Cheah Tat Jin and Lim Kwee Guan

 Cheah Tat Jin and Lim Kwee Guan

Born 1886 

Portraits from Twentieth Century Impressions of British Malaya (published in 1908)

MARRIAGE 

Straits Echo, 12 March 1906, Page 4

Death of Lim Kwee Guan of pneumonia during the influenza pandemic of 1918

THE INFLUENZA PANDEMIC.

Straits Echo, 19 October 1918, Page 8

Death of Cheah Chen Eok 

OBITUARY.

Malaya Tribune., 13 June 1922, Page 10

Sons :

Cheah Tat Toe

Cheah Tat Jin

Cheah Tat Kwan

Twenty Century Impression Of British Malaya

Mr. Cheah Chen Eok, Superintendent of the Pinang Opium and Spirit Farm, is the only son of the late Mr. Cheah Sim Hean, merchant, of Pinang. He was born in 1852, and received his education at the Pinang Free School. When he was sixteen years of age he entered the service of Messrs. Boon Tek e Co., ships' chandlers, but shortly afterwards went to the Pinang branch of the Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London, and China. There he remained for eight years, receiving a sound financial training, and in 1876 he commenced business as a ships' chandler and general merchant under the style of Chen Eok e Co. After six years' successful trading he embarked upon opium and spirit farming, and was connected with practicallv every farm in Singapore and Pinang for twenty-five years. His management of these mammoth concerns was beyond all criticisms, and although in 1902 retired from active business, he consented to superintend the affairs of the present Penang farm at the urgent request of the syndicate. 

In 1872, he married the daughter of the late Foo Tye Sin, one of the best known Chinamen in Penang. He has six sons and three daughters, and hs won the high esteem of all classes of the community by his sterling qualities and his charitable and unassuming nature.

Mr. Cheah Tat Jin, who was born at Pinang in 1886. This gentleman received his education at the St. Xavier's Institution. In addition to his connection with the opium farm, he is a partner in the shipping firm of Keng Bee. He is a member of the Turf Club and of the Chinese Recreation Club. In May, 1906, he married Lim Kvvee Guan, third daughter of Mr. Lim Leng Cheak, late manufacturer and shipowner of Pinang. Mr. Cheah Tat Jin resides at " Eokham," Pinang

Cheah Chen Eok and his sons 



Cheah Tat Jin and Lim Kwee Guan, she was third daughter of Lim Leng Cheak

Lim Leng Cheak Family 

LENG CHEAK n CO. In Pinang are some of the largest rice and oil mills in Malaya, and it is worthy of note that they are nearly all owned by Chinese

One of the properties is the Chip Hong Bee Mill, owned by Messrs. Leng Cheak n Co. The late Mr. Lim Leng Cheak, founder of the firm, had a remarkable career. 

The son of one of the first Chinese to come to the settlement, he was born in Pinang, in humble circumstances, in 1850, and his start in life was made as a clerk in a mercantile office. A few years later he commenced business on his own account by opening a general store. By careful management he was able to save a little capital and went to Achin, where he entered into partnership with another Chinese merchant. The partners purchased one or two sailing-vessels, and did a large trade in carrying pepper from Achin to Pinang and there disposing of it. Later, they ran a fleet of steamships between the same ports, and, when his partner retired from the business in 1879, Mr. Lim Leng Cheak took over the entire concern himself. At the invitation of the Sultan of Kedah, with whom he was on terms of cordial friendship, he opened up a new enterprise - a tapioca estate - in the Kulim district of that potentate's territory. The Sultan also granted him a twenty years' monopoly in 1888, when he established a rice mill in Alor Star, Kedah. This privilege was extended to his successors, and is enjoyed by them to this day. In addition to these operations, Mr. Lim Leng Cheak planted coffee and coconuts in Kulim, Kedah, was lessee of the Opium, Spirit, and Padi Farms, and c., started a rice mill in Pinang in 1893, and became a director of the Singapore Opium and Spirit Farm. When Mr. Lim Leng Cheak died at the age of fifty-one on February 16, I901,he left an extensive and varied business of the first importance. His family consisted of fifteen children eight sons and seven daughters and his eldest son, Mr. Lim Eow Hong, is now the managing executor of the business. 

