Pedro Tan No Kea in church records

Sacramental Records throw up 56 mentions of Tan No Kea / Chen Nu Zhai / Zi  (and another seven of his wife Anna after his demise) in the registers of three MEP churches (Foreign Missions Society of Paris / Mission Estrangers de Paris) churches – the Church of St Joseph (Bukit Panjang/Timah) (opened: 1840s/52), Cathedral of Good Shepherd (opened:1833/47) and the Church of Sts Peter & Paul (opened: 1869/70). Church registers reveal that Pedro had three wives: Sacramental certificates also show that Pedro was not alone in Singapore. In 1856, Chen Nu Zi god-parented forty year old Tan Hoe Liang, … Continue reading Pedro Tan No Kea in church records

255/257 Bukit Timah Road

The 255 and 257 Bukit Timah Road enclave comprises “Four shop houses and eight barrack houses” as they were called on their 1928 site plan.  It is not clear who commissioned or constructed them but they were owned by David … Continue reading 255/257 Bukit Timah Road

Sticky post

A History of Immigrant Roman Catholics and Converts in Early Singapore 1832-1945 by Dr Marc Sebastian Rerceretnam

After four decades of research and a six-month stint as a National Library Board Researcher in 2018, Dr. Marc Sebastian Rerceretnam has published his book A History of Immigrant Roman Catholics and Converts in Early Singapore 1832-1945. Marc, the great-great-great-grandson … Continue reading A History of Immigrant Roman Catholics and Converts in Early Singapore 1832-1945 by Dr Marc Sebastian Rerceretnam

Joseph Lim Ah Kiap & Emerentiana Heng

Joseph Lim Ah Kiap & Emerentiana Heng were the parents of Magdalena Lim Gek See who married John Tan Hay Seng, the son of Pedro Tan No Kea and Anna Lim Ah Keow in 1868 at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. We have traced nine of their children: Like Pedro and Anna, Joseph and Emerentiana were active in church, god-parented many infants and adult converts and witnessed their weddings. My surmise is that Joseph Lim Ah Kiap and Anna Lim Ah Keow were siblings. Even if not, the two couples were very close friends. Emerentiana Ah Kiap witnessed the … Continue reading Joseph Lim Ah Kiap & Emerentiana Heng

Magdalena Lim Gek Tsu (1852-)

Magdalena Lim Gek Tsu (1852-) married John Tan Hay Seng, son of Pedro Tan No Kea and Anna Lim Ah Keow in 1868 and they had twelve children including my grandfather Francis Tan Khoon Boo. Magdalena was the daughter of Joseph Lim Ah Kiap & Emerentiana Heng. If my surmise that Joseph Lim Ah Kiap and Anna Lim Ah Keow were siblings, Magdalena and John were first cousins. We have traced eight of Magdalena’s siblings: Agnes? (name illegible) baptised on 26 Dec 1850 at St Joseph’s Church, Bukit Panjang; Joanna (1853, Cathedral of Good Shepherd); Matthew Joseph (1856, Cathedral of … Continue reading Magdalena Lim Gek Tsu (1852-)

Chong Tze Chien’s “Peranakan Trilogy”

Twelve years ago, I didn’t even know my maternal grandpa’s name. My mum shrugged me off each time I asked, as she had painful memories of his dying suddenly when she was still a teen. After interviewing senior relatives, researching Roman Catholic Church archives and old newspapers, I’ve built this blog documenting my findings on my grandpa Francis Tan Khun Boo and his ten siblings. Along the way, I met historian relative Dr. Marc Rerceretnam who in researching his Wee family history, found that his great-grandma Regina Tan was grandpa’s sister and all eleven Tan siblings were grand-children of Teochew … Continue reading Chong Tze Chien’s “Peranakan Trilogy”

Anna Ng Siu Noi (1884-1915) & Francis Li Yong Leng (1883)

Anna was the third daughter of Victoria Tan and Peter Ng Ah Soi. Anna married Francis Li Yong Leng (1883-) in 1914.  Francis was the son of Joseph Li Kim Sun and Anna Tsia. Their marriage is the second in the Ng family that was witnessed by Paul Khou Yu Tsheng & Maria Lau Guek Meng. Paul Khou was the father of Peter and Rosa Khou who married Anna’s cousins – Mariam and Jacob Tan – respectively. I surmise that Francis was linked to JB Li Kie Sun whose son Thomas Li Chong Lim married Maria-Lucian Tan, the daughter of … Continue reading Anna Ng Siu Noi (1884-1915) & Francis Li Yong Leng (1883)

Catherina Ng (1865-1925)

Catherina Ng was the eldest daughter of Victoria Tan and Peter Ng Ah Soi. She was the oldest sister of David Wee Cheng Soon.  Catherina died in 1925 at Tank Road. Nothing more is known of her but the mystery to solve is whether she was the “Catherina Ng Siu Hong” who married Khou Ju Song with a son named Joseph Khou. Joseph was born a “Khou“ but assumed the name Joseph Ten Tschun Heng when he married Anna Ku Mui Kia in 1928.  Anna died in 1930 at “Wee Cheng Soon’s bungalow at Pasir Panjang Road” and after that  … Continue reading Catherina Ng (1865-1925)

Joannes Ng Tscheng Kun (1872-1920) & Mathilda Thou Gek Hong

Joannes Ng Cheng Kooon (Joannes Ng Tscheng Kun), born in 1872, was the eldest son of Victoria Tan and Peter Ng Ah Soi. He was the eldest brother of David Wee Cheng Soon. Cheng Koon married Mathilda Thou Gek Hong … Continue reading Joannes Ng Tscheng Kun (1872-1920) & Mathilda Thou Gek Hong

Tribute to Helpers in Tan Families

Aunt Anastasia recalled that the Wee family had two Teochew speaking maids – Ah Lee and Ah Nap and in the Pasir Panjang Road home and they chanted prayers 24 hours when Regina died in September 1941.  I hope someone has a photo of them. Below are photos of our helpers found among the photos shared by relatives whom I interviewed. Please share yours! Bey Family at Windsor Park (photo c/o Valentin Bey, son of Mary Wee) Paul Tan Khoon Tong Family at 2 Makepeace Road (photo c/o grand-daughter Irene Wee) Julia Tan at 186B Bukit Timah with Dutch mid-wife … Continue reading Tribute to Helpers in Tan Families