| Native name | 陳篤生 |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 1798 |
| Birth place | Dutch Malacca |
| Death date | 24 February 1850 (aged 52) |
| Death place | Singapore, Straits Settlements |
| Death cause | assinated |
| Resting place | Outram Hill, Singapore |
| Known for | Tan Tock Seng Hospital |
| Spouse | Lee Seo Neo (李淑娘) |
| Parents | Tan Guat Teong (father) Kow Geok Neo (mother) |
Tan Tock Seng (traditional Chinese: 陳篤生; pinyin: Chén Dǔshēng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tân Tok-seng; 1798 – 24 February 1850) was a Malacca-born merchant and philanthropist from Singapore.
Early life and business
Tan Tock Seng was born in Malacca in 1798 to a Chinese Fujianese immigrant father and local Peranakan mother.[1] He left for Singapore in 1819 at the age of 21, shortly after Stamford Raffles established a trading port on the island under the British East India Company.[2][3] Tan made a living by selling vegetables, fruits, fish and other produce in the newly-built city center and eventually earned enough to open a store at Boat Quay in 1827. The store was situated at the mouth of the Singapore River.[4]
He then invested in the J. H. Whitehead of Shaw, Whitehead & Company and engaged in property speculation, becoming wealthy in the process and acquiring large tracts of prime land. Tan owned 50 acres (200,000 m²) near the Tanjong Pagar railway station, disjointed land parcels from the Padang leading up to High Street and Tank Road, several Ellenborough Building shophouses.[4][5]
Philanthropist
Tan then became an influential Chinese leader and was the first Asian to be appointed Justice of the Peace by Governor William John Butterworth.[5] He was also granted the title of Kapitan Cina (Captain of the Chinese) for settling feuds and assisting new Chinese immigrants upon their arrival to Singapore.[4] The founding of Thian Hock Keng temple was led by Tan for the Hokkien community and still exists at Telok Ayer Street today.[6]
His most famous donation was a $5,000 contribution to the construction of the Chinese Pauper Hospital in 1844, which was named after its benefactor on its opening and referred to colloquially as "Tan Tock Seng hospital".[3] They hospital later relocated to the corner of Serangoon Road and Balestier Road in 1860, and a Female wing was funded by Tan's widow Lee Seo Neo in 1867.[3]
Death and legacy
Tan died on 24 February 1850 at the age of 52 after falling ill, leaving behind his wife, three sons and three daughters.[7] His initial burial location is unknown but his remains were re-interred at Outram Hill around 1882.[8] The modern day Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the adjacent road Jalan Tan Tock Seng still bears his name.[3]
References
- ^ Dhoraisingham & Samuel 2003, p. 1.
- ^ Dhoraisingham & Samuel 2003, pp. 1–2.
- ^ "When lepers roamed Singapore streets". The Straits Times. 5 May 1956. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ Brazil China 1992, p. 51.
- ^ Dhoraisingham & Samuel 2003, p. 27.
- ^ Dhoraisingham & Samuel 2003, pp. 43–45.
- ^ "Domestic Occurrence - Death". The Straits Times. 26 February 1850. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ "Grave of Tan Tock Seng". Roots. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
Works cited
- Brazil China, D (1992). Singapore: Days of Old. Illustrated Magazine Publishing Company. ISBN 9789627093190.
- Dhoraisingham, K. D. & Samuel, D. S. (2003). Tan Tock Seng, Pioneer: His Life, Times, Contributions, and Legacy. Natural History Publications (Borneo). ISBN 9789838120791.