...

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 Swee Hoe mansion in Batu Pahat

The status of Tan Swee Hoe's mansion at 160 Jalan Kluang, Batu Pahat was finally revealed! The mansion that was once owned by Tan Swee Hoe's descendants was sold and the rumors circulating at one point of time was it was going to be demolished. In fact various readers of my blog sent me pictures of the mansion after it was sold where the rooftop of the building and the interiors was completely stripped. Tan Swee Hoe's mansion (minus the roof) Well it was finally revealed in various Malaysian papers ( Sin Chew Daily , Johor China Press ) that it was purchased by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, the Sultan of Johor. It was reported in the papers that the Sultan of Johor plans to restore the building and turn it into a Heritage Centre featuring the artefacts of the Johor Chinese community as well as as artefacts from China as a strong symbol to reaffirm the long relationship between the Johor Sultanate and China. About Tan Swee Hoe Tan Swee Hoe T...

Tyersall Park land swap near Botanic Gardens - a hope for Istana Woodneuk ?

I read with interest of the recent move of land swap - a deal that was agreed between its current owner, the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and the Government of Singapore. I wrote about this land in my blogpost - Woodneuk House - a palace in ruins on 9 April 2014 . On this land, Woodneuk House or Istana Woodneuk lies in ruins will also shift its ownership to the Singapore Government. Woodneuk in 2014 (the roofing gone as a result of a fire in 2006) Tyserall and Woodneuk (source: Handbook to Singapore -1907) Planned Land Swap The land owned by the Regent of Johor is about 21.1 ha and part of it (the parcel of land marked as plot C -13 ha (which is closer to Singapore Botanic Gardens) will be transferred to Singapore, while plot A - 8.5ha which is currently state land transferred to Regent of Johor. A portion of the original land was acquired in 2004 by the state and part of this land is now is part of NParks Botanic Gardens expansion - the Botanic ...

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...

Seow Eng Tin (Bukit Brown)

Mr. Seow Eng Tin was a Manager and was a Director of the Chinese Commercial Bank, Limited and owned land in Johore. Mr. Seow Eng Tin passed away at the age of 55 on 17 October 1929. His address was stated as 75 Neil Road. He leaves behind a widow, two sons, Messrs. Seow Tiong Teck and Seow Tiong Soo, one daughter, Mrs. Koh Kong Guan, one grandson and 2 granddaughters. When Mr. Seow Eng Tin passed away the left a large amounting to $190,000 in Singapore and $152,000 in Johore. Seow Eng Tin Mrs. Seow Eng Tin, nee Madame Tan Keng Neo, died at her residence. No. 75, Neil Road, Singapore at the age of 56 on 11 September 1935. Madam Tan Keng Neo leaves behind two sons, Messrs. Seow Tiong Teck and Seow Tiong Soo (both of the Universal Motor Accessory Co.) and one daughter, Mrs. Koh Kong Guan, 1 son-in-law, 1 daughter-in-law and 4 grandchildren. Madam Tan Keng Neo Bold Impersonation A chinese hokkien man sporting a mackintosh and fashionable f...

Ong Chwee Tow (Seh Ong )

Ong Chwee Tow (王水斗) came to Singapore when he was 15 years of age. He held various jobs and climbed up the social ladder. He worked as Tan Kah Kee's rickshaw rider, then as a hawker and later on in the pineapple line. His fortune came when the pineapple factory owner fell sick and died and he took over the management of the factory. The rest is history. As for the Tou Mou Gung and why he contributed to it, here is an interesting story about Tou Mou Gung and Ong Chwee Tow. Tou Mu Kung, also called Hougang Dou Mu temple (后港斗母宫), is a Taoist temple situated at 779A Upper Serangoon Road. Completed in 1921, it is the oldest temple dedicated to the worship of Jiu Huang Ye (九皇爷) in Singapore and was gazetted as a national monument on 14 January 2005. As one of the worshippers, Hokkien pineapple tycoon Ong Chwee Tow, decided to donate a plot of land around the 5½ milestone Upper Serangoon Road for the construction of a temple. On one of the two stone tablets listing the temple’s benefac...

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