Choa Kim-Keat, death

The death occurred at his residence Niel-rd on Saturday of Mr. Choa Kim Keat, a wealthy and wellknown Chinese Resident. The deceased who was about 48 years of age, ccame of a Malacca family and was a son-in-law of Mr. Tan Kim Cheng, the son of the founder of Tan Tock Seng Hospital. He was an uncle by marriage of Mr. Tan Boo Liat, and a cousin of Mr. Choa Giang Thye. For many years he was a manager of Kim Cheng & Co. and was one of the most trusted of the employees of the Straits Trading Co. for which firm he had much to do in tin sales. He was in consequence very well-known and generally liked by the members of the big European mercantile firms here. The deceased's great hobby was the cultivation of rare plants and orchids of which he had an extraordinary fine collection. With his floral exhibits he gained many prizes, and he entertained large parties at Fairyland, which were attended at various times by different Governors and high officials of the Colony.

The late Choa Kim Kiat was particularly well known as the tin salesman for the Straits T. C. Ltd. having acted in that capacity for the Company ever since its formation in 1886. In all his dealings he was tactful and upright and earned the respect equally of the successive Managing Directors of the S. T. Co. Ltd., and of all the European heads of firms with whom he came daily in contact in the course of his tin business. It was his proud delight to show his friends tangible tokens of esteem received by him in the past from some of the foremost business men of the Colony, long retired from the East.

Before joining the Straits T. Co. Ltd., he was a salesman in the Chinese firm of Lim Tiang Wah and Sons, which failed about 1888. For many years, in addition to his work for the Straits T. Co. Ltd., he most successfully managed the large rice business of Messrs Tan Kim Ching & Co., from which he retired only about a year ago.

He had been ailing for some time and though it was hoped that an operation performed some months ago, and a subsequent trip to Burmah and Calcutta had cured him, there was a recurrence of the disease. For about a fortnight the worst was feared, but the end came sooner than had been anticipated.

[Source: The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 8 January 1907, Page 8]

FUNERAL OF THE LATE MR CHOA KIM KEAT.

Eastern Daily Mail and Straits Morning Advertiser, 11 January 1907, Page 2

There was a large gathering at the funeral yesterday morning of the late Mr. Choa Kim Keat, who died a few days ago. The cortege left the residence of the deceased in Neil Roat at 10-30 and proceeded to the Chinese Cemetery at Alexandra Road. The handsome coffin was covered with bright silk draperies and was ornamented with gold work. The funeral was a most impressive one.

The deceased gentleman was popular with all classes of the community and highly respected by his large circle of European friends for his integrity of character and general bonhomme. He was the owner of that charming residence, "Fairlyland," at Pasir Panjang and was a great lover of orchids and plants. He had long been ailing, but his death was unexpected and has come as a great shock to his many friends by whom he was held in great esteem.