Chua Kim Neo

 Chua Kim Neo

IN LOVING MEMORY OF 

MADAM CHUA KIM NEO
AGE 73 YEARS
PASSED AWAY ON 4TH 

SONS

TAN TIAM HEE
TAN SIANG HEE

DAUGTHER

TAN YEW NEO
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Burial Entry
Blk 5 Div V, plot no 73
Chua Kim Neo
Age 73 years
Date of Death 5 Jun 1941
Date of Internment 8 Jun 1941

Tan Tiam Hee

Malaya Tribune 15 July 1931  Mrs Tan Tiam Hee nee Madam Rose Wee eldest daughter of Wee Leok Boon passed away at her residence at No 464 1, East Coast Road leaving behind her husband, 2 sons and a daughter to mourn her loss. Funeral on 16th July 1931

Tan Siang Hee

Malaya Tribune 2 Dec 1924 Pg 6

Tan Siang Hee of No 10 Lorong 29 Geylang, elder brother of Tan Tiam Hee, is engaged to Miss Tio Chye Nio, cousin of Tio Seng Choon of Chop Chin Guan, Siak. The marriage will take place quietly at Siak owing to the death of her mother last month.

On Oct 31, 1925 at No 26 Lorong 17 Geylang to Mr and Mrs Tan Siang Hee a son. Mother and child are doing well.

The Straits Times 27 Jun 1933 Pg 10
Tan Siang Hee and his only daughter beg to tender their stanks to staff of  I.C.H.V. Rotterdam and members of the Cashiers' Union who attended night visit and funeral 

(see Bukit Brown Burial Entry Blk 3 D plot No 373  who was interned on 25 Jun 1933 Teo Chye Neo 27 years old)

His wife Teo Chye Neo was murdered by her young cook on 22 Jun 1933.  She was said to be 7 months pregnant and her daughter Tan Leong Choo witnessed the incident and give testimony in court

See "Everyone Here Loves You " Five year old witness , Victim daughter at Murder Trial
The Straits Times 15 Sep 1933 Pg 13

Tan Siang Hee remarries again

Sunday Tribune 17, Jun 1934, Pg 21.

Tan Siang Hee, cashier at Rotterdam Trading Co, and Miss Chia Kim Soh, who were married in Singapore recently, Chia Kim Soh was the daughter of  Chia Eng Say of Chop Eng Kee, the well known building contractor and Granite Quarries owners of Singapore and Penang.

On 30th May 1935, the couple gave birth to a girl . Their address was 12 Chapel Road

On Jun 20, 1937, they ahve another daughter , address was 38 Chapel Road.

While visiting the grave of Madam Chua Kim Neo, we uncover a dark chapter involving her daughter-in-law, Teo Chye Neo, whose death at 40-A Onan Road in 1933 became one of the most debated murder trials of the era.

🚨 Case Summary: The Murder at 40-A Onan Road

On the morning of 22 June 1933, 27-year-old Teo Chye Neo (who was pregnant at the time) was found in a pool of blood with over ten stab wounds to her face and neck. The perpetrator was her 14-year-old Hainanese servant, Yeo Tin Keng. The brutal act was witnessed by Teo’s five-year-old daughter, Tan Leong Choo.

A Tale of Two Sides:

While the crime was horrific, the trial revealed a "pathetic tale" of domestic life behind closed doors. Research by historian Claire Lowrie and contemporary news reports highlight a defense built on systematic abuse.

The Victim's Temper: Neighbors testified that Teo Chye Neo was a "woman of violent temper" who frequently scolded and abused the young boy.

The Child's Testimony: In a heartbreaking moment, Teo’s own 5-year-old daughter confirmed in court that her mother had slapped Yeo on the morning of the murder.

The Servant's Account: Yeo claimed he was beaten with firewood, shoes, and clogs. He alleged that on the day of the crime, Teo attacked him with a knife first because the floors were "not clean," leading to a fatal struggle.

The "Dark Side" of Domestic Service in the 1930s

This case serves as a grim illustration of the unregulated nature of domestic work in colonial Singapore:

Labor Exploitation: Yeo was recruited informally at Katong Market for just $6 a month (a fraction of the standard $20-$30 for Hainanese cooks). At the time of the murder, he claimed he had not been paid for three months.

Social Isolation: Yeo was reportedly locked in the house and forbidden from seeing his brother or friends, cutting off the vital "social outlets" of coffee houses and kongsis that provided emotional support for migrant workers.

The "Sudden Provocation" Verdict: The jury was clearly moved by the evidence of abuse, deliberating for over an hour on the definition of "sudden provocation." While they found him guilty (6 to 1), his young age spared him the gallows. He was sentenced to be detained "pending His Majesty’s pleasure."

References:

1. The Straits Times, 15 Sep 1933, Pg 13: "Everyone Here Loves You."

2. Malaya Tribune, 16 Sep 1933, Pg 13: "Onan Road Murder: Hylam Boy Guilty."

3. Claire Lowrie, "Chinese Male Servants in Colonial Singapore," Cambridge University Press (2020).

4. Burial Register: Blk 3 D, Plot 373 (Teo Chye Neo).