Spaces for the Living: A Discussion on Bukit Brown Cemetery

Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 5:00 PM (GMT+0800)

API DIY TOUR FOR BUKIT BROWN THIS SATURDAY, 5 NOV 2011

Hong Lim Park (Cheang Hong Lim), Boon Lay MRT (Chew Boon Lay), Yishun & Chong Pang Estates (Mrs Lim Nee Soon & Lim Chong pang), Tan Tock Seng Hospital (Tan Kim Ching's father), Gan Eng Seng School (Gan Eng Seng), Koon Seng Road (Cheong Koon Seng), Kheam Hock Road (Tan Kheam Hock), Eng Neo Avenue (Tan Eng Neo), Keong Saik Road (Tan Keong Saik), Bukit Ho Swee (Teh Ho Swee), Joo Chiat Place (Chew Joo Chiat), Sam Leong Road (Ong Sam Leong) Boon Tat Street (Ong Boon Tat), Seah Im Carpark (Ang Seah Im), Ean Kiam Place (Tan Ean Kiam), Ewe Boon Road (Mrs See Ewe Boon), Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital (Khoo Yang Tin's son), Goldbell Mansion (Tan Boo Liat), Tay Koh Yat Bus Company (Tay Koh Yat), Tan Cheng Siong (President Tony Tan Grandfather), Tan Bing Ching (Tan Tock Seng Grandson), Confucious 72nd Generation,  Khoo Seok Wan, Lee Hoon Leong (Lee Kuan Yew Grandfather) .......

These are names you may be familiar with. There are many more. 

Come take a stroll with API this coming Saturday, in the rolling greens of Bukit Brown, the final resting place of many of the Singapore Pioneers who lived, loved, and contributed to Singapore in so many ways.

Come learn about them, their lives and their families, and who knows, you might find your ancestors there too....

Time to meet: 9am.

Location: Gate of Bukit Brown.

For more information, refer to our previous Notice of earlier DIY Tour here.

Our Government is determined to demolish this place in the name of Development, just when we were beginning to learn more about Singapore's past, in ways never possible before. 

To participate in our discussion, join the Bukit Brown Facebook Page.

To follow the footsteps of Raymond Goh, 'Guardian of Bukit Brown', follow his personal blog here. 

To help in the documentation of Bukit Brown, go here.

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A few days ago, we saw you sitting at the highest chair in the parliament, yes, you are the newly appointed president.

You have never disappoint your parents and ancestors, and they are certainly proud of you.

When you were a young student, you already excelled in your studies, in 1957, you were the top student in Singapore with 8 distinctions for the Cambridge School Certificate, and in 1959 again you topped the Cambridge Higher School Certificate while in SJI.

It is a pity your father Seng Hwee died young, at the age of 47, in 1962. At that time your mother Jessie Lim has to bring up herself the 4 children.

But she certainly had a full and wonderful life, and she died in 1999 at a ripe old age. If there is one rule which she lived by, it was to get on with life, as she has done with determination for 36 years after your father Seng Hwee passed away.

But your grandfather Cheng Siong died young too as he died at the age of 42, just at the peak of his career as GM of Overseas Chinese Bank, and managing the United Sawmill Ltd, of which the directors included Lim Nee Soon, Ong Peng Hock and Lim Boon Keng

Your grandfather was a JP and a prominent citizen of the community, and was ever willing to give a helping hand in any charitable cause.

 Tan Cheng Siong’s tomb – your grandfather

The Straits Times Forum - 19/10/2011

Keep Bukit Brown graves: Descendants

THE consequence of the decision by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to clear Bukit Brown Cemetery to make way for a highway and future housing developments is an irreplaceable loss to generations of Singaporeans ('Redevelopment plans for Bukit Brown site', Sept 13; and Forum letter 'Rethink road widening affecting cemetery' by Mr Liew Kai Khiun, Sept 16).

Draft Advance Release

Event: Remember Your Ancestors' Day cum DIY/Guided Cemetery Tour

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Land Transport Authority Media Release - 12 Sep 2011

Is this the end??

Quotable Quotes:

Raymond Goh (API):

"Once we removed Bukit Brown and turn it completely into an urban concrete jungle, we will have lost that integral part that bind us to our roots and is irreplaceable. Only if we remember our roots from whence we came, can we really love the country and the people that nurture us to what we are today."

Charles Goh (API):

"Though long dead, their names can be read from the streets, buildings and places we see everyday. Though dead, their tombs, have much tales to share. "If the Singapore Spirit exists, then it surely must exists in BBCC."

Laura (An expat blogger):

"I don't know the ultimate fate of Bukit Brown cemetery but I will say that to have somewhere you can truly escape and discover your country's past is something very precious."

Below are some websites/blogs by people who have been on our DIY or Guided Tours or have visited BBCC:

http://bukitbrown.org/ (Regular updates of Raymond Goh's new tombs discoveries in Bukit Brown)

http://www.facebook.com/groups/bukitbrown/ (Facebook Group for all API discussion and updates relating to BBCC)

http://www.api.sg/forum/viewforum.php?f=108 (API Forum page)

http://sosbukitbrown.wordpress.com/

On 4 Sep 2011, Singapore leading Newspaper The Sunday Times published on its front page an interesting headline...

Abandoned and derelict, but beautiful and brimming with history

The article featured a number of houses, seemingly abandoned in Singapore. The 1st house mentioned in the ST article was the Chee Guan Chiang House. 

Built in 1938, the House was designed and built by Ho Kwong Yew, one of the leading architects of the Modern Movement (ie., De La Warr Pavilion) in Singapore during the 1930s.

The House was named the Chee Guan Chiang House, after 1 of its 2 owners. The other owner being the Chee Swee Cheng & Company Private Limited. The Company owned many properties in Orchard including The Heeren. 

The House was given Conservation Status by URA on 23rd May 2008. (link)

According to the ST report:-

A red mailbox hung from the gate, alongside two signs warning against trespassers and illegal parking on the private property..... in 2007 that the property could be seen only by residents from neighbouring condominiums who used it as a short cut to Orchard Road.

Before 2008, residents from a condomimum still could use an old road to gain access to the back gate of their condo.......

The Bukit Brown Living Museum of the Dead Heritage Walk is lead by API Raymond Goh.