This gentleman was born in Pinang in 1878 and was educated at the Free School and at a Chinese school. He became assistant to his father at the age of seventeen, and four years later was appointed manager. His brother, Mr. Lim Eow Thoon, manages the Pinang rice mill. Messrs. Lim Leng Cheak are the owners of the Chip Bee Rice Mill, Alor Star (Kedah), the Chip Hong Bee Rice Mill (Bridge Street, Pinang), and a large tapioca mill (Kulim, Kedah). In 1899 they started a sugar mill at Alor Star. They convey their produce in their own fleet of steamers  - the Kedah line of passenger and cargo boats - have a tapioca estate embracing 14,000 orlongs in Kulim, Kedah, and are the employers of a thousand men. They import large quantities of padi and prepare both white and boiled rice in their mills. These products they supply to estates in Kedah, Province Wellesley, and the Federated Malay States, besides exporting to Ceylon, India, and Mauritius. Sugar they sell locally, and tapioca they send to London, Havre, Nantes, and many other European ports. Messrs. John Buttery e Co. are their London agents. Mr. Lim Eow Hong is one of the leading Chinese in the settlement, a member of the committee of the Free School, a director of the Straits Echo and Criterion Press, a committee member of the Pinang Association, and a part owner of the Pinang Foundry. His eldest son is being educated at Dollar, Scotland

1. The Drawing House. 2. Lim Eow Hong 3. the Late Lim Leng Cheak

4. Pinang Residence



The Late Lim Leng Cheak's Family . His wife is Tan Tay Seang Neoh

When he died in 1901, he has 8 sons and 7 daughters

Goh Boon Keng and Lim Kwee Sean, eldest daughter of Lim Cheng Leak and their 4 children . They were married in 1894.  You can see the children in the family photo of Lim Leng Cheak. Lim Kwee Sean is sitting on the right of Madam Tan Tay Seang 

Tan Tay Seang , with her son Lim Eow Thoon and wife Goh Saw Mooi,

second daughter of Goh Ewe Keong of Pinang with their son.

Note 

Thanks to Alex Tan for sharing some of his father's collection of photos at BBHP Family day. His father is the famed historian Tan Yeok Seong. His annotation at the back of this photo: this is a rich lady from Penang. She is wearing expensive jewellery and diamonds worth $160,000

(photo colorized using a colorizing app)

Based on the info on the discussion,  I would like to concur above is that of Lim Kwee Guan Neo, third daughter of Lim Leng Cheak 

Interview with 黄淑君 Huang Shujun Capital 958 in which Raymond Goh talks about his passion for cemeteries and looking for graves

Interview with 黄淑君 Huang Shujun Capital 958 in which Raymond Goh talks about his passion for cemeteries and looking for graves

坟山有什么曲折离奇故事？武吉布朗山的精彩在哪里？ 

古墓达人吴安全为什么对古墓有兴趣，他发现了哪些“有名”的墓有趣的事？ 点击链接收听：


一.吴安全谈为什么探寻古墓

https://bit.ly/3dxakN7

二.  谈佘有进的墓和安祥山

https://bit.ly/3gqgFvs

三.    古墓达人吴安全谈咖啡山/武吉布朗山

https://www.melisten.sg/podcast/playlist/958%E5%8D%B0%E8%B1%A1%E5%8F%A4%E6%97%A910781880/%E3%80%90958%E5%8D%B0%E8%B1%A1%E5%8F%A4%E6%97%A9%E3%80%91%E5%8F%A4%E5%A2%93%E8%BE%BE%E4%BA%BA%E5%90%B4%E5%AE%89%E5%85%A8%E8%B0%88%E5%92%96%E5%95%A1%E5%B1%B1%2F%E6%AD%A6%E5%90%89%E5%B8%83%E6%9C%97%E5%B1%B1%EF%BC%88%E4%B8%89%EF%BC%89-14647342

