![\"Ngo](\"http:\/\/bukitbrown.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Ngo-Kim-Neo-1_wife-of-Lim-Hock-Seng.jpg\")
<\/a>Ngo Kim Neo (1927), wife of Lim Hock Seng (photo Raymond Goh)<\/p><\/div>\n
On her tomb was inscribed,\u00a0 she was the wife of Lim Hock Seng (see the original story below) and she left behind 4 children, Sons: Lim Cheng Chuan and Lim Cheng Ean; Daughters:\u00a0 Lim Khoon Neo (Lucy) and Lim Geok Kiat.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Lim Cheng Ean’s name inscribed on tombstone (photo Raymond Goh)<\/p><\/div>\n
What was intriguing was the name of Lim Cheng Ean\u00a0 which was included in the\u00a0 inscription as her son, as he was born in 1934,\u00a0 7 years after the death of Madam Ngo Kim Neo. <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nWe emailed the daughter of Lim Cheng Ean\u00a0 to inform her of the find and if she could throw some light on the matter.<\/p>\n
This was her reply:<\/p>\n
“I have managed to gather some brief knowledge about Ngo Kim Neo from my mother. \u00a0Apparently Lim Hock Seng married 2 sisters. \u00a0The first died very young without children and her grieving parents offered their second daughter,\u00a0who must be Ngo Kim Neo,\u00a0to him. \u00a0She had 2 daughters and then sadly died giving birth to my father’s older brother, Lim Cheng Chuan, who was known in the family as the ‘Tiger Baby’ because he ‘ate his mother while being born’ (1927 was indeed the year of the tiger) . \u00a0I’m not sure if this is a Chinese superstition, or just a Lim family ‘fable’. \u00a0My father will be so moved to see the photo that I am posting to him today. \u00a0I doubt he has ever seen the grave, or his own name credited as her son on the tombstone. \u00a0His sister, Lucy (Lim Khoon Neo), was very close to him\u00a0 ” Gillian\u00a0 Mendy nee Lim, 23 June’2014\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\nGillian further explained that, her father’s (Lim Cheng Ean) mother was Lim Hock Seng’s third wife, Khoo\u00a0 Ah Tho,\u00a0 brought from Penang to marry him and look after the 3 young children left behind by Ngo Kim Neo.<\/p>\n
From Gillian’s information, we gleaned that after Lim Cheng Ean was born, the tombstone of Madam Ngo was replaced to include his name to acknowledge Madam Ngo as his mother. We are not sure what customary practice led to this, or maybe it was\u00a0 a husband’s last loving tribute to the wife who bore him 3 children before she\u00a0 passed away at childbirth at the tender age of 22.<\/p>\n
In sharing with us the close relationship her father had with his half sister, Lucy Lim Khoon Neo, Gillian attached an article<\/span>\u00a0 <\/a>on her aunt’s wedding and another line\u00a0 of family connection was revealed.\u00a0 Lucy\u00a0 Lim married\u00a0\u00a0 Cheong Thiam Siew, Chairman of Frank Knight,\u00a0 who was the\u00a0 son of Cheong Hock Seng, and grandson of Cheong Koon Seng<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span> Her husband came from an illustrious and blue-chip line of property auctioneers.<\/p>\nAnd finally Gillian shared\u00a0 that her father who was in a fragile state of health when she first wrote to us in in January of this year,\u00a0 has improved and just celebrated his 80th birthday. The family put together a scrap book of his Lim ancestors, and the photos we had sent earlier of his father’s and his grandparent’s graves at Bukit Brown was the centerpiece of the book.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
All Things Bukit Brown received an email this morning\u00a0 (14 January) addressed to Raymond Goh. It was from Gillian Mendy (Lim)\u00a0 from London, asking if her grandfather’s\u00a0 Lim Hock Seng’s grave was affected by the highway. Her email read:<\/p>\n
“Your Bukit Brown website is incredibly informative and interesting. \u00a0We have only just discovered about the planned road works through the cemetery.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nMy grandfather is buried at Bukit Brown and we are trying to find out if his grave is affected by the road project. \u00a0The family now live in England. \u00a0If it is affected then we would come to Singapore to \u00a0claim the remains. \u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nMy father is now 80 and very ill so I would be extremely grateful if you could either help or let me know who is the appropriate person to contact to try and trace the grave because it would mean a lot to him.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nThe documentation of the affected graves online is very helpful but the names are mostly in Chinese so I have been unable to find if he is listed.
