Koh Choon Hong Family

Koh Choon Hong was a well known lawyer. He was the first Chinese to be appointed Deputy Public Prosecutor in 1940 and also became the first Chinese to serve as District Judge in 1938.  He was a member of the Malayanisation Commission, Founder Member of the Labour Front and also the Member of the first Legislative Assembly representing Joo Chiat in 1959.

This is his story based on the tombs in Bukit Brown...

The story starts with the discovery of his mother tomb in Lao Sua, on the hill opposite the tomb house sometime in Oct 2015

Tomb of Mrs Koh Eng Tiong nee Lee Siok Puay

許門李淑杯

In Memory of 

Lee Siok Puay

Beloved wife of 

Koh Eng Tiong 

Born 1884

Married 1906

Died 1907

Leaving behind a son 

Koh Choon Hong 

風藏成大地 水住振家聲

The wind harnessed to make the land great

The water held to rise the family fame

From the tomb, one can see that Koh Choon Hong would be born in 1907, and most likely his mother died shortly after giving birth to him.

His grandfather ,Koh Teng Kay died in 1918 and was also buried in Lao Sua

許廷珪

  

Age 67 years

Leaving Two Sons

Koh Eng Hoe 許英和

Koh Eng Tiong 許英忠

Three Daughters 

Koh Bian Eng

Koh Swee Eng 

Koh Eng Lian 

Grandchildren 

Koh Choon Hong 許春風

Koh Chwee Bock 許水木

In Memory of Koh Teng Kay

Born 1851

Died 1918

DEATH

Malaya Tribune, 27 March 1940, Page 13

His grandmother Lee Hong Neo  age 80 passed away at 490 Sims Avenue on 25 March 1940 and was buried in Bukit Brown Blk  4 

 

GrandFather : Koh Teng Kay 

GrandMother : Lee Hong Neo 

Uncle : Koh Eng Hoe 

The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 

13 November 1925, Page 8

In 1925, Koh Choon Hong went to study law at Cambridge and was called to the bar in 1931

MARRIAGE BEFORE REGISTRAR

Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, 9 March 1940, Page

In March 1940 Koh Choon Hong married Stella Fung from Sandakan , third daughter of John S Fung , a retired Deputy Asst District Officer of  Sandakan

Mainly About Malayans

The Straits Times, 28 July 1940, Page 8

Koh Choon Hong also known as C H Koh 

Malaya Tribune, 15 September 1950, Page 2

Master Koh Choon Hong, son of the Singapore lawyer of the same name, celebrated his second  birthday yesterday with a party his home at 6 Anguilla Park. Picture shows him mowing the candles while his mother and sisters Tootsie, Indira and Seok Ho and friends look on.

(Note: It is not common to name the son with same name as the father for the Chinese)

THE RESULTS of the 1959 Legislative Election

The Straits Times, 31 May 1959, Page 4

Koh Choon Hong won the seat for Joo Chiat, while the PAP swept 43 of the 51 seats

S'pore Assemblyman's daughter wins Perth beauty title

The Singapore Free Press, 25 October 1961, Page 4

Koh Choon Chong has two beautiful daughters

Koh Siok Puay , 19, Siok Puay Koh, Tootsie (born c 1941)

Koh Siok Tian, 17, Indira Siok Tian Koh (born c 1944) 

Same as he name his son name same as his,  it is highly likely he named his first born daughter Siok Puay after his mother who most likely died giving birth to him

Siok Puay Koh, known as Tootsie, was the long time partner of Len Buckeridge who founded Buckeridge Group of Companies, commonly known as BGC, a private corporate group of construction and building-related companies operating primarily in Western Australia and a billionaire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Buckeridge

Siok Tian Koh, known as Indira, was married to famed actor Scott Wilson

https://celebzwurld.com/heavenly-koh-wilson-scott-wilson-wife/