四.     古墓达人吴安全谈如何发现母校创办人颜永成的墓

https://bit.ly/3tTOw2W

"我是颜永成学校毕业的嘛，我发现他的墓后，组织了同学一起去拜他，还在他的墓前唱校歌。"

“在武吉布朗山上发现的，十多年前在坟场走的时候，一个老妇人叫住我叫我上一个山坡去看看，我一上去就看到颜永成的墓，很多墓我都是无意中发现的，过后她就不在了。”

点击链接收听古墓达人吴安全 Raymond Goh谈如何找到母校创办人的墓碑。

Post card - Lee Cheng Yan to E M Lyon

Post card - Lee Cheng Yan to E M Lyon 

Malacca 

26th January 1901

“I have informed Mr Ong Kim Wee about his car with an old chain. I hope Mr Lyon can repair it quickly and to replace the worn out car lights. This handle I am returning to you. Whatever it costs I will pay you.

Yours truly 

Lee Cheng Yan 

(Translation courtesy of Tan Koon Siang) 

Ong Kim Wee and his son Ong Hin Tiang was one of the richest man in Malacca. The first motor car was making inroads into the Straits Settlements at that time . 

E M Lyon was Edward M Lyon, son of J M Lyon.

Page 2 Advertisements Column 1

The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 18 July 1901, Page 2

Edward M Lyon was the proprietor of Straits Cycle Agency that sells cycles 

STRAITS CYCLE AGENCY.

The Straits Times, 5 September 1901, Page 2

DEATH OF MR. J. M. LYON

The Straits Times, 5 February 1902, Page 4

From here we can see that E M Lyon ancestry place is in Scotland and his father has came to Singapore in the 1860s. 

Lee Cheng Yan and his son Choon Guan

The Straits Times, 14 February 1978, Page 8

Is Revenge Sweet?

I first encountered Wee Tong Poh's father 1894 tomb in the depths of Lao Sua.

I was immediately intrigued by the tomb couplet :

不求風水福  No need to wish for good fengshui 

但望子孫賢  Just need the descendants able and virtuous

There are not many tombs that give these kind of advice.  Who is this Wee Eng Sim and son Wee Tong Poh that erected this tomb

 I find out there was a certain Wee Tong Poh who wrote a story "Is  Revenge Sweet?"  first published in Volume 4 of  "The Straits Chinese Magazine in 1900 (started by two young Baba Lim Boon Keng and Song Ong Siang)

In this revenge story,  it was a woman wrongly accused by a towkay wife to be a chap ji ki operator by planted evidence by the towkay wife accomplices - a police informer and a coolie.

Inspector Catspaw of the Gambling Suppression branch believed the story and convicted the poor woman.  The towkay wife became sick and was dying when she summoned
Dr Wee Tong Poh to make a confession.  She died at the same time as if choked to death by the wrongly convicted woman who died at similar time in prison by starving to death.

Full story can be found here :

http://www.pulauujong.org/straits-chinese-stories/is-revenge-sweet/

------------

Singapore did not produce the first medical graduate until 1910.  It is interesting that writer envisioned himself to be a Chinese medical doctor then.  Also interested is the Inspector name Catspaw, which comes from an idiom, meaning "the dupe of another"

Wee Tong Poh (Wee Thong Poh) did not become a doctor, but became a pioneering stockbroker, his company was Wee Thong Poh & Co .

His brother in law Yap Yeow Chin became a medical doctor and even became President of the Alumni Association of King Edward VII College of Medicine for the year 1932

The revenge of the poor woman comes in the form of retribution, but this story comes at the loss of 2 lives,  perhaps giving a warning to the ills of the gambling. And so, the revenge is not sweet at all .... 

-------------------------

A few weeks ago,  I was responding to a tomb request when I noted a beautiful tomb in Blk 1 E.  As I am pretty tired,   i did not follow it up.

Two weeks ago,  I went with my fellow tomb explorers Ah Beng and Peter Pak, and this time, make effort to find back this tomb again.

To my surprise,  it is the tomb of Wee Tong Poh and his first wife  which I has been trying to find for quite some time.

