Tan Jiak-Kim, Death 24 October 1917, Singapore

Death of Mr Tan Jiak kim.

The whole community will learn with regret of the death of Mr. Tan Jiak Kim, C.M.G., to whom a tribute was passed in the Legislative Council yesterday, and particulars of whose career appear on another page. One who knew him very well indeed writes that he was the leaderof the Chinese in Singapore for many years, and always showed great concern for what he considered the interests of the community. He did a great deal of public work, especially in education among other things, and strongly opposed the abolition of the Queen's Scholarships, while he did much to secure public support for the Medical School. He had strong views himself but one trait which endeared him to all, was the readiness with which he listened to all and gave just consideration to their views, and he gave voice to Chinese public opinion when that was formed, although it might not agree with his own. His share in support of many educational schemes, in the formation of the Chinese Company SVC, in the establishment of the Straits Chinese British Association, is writ large in the records of all these now flourishing institutions.

[The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 25 October 1917, Page 259]

Death of 

Mr Tan Jiak Kim, C.M.G.

It is with deep regret that we have to record the death of Mr. Tan Jiak Kim, C.M.G., who passed away yesterday morning at his residence, Dingwall, Passir Panjang. The deceased gentleman, who had been unwell for some months past, had latterly been away from Singapore but had returned recently to his house at the seaside, where his condition grew worse and despite every assistance of medical aid he died yesterday. His age was 59 years of age and he laves one son, Mr. Tan Soo Bin, and two daughters, both of whom are married.

Mr. Tan Jiak Kim was the fourth generation of a family which has been noted in Singapore since its earliest days not only for great business ability but also for conspicuous charity and generosity and a wide and remarkable public spirit. The settlement has been fortunate in that it has many of these old established Chinese families whose records go back to early days and are a continued example of business integrity and capacity and great public spirit; in the records of the Tan family the deceased's name will bear an honoured place. His father was the late Mr. Tan Kim Seng who was a wealthy merchant concerned in shipping and rice business and assisted greatly in providing Singapore with water storage reservoirs and land for public improvements. His great grandfather was the late Mr. Tan Tock Seng who came here from Malacca many years ago with practically no capital and worked his way up by business ability and perseverance. The memory of his charity is perpetuated in Tan Tock Seng hospital, of which both his son, grandson and great grandson have been generous helpers, whilst the memory of Mr. tan Kim Seng is kept green by the fountain which is so prominent an object at the end of Battery rd. Each generation of the family has served with distinction on the boards of local governing authorities and Mr Tan Tock Seng, it is recorded, was the first justice of the peace, other than a European, for the Settlement. The confidence which the Government has reposed in the family through each generation has been amply repaid and the deceased's own services as a member of the Legislative Council apart from the important positions he has held on the Board of Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the Chinese Advisory Board and other public institutions have been invaluable to Government. He served for a great many years on the Council and took a keen and unfailing interest not only in Chinese matters but in all affairs of general public interest. Mr. Tan Jiak Kim was a very large property owner locally, his preference for the form of investment being also shown by Mr Seah Leang Seah, another of our most respected Chinese inhabitants, and his business capacity in this direction and also as a director of public companies was well-known. He entered the business of Kim Seng and Co at the age of eighteen, being taken into partnership by his uncle. He was a municipal commissioner from the year 1887 for six years and in 1890 became a member of the Legislative Council serving for three years and being chosen again in 1903 and serving till his recent retirement. He paid two visits to England one in 1901 and one in 1911. He was a justice of the peace and member of several boards, a trustee of Raffles Institution and had sat on many Chinese Commissions whilst he was chosen by the Government as the Chinese member of the important Opium Commission which sat under the chairmanship of Mr John Anderson in 1907. His public and private charities were numerous and he was a particularly keen supporter of educational projects and gave largely to the establishment of the Straits Medical school. He was made a C.M.G. in 1911 in the Coronation honours and the honour was formally conferred upon him in the Council Chamber by His Excellency Sir Arthur Young in April of the following year, Mr Tan Jiak Kim having then returned from a visit to England the previous year during which he had suffered the sad loss of his wife. His Excellency in investing Mr Tan Jiak Kim then remarked on his public spirit and generosity and the fact that he was one of the first members of the Municipal Commission.

