Cheang Hong Lim

JP
章芳林
Born1825
Singapore
Died11 February 1893(1893-02-11) (aged 67–68)
Singapore,  Straits Settlements
Resting placeBukit Brown Cemetery, Singapore,  Straits Settlements
OccupationMerchant
Spouses
  • Bek Chit Boey Neo
  • Yeo Bin Neo
Children3 daughters, 11 sons
Parents
  • Cheang Sam Teo (father)
  • Bek E Neo (mother)
HonoursRonglu mandarin 榮祿大夫
Chinese name
Chinese章芳林 / 章芳琳
Wan Seng
(courtesy name)
Chinese苑生
Sik Yong
(posthumous name)
Traditional Chinese錫庸
Simplified Chinese锡庸

Cheang Hong Lim[lower-alpha 1] JP (1825 – 11 February 1893) was a Chinese opium merchant and philanthropist in Singapore. He was recognised by the British colonial administration as head of the local Hokkien Chinese community.[1]

Biography

Cheang was born to Cheang Sam Teo, a Chinese migrant from the Changtai District of southern Fujian, China. He was the eldest of four sons born to his mother Bek E Neo. When his father died, his brother Cheang Hong Guan filed a lawsuit against Cheang (and against Wee Bock Seng, Low Thuan Locke and Tan Beng Chie) alleging forgery of his father's will. Cheang, Wee, Low and Tan were acquitted.[2][3][4]

Like his father before him, Cheang sold spirits, but further extended his business to include opium and held one of five opium licenses in Singapore, but quickly expanded his business interests to include property. His main business partners were Tan Seng Poh and Tan Yeok Nee, initially trading under the name "Chop Teang Wat Wan Kee" on Telok Ayer Street and later "Chop Wan Seng".[2][5][6][7]

He is remembered primarily for his philanthropy. In 1876, he donated $900 to the Portuguese Mission Church of St Jose.[8] Also in 1876, he donated $3000 to convert the land in front of the Police Office to become a public garden, and to supply two gardeners to maintain the grounds thereafter.[2] This is the garden now known as Hong Lim Park. In 1878, he donated $2,750 to purchase the land on Pyeleang Road for the use by a mosque.[9] He established a fire brigade for the Havelock Road area in 1886. Giok Hong Tian, (Chinese: 玉皇殿), a Taoist temple dedicated to the Jade Emperor along Havelock Road was built by Cheang in 1887. He was also patron to the young Lim Boon Keng, at the request of Richmond William Hullett, the then principal of Raffles Institution, .[10][11]

He sat on the Singapore legislative council, was made one of five Chinese Justices of the Peace in 1872, and was conferred the title of Ronglu mandarin (Chinese: 榮祿大夫) of the Imperial Qing court.[2][5] He was prominent in Singapore society[12] and entertained the Governor of Singapore and the Sultan of Johor at his home on Havelock Road.[13]

Cheang died on 14 February 1893, from cardiac complications of rheumatic fever.[1] Cheang had 3 daughters and 11 sons. Three of his sons, Cheang Jim Hean, Cheang Jim Chuan, Cheang Jim Khean, had roads in Singapore named after them.[14]

Legacy

There are a number places in Singapore named for Cheang :

There were formerly a number of places in Singapore named for Cheang:[16]

  • Hong Lim Quay (now part of Alkaff Quay)
  • Cheang Hong Lim Street (used to run from Telok Ayer Street to Cecil Street, where China Square Food Centre is now)[17]
  • Cheang Hong Lim Lane (used to run from Pearl’s Hill Road to Covent Market)
  • Cheang Wan Seng Road (used to run from Havelock Road to Beng Hoon Road)

Cheang Hong Lim was buried at the Cheang family cemetery off Alexandra Road, but was exhumed and reburied in 1961 at Bukit Brown by his granddaughter Cheang Tew Muey.

Notes

  1. ↑ In this Chinese name, the family name is Cheang and Hong is a generation name.

References

  1. 1 2 "Death of Mr. Cheang Hong Lim". Straits Times Weekly Issue. 14 February 1893. p. 7.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ong Siang Song (1923). One Hundred Years' History of the Chinese in Singapore. J. Murray. pp. 167–168.
  3. ↑ "A Remarkable Case". Straits Times. 23 March 1872. p. 2.
  4. ↑ "Fortnight's Summary". Straits Times Overland Journal. 25 April 1872. p. 1.
  5. 1 2 Rojak Librarian (24 November 2011). "Cheang Hong Lim (Bukit Brown)". Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  6. ↑ Trocki, Carl A. (1987). "The Rise of Singapore's Great Opium Syndicate, 1840-86". Journal of Southeast Asian Studies. 18 (1): 58–80. doi:10.1017/S0022463400001259. JSTOR 20070942. S2CID 162311458.
  7. ↑ The Singapore and Straits Directory. Singapore: Mission Press. 1881. p. 64.
  8. ↑ de Cunha, J.P.S.A. (30 September 1876). "A generous Act". Straits Times Overland Journal. p. 8.
  9. ↑ "The Islam mosque at Pyeleang Road". Singapore Daily Times. 22 July 1878. p. 3. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  10. ↑ "Or Kio Tow Geok Hong Tian". Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  11. ↑ Comber, Leon (1958). "Giok Hong Tian Temple at Havelock Road". Chinese Temples in Singapore. Singapore: Eastern Universities Press. p. 48.
  12. ↑ "Mrs. Anson's Farewell Garden Party". Singapore Daily Times. 23 October 1877. p. 2. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  13. ↑ "Mr.Cheang Hong Lim's At Home". Daily Advertiser. 20 October 1892. p. 3.
  14. ↑ Yew Peng Ng (28 September 2017). What's In The Name? How The Streets And Villages In Singapore Got Their Names. World Scientific. pp. 115–. ISBN 978-981-322-147-5.
  15. ↑ Ong Siang Song (1923). One Hundred Years' History of the Chinese in Singapore. J. Murray. pp. 168–170.
  16. ↑ J. Polglase (25 August 1914). "Singapore Municipal Notice: Changes in Street Names". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. Singapore. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  17. ↑ Lee Kip Lin (2009). "Cheang Hong Lim Street: aerial view". National Library Board Singapore. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
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