With this tomb find,  I was able to find out more about his rich family background, and work out the relationship between him and Ong Boon Tat/ Ong Peng Hock family, proprietors of New World.

I was also able to work out the families of the 3 Lim sisters :

He has two wives, the first wife was the daughter of the eldest of the 3 Lim sisters (eldest married a Mr Yap, one  married Tan Cheng Tuan, and another  married Wee Theam Seng, more to follow on these sisters)

His second wife was the granddaughter of Tan Kwee Eng, son in law of Cheang Hong Lim

Further reading :

https://tombs.bukitbrown.org/2021/02/wee-tong-poh.html?m=1

More to follow ......

Street Names

听街道说故事

联合早报

文 / 张曦娜

摄影 / 严宣融, 龙国雄, 曾坤顺

发布 / 2021年2月1日 3:30 AM

每一条街道都有它自己的故事，通过三名独立史地研究者，街道述说它们的故事。

珍珠街（Chin Chew Street）的译名其实应该是漳州街？牛车水美食街史密斯街（Smith Street）原来是以John Colson Smith命名，非过去一般认为的，纪念海峡殖民地总督丝丝·金文泰·史密斯（Cecil Clementi Smith）？

黄友平：探索新加坡地名

黄友平以10年心力完成《新加坡地名探索》。（曾坤顺摄）

退休工程师黄友平，在漫漫十几年有关新加坡地名研究的过程中，有了新发现后，心里确实有一丝满足感。

他说，新加坡从1819年至今共有6500条地名，现存只有4660条，也即1840条地名消失。1950年，新加坡有近1600条地名，2019年增加至4660条。这些年来，他通过阅读历史文献、旧报章，从中挖掘出不少第一手资料，并对这些新加坡地名的历史演变做出分析，从中可了解新加坡历史文化风貌。

以史密斯街而言，黄友平说：“根据1853年2月的报章，从宝塔街至狄更生山（Dickenson Hill，今Bukit Pasoh）与桥南路至新桥路之间的大片土地为狄更生（J T Dickenson）的地产。狄更生因病回美国时，委任约翰·科尔森·史密斯（John Colson Smith）为他的代理人，而史密斯街位于此地产中。根据同年9月的报章，刊载John Colson Smith在7月25日写给市政委员的一封信，表明愿意捐款200元，以修补史密斯街，由此可以推论，史密斯街是以他命名的。”

黄友平说，史密斯原本在槟城当校长，1844年受狄更生之邀，到新加坡接任莱佛士书院的校长职位；史密斯除了兼任新加坡图书馆秘书与管理员，还是Zetland Masonic秘密社团的财政总监。

过去，对于史密斯街的另一说法是，此街可能是以总督丝丝·金文泰·史密斯（Cecil Clementi Smith 1840-1916）命名。但黄友平认为，丝丝·金文泰·史密斯在1887至1893年间才担任总督，此街早已出现多年。

从地名了解人文

黄友平研究新加坡地名前后十余年，并在近日出版《新加坡地名探索》（八方文化创作室），书中上部为“新加坡地名演变研究”，对新加坡地名的形成、基本结构；华文地名的特点，新加坡地名的规范化等做出研究。下部为地名录与地名注，在这一部分，黄友平对新加坡开埠以来，几千处街道、社区、马路名称之由来和变化做了考索，总结地名命名的特点、语词的渊源，分析它们来自不同种族、国家，反映各地区经济状况，历史文化特征，分辨正式称谓、民间俗称，对各类地名来龙去脉做了相当详细的考辨。

新加坡发展迅速，许多旧道路已消失无踪，或已另取新地名。黄友平在《新加坡地名探索》开宗明义：“地名是特定地理实体的名称，是一定地域的标志。地名不仅代表命名对象的空间位置，指明它的类型，而且还常常反映出自然地理或人文地理特征。从文化学的角度上看，地名是社会经济文化发展的产物，既有一个时代文化特征，又具有相对稳定性，能保留较多的历史信息，积淀深厚的文化。”