The deceased gentleman retired from public life a year or two ago but took part as his health permitted semi-publicly in several important movements amongst the Chinese notably those connected with the organizing of Chinese, assistance in the present war. His loss is a severe one and will be deeply regretted by a very large circle of friends of all races in the community.

[The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 25 October 1917, Page 268]

The funeral of the late Mr. Tan Jiak Kim, C.M.G. took place yesterday morning, the cortege leaving the deceased's residence, Panglima Prang, River Valley Road, at eleven o'clock, and proceeding to the private family cemetery in Alexandra Road, where the interment took place. His Excellency the Governor (Air Arthur Young, G.C.M.G.) was present, and there was a large attendance of representatives of all sections of the community, testifying to the regard with which deceased was generally held.

The funeral procession was headed by the Selangor State Band. Behind the coffin followed the members of deceased's family and then came His Excellency the Governor and Mr. M. E. Sherwood (Private Secretary), the Colonial Secretary (the Hon. Mr. F. S. James, C.M.G.,) ; the Chinese Volunteer Infantry under Capt. Song Ong Siang, with Second Lieuts. Tan Kwee Wah, Seah Cheng Joo, Tan Cheow Kim and Teo Keong Hee ; a number of Chinese teachers and boys in uniform from the following schools:---Chong Boon Hokien Kuan, Wah Tiam Kow, Seh Tan and Choo Eng See Yee, Chinese Free School (of which Mr. Tan Kim Seng, grandfather of the deceased, was the founder) ; relatives and friends, including many from Malacca.

Among those present were:---Mr. Hoo Wei Yen (Chinese Consul-General), the Hon. Dr. Lim Boon Keng, Mr. W.  G. Maxwell, C.M.G., the Hon. Mr. W. W. Cook, the Hon. Mr H. W. Firmstone, the Hon. Mr. F. M. Elliot, Lieut.-Col. Derrick, V.D., Capt. G. G. Wace, Dr. F. B. Croucher, Dr. S. K. Lim, Dr. and Mrs. N. L. Clarke, Mrs. J. M. Daly, the Rev. A. J. Amery, Messrs. Lee Choon Guan, Lim Peng Siang, D. Beatty, H. E. Sommerville, S. Tomlinson, D. Y. Perkins, R. D. Pringle, M. J. Upcott, Tan Kheam Hock, Tan Jiak Choo, Tan Jiak Hoe, Tan Soo Hock, Tan Soo Ghi, Tan Soo Lock, Tan Sian Cheng, See Teong Wah, Tan Wi Yan, Tan Tong Niah, Chee Kang Cheng, Ong Tiang Soon, Ong Soon Tee, Low Long Teng, Yeow Ngah Pan, Tan Boo Liat, Tan Kwee Swee, Tan Sim Puay, Koh San Tee, Koh San Hin, Ong Peng Hock, Ching Keng Lee, Wee Kim Cheng, Wee Ghee Guan, Chia Keng Chin, Soh Hong Chuan, Gaw Khek Khiam, Khoo Sian Tan, Tan Cheng Kee, Ong Kim Kiat, Yeo Hock Hoe, Syed Omar Alsagoff, Syed Alwi bin Aljuneed, Wee Swee Teow, Koh Seck Tian, Seah Eng Koon, Chew Cheng Yeong, Yeo Ban Keng, Chan Ong Kwee, Tan Kim Bong, Tan Soo Jin, Tan Soo Guan, Ang Hock Siew, Tan Eng Say, Ong Sam Kiat, Lee Keng Yee, Tan Boon Chin, Seet Swee Hoe, Lye Joon Sang, Tan Chew Kim, Ong Kim Bong, Tan Hup Leong, Moey Fah Cheong, Koh Teong Yean, Seah Eng Tek, Chua Lip Sian, Yap Tai Chong, Lim Tek Wee, Qwek Tuan Sieu, Tan Boo Siew, Lee Tek Siang, Lee Choon Ong, Khoo Phee Soon, Chew Woon Poh, Lee Chim Teck, Chew Swee Teong, representatives of Eng Choon Huay Kuan, Seh Tan Kongsee, the Chinese Advisory Board, Po Leung Kuk, the Amateur Drawing Association, and many others.

