Tribute to our Grandfather Tan Piah Eng - Part 1 of 2

Here is Part 1 of a tribute post about our grandfather, Tan Piah Eng who made our home at this kampong house possible when he bought it for our grandmother thus allowing us to have so many memories thereafter. (post is long but necessary).

Born on 11 September 1878, in the sixth decade since Stamford Raffles and the founding of Singapore, he was a Hokkien Peranakan and active member of the Chinese community.

In 1905, at age 27, grandfather Tan would be hired as a Manager by the Chasseriau Estate to manage their rubber estate and they began seeding rubber in a virgin jungle plot of land.

By 1909 it would be taken over by a British company and renamed The Bukit Timah Rubber Estates, Limited. (Part of this estate later became the former Singapore Turf Club and now future Turf City MRT station).

Because of the company policy of having British Managers, he reverted down to Assistant Manager (yet Acting Manager). His roles included taking charge of the factory, drying shed and stores, all the coolies and tappers and weeders.

He served in the Singapore Volunteer Corps (SVC) founded in 1901 in the Chinese company and in the same year of 1905, 27 years old and as a Private he was one of two first prize winners in a shooting contest held by the Singapore Rifle Association. A marksman indeed.

Then in 1907, as Lance Corporal he ranked 2nd in the team for the Warren Shield alongside 2nd Lieutenant Song Ong Siang, a close comrade.

(Song went on to become a Queen’s scholar, a prominent lawyer and, the first Asian in Singapore to be knighted by His Majesty King George V in 1936. Song wrote the book “100 Years’ History of the Chinese in Singapore”, published in 1923 from which our grandfather’s name was indexed and mentioned 4 times)

Source: Tan Piah Eng’s personal collection of letters and documents. Credit also goes to Sir Song Ong Siang’s book, made possible by the National Library Board’s digitalisation efforts.

Published in 1923, this digitalised version is credited to the National Library Board, Singapore. Sir Song would later become the first Asian Chinese to be knighted by His Majesty King George V in 1936

Page 377 of the book revealed in 1905, our grandfather won first prize in Class B of the Singapore Rifle Association shooting competition.

Taken from the book, our grandfather is indicated. He was 29 years of age here. Credit National Library Singapore

Competition results of the winning team at the Singapore Volunteer Corps Warren Shield Shooting Competition.

Oct 3rd 1911 testimonial from his first boss Mr Harold T Clarkson from The Bukit Timah Rubber Estates, Limited. All Rights Reserved, Estate of Tan Kim Suan

December 31st, 1914 testimonial from his 3rd boss Wyatt Rawson from The Bukit Timah Rubber Estates, Limited. This was during World War 1 and Rawson soon left for Britain and the war front. All Rights Reserved, Estate of Tan Kim Suan