前半部根据论文改写

毕业自新西兰坎特伯雷大学机械工程系的黄友平，回国后先后在政府部门与私营企业任职。黄友平从小喜欢文学作品，中三时进了理科班，大学时读机械工程，40年来从事理工事业，直到退休后报读北京大学与南京大学的中国语言文学课程，才有机会重新找回年轻时的喜好。

《新加坡地名探索》前半部根据作者2006年南京大学硕士毕业论文改写。黄友平说：“本书下半部的地名录与地名注，资料起初不易寻找，一直到国家图书馆把旧报纸数码化，我才受惠于电子图书馆，因为可搜索的报章旧资料大量增加，所以这本书断续花了十多年才写成，其中苦乐只有自己知道。”

黄友平说，许多人研究新加坡地名，会参考1939年拉惹辛甘（Raja Singam）出版的《马来亚街名》（Malayan Street Names），当时的马来亚包括新加坡，所以在《新加坡地名探索》中，除了介绍马来半岛的地名渊源，还为将近500条的新加坡地名作注。他说：“在收集资料的过程中，发现拉惹辛甘的说法不全对，大概有30多条说法是不正确的。”

珍珠街应为漳州街

在研究新加坡地名的过程中，黄友平不断从旧报章等原始资料中有新发现，因此推翻过去一些说法。例如珍珠街（Chin Chew Street），他在阅读相关资料之后，发现Chin Chew Street的翻译不妥当，应译为“漳州街”。

黄友平说：“根据1745至1747年间葡萄牙人勘测的厦门岛与金门岛地图，Chin Chew是福建漳州。1842年中英签订南京条约后，厦门是中国被逼开放的海港之一，英国人又把福建泉州音译为Chinchew，造成混乱。由于Chin Chew Street出现于1841年的税收报告，此路名应是以漳州命名。本书内好多有留名的福建富商，祖籍属福建漳州者就将近20位。”

他说，由于早年殖民地政府把新加坡河南岸规划为华人区，区内有厦门（Amoy）街、中国（China）街、福建（Hokkien）街、澳门（Macao，后来改称Pickering）街、南京（Nankin）街与北京（Pekin）街等，一条与英国人有关的地名，夹在华人区的众多中国地名中，显然是格格不入。此街离珍珠山（Pearl's Hill）不远，街名又译为珍珠街，令人以为是因珍珠山得名。过去大家熟悉的珍珠街，今日已找不到路牌。

另外，启信街（Cashin Street）是以启信（Joseph William Cashin 1844-1907）命名，启信曾是J P Joaquim律师馆的助手，后来开鸦片烟馆及投资房地产，成为第一名百万富翁的欧亚混种人。1890年，他要求市政局接收Cashin Street为公共道路。当局向他提出先自费把该街修好，然后才会由私有道路转变为公共道路。可见是以Joseph William Cashin命名的。

吴庆辉：为地名寻找典故

吴庆辉：本地离市区较远的路段都冠以“上段”。（严宣融摄）

国家文物局文史研究员吴庆辉自小爱看，也爱画地图，更喜欢记地名，辨认马路。2001年开始从事文史研究后，吴庆辉也对本地地名做出探索，从中也有不少新发现，例如发现本地华人俗称的“水仙门”，很大可能是跟福建泉州市的旧地名有关。

水仙门指谐街（High Street）、禧街（Hill Street）、桥北路靠河地段、福南街（Funan Street）与振南街（Chin Nan Street）一带。吴庆辉说：“宋代在泉州设管理港务的机关‘市舶司’时，海关设在南薰门内，南薰门又名水门或水仙门，那里因附近一座水仙宫得名。水仙宫供奉的是水仙王，是贸易商人和船员的海上保护神之一。水仙门于是成为泉州的上岸入口的代称，新加坡开埠后，这民间对登陆口岸的俗称也跟着来到新加坡。”

另外，吴庆辉也发现，在新加坡，一般称离市区远的路段为“上段”，那是早年郊外跟市区的距离，是给地方命名的其中一个方法。

吴庆辉说：“首先，是用远近二分法，远的路段在路名上冠以‘上段’（Upper），例如樟宜路上段、实龙岗路上段、汤申路上段，以及武吉知马路上段等；本地华人则以俗称“XX尾”，来指称远郊地段，例如榜鹅尾、樟宜尾等；马来同胞则用‘乌鲁’（Ulu）。”

