Ho Kim Swee

Ho Kim Swee (何金水)

Overview
Ho Kim Swee (何金水) passed away on the 9th day of the 1st lunar month in the Yi Hai year (乙亥年正月初九日終), corresponding to 9 February 1935. Aged 52 at death, he is buried in Bukit Brown Cemetery. His tomb features inscriptions listing 10 children's names, many rendered in Baba Malay (Straits Chinese-Malay dialect forms), reflecting the multicultural Straits Chinese family heritage of the era.

Genealogy & Burial Location

Family Details:
Children Listed (10 names as inscribed in Baba Malay / English forms):
- Nona
- Jawbi 
- Kling
- Baby
- Lah Yew 
- Johnny
- Bulat
- Willie
- Mary
- Johnson

Genealogical Note:
The 10 names are inscribed in a mix of Baba Malay (e.g., "Nona", "Jawbi", "Bulat",  and English forms, with some repeated as variants (e.g., "Johnny"  "Willie" alongside "Bulat" and Mary.  This use of Baba Malay for many children's names is a distinctive feature of the tomb, typical of Straits Chinese families with Malay influences in naming practices during the colonial period.

Burial Location:
Cemetery: Bukit Brown Cemetery
Location: Block 3, Section D, Plot 722
Age at Death: 52 years


Tomb Inscriptions & Observations

祖考 何金水公之墓
民國廿四年
乙亥年正月初九日終

HO KIM SWEE
祖考金水何公墓

NONA. JAWBI, KLING.
LAH YEW. JOHNNY
BULAT. WILLIE
MARY. JOHNSON

Historical Records & Transcripts

Tomb Inscription (verbatim Chinese portion)
Bukit Brown Cemetery, Block 3 Section D Plot 722

祖考 何金水公之墓
民國廿四年
乙亥年正月初九日終
Tomb Inscription (verbatim English / Baba Malay names)
Bukit Brown Cemetery, Block 3 Section D Plot 722

HO KIM SWEE
NONA. JAWBI KLING.
LAH YEW. JOHNNY
BULAT. WILLIE
MARY. JOHNSON


References:
1. Tomb epigraphy and site photographs.
2. Bukit Brown Cemetery burial records: Block 3 Section D Plot 722, age 52.
3. Lunar calendar conversion: 乙亥年正月初九日 ≈ 9 February 1935 (Gregorian).

Index Terms: Ho Kim Swee, 何金水, Bukit Brown Cemetery, Block 3 Section D Plot 722, Johnny Lah Yew, Willie Bulat, Mary Johnson, Nona, Jawbi Kling, Baba Malay Names, Straits Chinese Genealogy, Multicultural Family, 10 Children Listed.

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