Lost an Ancestor?
8Dear Raymond,
I was wondering if you knew if there’s a name list for all of the people buried at Bukit Brown? Because my father says my great-grandfather is buried there, but he cannot remember the location of the tomb, and we would like to find it if possible.
Alvin Soon
Dear Alvin,
Start with the name of your great-grandfather and date of his death. The National Archives has made it easier to search online for his “address” which should state the block, division and plot number. You can find the records for the burial registry here
You can also try the newspaper archives for any mention of notices of death and if your great grandfather is a prominent member of the society in his lifetime, you may find more reports on him.
Once you have the block. division and plot number download this map
Finding an ancestral grave can be challenging if the family has not visited in a long while. The graveside may be overgrown. Also searching for plot numbers can be counter intuitive. The Bukit Brown Cemetery fell under 3 different administrations during its nearly 50 years of operations from 1923 – 1973 – the colonial government,the Japanese occupation and Singapore government. If on site, and you see tomb keepers in the area, they can be helpful. And if you still need help please contact us again. I wish you luck and hope you will be able to find your great grandfather by Qing Ming.
Regards,
Raymond Goh
Dear Raymond,
my uncle says my great-grandfather is buried at opposite pauper’s section block3 div. 3 (70-80m away) and need to cross a river. But way to the location of the tomb is cover with vegetation, and we would like to find it if possible. Btw my great-grand father name is Leow ke qing.
Your query has been forwarded to Raymond.
Dear Raymond,
Thanks for the effort. I recently found out that my paternal grandmother was buried in BBC. I also discovered, through the BBC burial register published by NHB, the grave number. However, as there is no grave stone, we are unable to find the grave. We can only guess where the grave is located via the proximity of other graves bearing the sequence of the grave number.
LTA has informed us that there appears to be grave stones that might indicate a grave but are unable to discern the numbers. or that the numbers don’t really tally. Would you know how to tally the grave numbers as given by NHB against the gravestone number (which may be different)?
Kelvin
Hi, i was wondering if it’s possible to locate an ancestor’s grave if you don’t know the name of the ancestor and his or her date of death? Are there any colonial records or census records to track down your ancestors’ names and dates of death?
Sorry for this late reply, Yee Ting. It would certainly help if you know the name of the ancestor you are looking for. If you know a name related to the ancestor you are looking for, you can start from that name. Look at newspaper archives for more information. You can also check the Bukit Brown Burial records if you have a name to work on. Therre is a very good exhibition at NLB now, which can visit for more tips on tracing your Roots, Hope this gives you enough of a start.
Hi Raymond,
I hope you can help me with finding a tomb. My grandmother-in-law is looking for her mother’s grave, and she has tried several occasions to look for it, but to no success. She’s turning 90 soon and wishes to find her mother to cremate before anything happens. And i’m also not sure if the grave stone will be affected by the new highway. I hope you can help her. I’ve contacted Mandai, who said that the body has not been identified at their side, and likely is still at Bukit Brown.
I’m looking for 2 grave stones:
1st Tomb: (Mother)
– Hoe Gek Hong (in the register of the national archives, it’s Ho Gek Ong, serial no 8504)
– Female
– 35 years old
– Hokkien
– Grave no 1792
– Blk 4, Sec 6, Area M
(Page 63 of register Oct 1939 – Jan 1940)
2nd Tomb: (Grandmother)
– Mdm Koh Keng Hay (serial no 8559)
– Female
– 57 years old
– Hokkien
– Section B, BLK 1, Area H
– Grave No 83
(Page 67 of register Oct 1939 – Jan 1940)
Pls help.
Dear Venassa,
My name is Darren Hoe and I’m a descendant of Hoe Hoon Seng – Hoe Eng Watt’s Father and Hoe Gek Hong’s Grandfather. I’m on a mission to trace my family tree and I believe Hoe Gek Hong is my grandfather’s (Hoe Keng Hock – Son of Hoe Beng Watt) cousin. Based on this connection, it seems likely that my father – Hoe Cheng Kiat would be a distant cousin of your grand mother-in-law.
Though this is a bit dated, hope you guys had luck finding Hoe Gek Hong’s and Koh Keng Hay’s (Mdm Hoe Eng Watt’s graves). Happy to get connected.
Best regards,
Darren