以里数为地方命名　

吴庆辉指出：“人们也爱按离市区中心的里数来命名，当时在主干公路上立有标明里数的石碑（Milestone），华人闽南语俗称‘条石’，粤语称‘支碑’，马来语称‘Batu’。例如，著名的武吉知马美世界是七条石，武吉班让村是十条石，波东巴西附近是后港三条石。”

近年来，吴庆辉也探寻本地一些地铁站的名字典故，例如卡迪（Khatib）地铁站背后的故事。吴庆辉说，卡迪地铁站以附近的河流双溪卡迪蒙苏（Sungei Khatib Bongsu）命名。《马来纪年》里有一则故事，提到一位叫卡迪的宗教师。

吴庆辉说：“《马来纪年》说，宗教师卡迪在王后的百般要求下，向她展示自己的法术，结果讨得王后的欢心，但国王得知此事后却很不高兴，觉得有损国王尊严，于是下令把卡迪处死。卡迪死前诅咒新加坡，后来岛国就被成群的剑鱼攻击……卡迪蒙苏这名字也许跟这古老传说里的宗教师有关，但要考证起来并不容易。”

吴安全：将先驱人物与地名连接

吴安全找到先驱人物的墓碑，也找到一些纪念先驱人物的街道。（严宣融摄） 

专业药剂师吴安全过去十余年来，一直毫无忌讳地穿梭在坟场之中，是一个热衷于在武吉布朗寻找历史真相的文史爱好者，也是典型的“武吉布朗人”（Brownies）。每当吴安全找到一座坟墓，就会依据墓碑上的资料，联络其后裔，很多布朗人因此把吴安全视为“师父”，这是因为很多已被遗忘的先驱人物的古墓，都由吴安全及其弟弟吴安龙一一找出来。

这十余年来，吴安全平时一有空，就往坟场走，然后从分析老墓碑中，拼凑出墓主的生平与历史背景，试图为族群寻找集体记忆，他还因此获得英国广播公司（BBC）选为全球50位最具启发性的人物之一，并在榜中位列前15名。

吴安全和吴安龙这几年确实在寻找、考证古墓方面做出成绩，他们重新发现章芳林家族、陈桂兰、颜永成和他父亲、薛中华家族、陈谦福家族、陈恭锡、黄深渊等人的墓。

在坟场，吴安全还努力将先驱人物的姓名与地名连接起来，希望能为本地史地留下多一点记录，例如找到汪声音的墓碑，他也找出本地有一条纪念汪声音的声音路（Seah Im Road）；找到龚菽惠，他也进一步找到肃威路（Siok Wee Road，已不存在）；古墓里的蒋骥甫，也有一个蒋骥甫园（Chionh Ke Hu Park）是纪念他的。

以人命名街道许多已消失

吴安全发现，随着街道面貌改变，许多路名也已消失无踪，例如纪念郑玉瓞的玉瓞街（Geok Teat Street），纪念章壬庆的章壬庆街（Cheang Jim Kheng Street），纪念银行家蔡克谐的蔡克谐路（Chua Keh Hai Road），纪念何式均之式均路（Siak Kuan Road），纪念范英吉的英吉路（Eng Kiat Road），纪念阮居安的居安路（Kee Ann Road）等已欲寻无处。

其中阮居安为林义顺岳父、阮碧霞父亲，阮居安、阮碧霞及妹妹阮群霞三人都葬在武吉布朗。章壬庆则是章芳林的儿子，但章壬庆街已不存在，不知何时变成Covent Alley。又如郑玉瓞，目前已经少有人记得这位商而优则仕，在花甲之年还出任市政厅委员的先驱人物。何式均则为养正学校创办人之一，目前也没有多少人记得。

吴安全说：“这些年来，从发现墓碑到找出墓主，再将人名连接上路名，是一件很有满足感的事，这里面有历史，也有地理，做这样一件事，感觉上很有意义。”