\n<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nI have found the burial register and plot details. \u00a0These are:<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nName: Lim Hock Seng<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nDate: 9 April 1946<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nAge: 46 years<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nPlot ‘A’ 368 (IV)<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nRegister Entry: 1554<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nThis was his Death Announcement in the Straits Times.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n
\n<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nhttp:\/\/newspapers.nl.sg\/
\n<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nI believe the plot may come under the affected area but I cannot find a list of\u00a0affected graves showing their original plot number. His name is not listed on the published lists but I am worried that his tombstone may be one of the illegible or damaged ones.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\nWe are grateful for any help you may spare, I look forward to hearing from you.<\/span>” Gillian Mendy.<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\nWe forwarded Gillian’s email to Raymond who is presently in India on a business trip and within one and a half hours,\u00a0 Raymond replied :<\/div>\n<\/div>\n“Hi Gillian, don’t worry, the tomb is not affected. In fact Hock Seng and his parents’ tomb are now one of the most beautiful tombs in BB. Hock Seng father is Lim Peng Chin and mother is Tan Po Neo, and I believed his uncle was Lim Peng Siang, one of the pioneers of Singapore. Here is a news of his mother death. You can see they stay in the same address. \u00a0I am overseas now , but will be able to send you photos in a couple of days when I am back. Cath, their tombs is in Blk 4a before going to Tan Quee Kan cluster, we pass by a trio of very big and beautiful tombs with exquisite carvings of deities, Hock Seng is positioned on front of his parents’ tombs” Raymond Goh.<\/strong><\/em><\/div>\nhttp:\/\/newspapers.nl.sg\/![\"Lim](\"http:\/\/bukitbrown.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Lim-Hock-Seng-Sugen-Ramiah1-576x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n2) The double graves of Lim Chin Peng & his wife Tan Po Neo\u00a0 (Gillian’s great grandparents)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Lim](\"http:\/\/bukitbrown.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Lim-Peng-Chin-photo-Sugen-Ramiah-1024x576.jpg\" "\\"Lim")
<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n3) An unusual memorial stone (about the size of the earth deity) dedicated to the memory of Mr & Mrs Lim Peng Chin located on the right hand corner of their graves. It singles out\u00a0 Tan Po Neo’s\u00a0 (Mrs Lim Peng Chin) death date. Note the name of son\u00a0 Lim Hock Seng and\u00a0 grandson Lim Cheng Ean ( they are father and son respectively)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Gillian further explained that, her father’s (Lim Cheng Ean) mother was Lim Hock Seng’s third wife, Khoo\u00a0 Ah Tho,\u00a0 brought from Penang to marry him and look after the 3 young children left behind by Ngo Kim Neo.<\/p>\n
From Gillian’s information, we gleaned that after Lim Cheng Ean was born, the tombstone of Madam Ngo was replaced to include his name to acknowledge Madam Ngo as his mother. We are not sure what customary practice led to this, or maybe it was\u00a0 a husband’s last loving tribute to the wife who bore him 3 children before she\u00a0 passed away at childbirth at the tender age of 22.<\/p>\n
In sharing with us the close relationship her father had with his half sister, Lucy Lim Khoon Neo, Gillian attached an article<\/span>\u00a0 <\/a>on her aunt’s wedding and another line\u00a0 of family connection was revealed.\u00a0 Lucy\u00a0 Lim married\u00a0\u00a0 Cheong Thiam Siew, Chairman of Frank Knight,\u00a0 who was the\u00a0 son of Cheong Hock Seng, and grandson of Cheong Koon Seng<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span> Her husband came from an illustrious and blue-chip line of property auctioneers.<\/p>\n And finally Gillian shared\u00a0 that her father who was in a fragile state of health when she first wrote to us in in January of this year,\u00a0 has improved and just celebrated his 80th birthday. The family put together a scrap book of his Lim ancestors, and the photos we had sent earlier of his father’s and his grandparent’s graves at Bukit Brown was the centerpiece of the book.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n All Things Bukit Brown received an email this morning\u00a0 (14 January) addressed to Raymond Goh. It was from Gillian Mendy (Lim)\u00a0 from London, asking if her grandfather’s\u00a0 Lim Hock Seng’s grave was affected by the highway. Her email read:<\/p>\n “Your Bukit Brown website is incredibly informative and interesting. \u00a0We have only just discovered about the planned road works through the cemetery.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n My grandfather is buried at Bukit Brown and we are trying to find out if his grave is affected by the road project. \u00a0The family now live in England. \u00a0If it is affected then we would come to Singapore to \u00a0claim the remains. \u00a0<\/span>
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