Wreathes of all kinds were received from :---Mr. Hoo Wei Yen, the Chinese Advisory Board, the Straits Chinese British Association, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Hokien Way Kuan, Chinese Lawn Tennis Club of Malacca, the Chinese Swimming Club, Wah Tiam Kow Chinese School, South British Insurance Co., Straits Steamship Co., Ltd., Directors, Straits Steamship and Co., Chinese Malacca Club, Eastern United Assurance Co., Kim Seng Land Co., Ltd., Cheng Hoon Teng of Malacca, Shanghai Life Insurance Co., the Amateur Drawing Association, Eng Choon Huay Kuan, Poh Chek Keong Temple, the Chinese Volunteer Club, N.C.O.'s and men, Chinese Co., S.V.I., Officers, Chinese Co., S.V.P., Council of the Medical School, Anglo-Chinese School, Straits Chinese Recreation Club, Wah Tiam Kow Lee Tan Family School, Dr. and Mrs. Lim Boon Keng, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Choon Guan, Mrs. Ong Koon Wan and family, sister of the deceased, Mr. and Mrs. Chia Teck Kim, Mr. and Mrs. Tan Soo Lay, Mr. and Mrs Tan Soo Yok, Mr. and Mrs. Lim Kian Beng, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Bean, Mrs. See Ewe Boon, Mr. and Mrs. See Teong Wah, Mrs. See Eng Wah, Mr. Chew Woon Poh, Mr. and Mrs. Quah Seong Lim, Mr. and Mrs. O'Muller, Mr. and Mrs. Lim Tek Wee, Mr. and Mrs. Tan Kheam Hock, Dr. and Mrs. N. L. Clarke, Mr. and Mrs. Ong Hin Tiang, Mr. and Mrs. Ong Hood Hio, Mr. and Mrs. Tan Wi Yau, Mr. and Mrs. Chua Yeow Kee, Mr. and Mrs. Lim Peng Siang, Miss Lea, Mr. and Mrs. Tan Soo Guan, Mr and Mrs. Gan Kek Beng, Mr. and Mrs. Tan Lian Cheng, Mr. and Mrs. Tan Soo Jin, Tong Hin Dispensary, Capt. and Mrs. Song Ong Siang, Mr. and Mrs. Chan Sze Onn, Mrs. Tan Soon Toh, Mr. and Mrs. Seow Poh Leng, Mrssrs. Yeow Cheow Yan, Ee Kim Yap, Koh Seck Tee, Ong Kim Kiat, Chan Ong Kwee, Lee Teck Siang, Tay Boo Siew, Lee Kim Bong, Lee Chow Eng, Tan Soo Yean, Tan Soo Teck, Tan Soo Sin, Drs. Cheong Chee Hai, Lee Lian Hoe, Messrs. Chua Sim Ghee, Chia Keng Tye, Chia Keng Chin, Chee Toon Cheng, Tan Jiak Choo, Tan Jiak Hoe, Chee Kang Cheng, Tan Boo Liat, Keong Chin Eng, Eng Hoh, Chew Cheng Yong, Lye Joon Sang, Sing Sing and Co., Lee Kong Lam, Tan Kwee Swee, Lim Eng Tiang, Lee Chim Bong, Lee Chim Tuan, Lee Chim Teck, Lee Chim Hock, Lee Chim Sian, Lee Chim Hup, E. Emanual, Chan Cheng Siew, Seet Kee Ann, Chan Say Peng, E. Kong Guan, Ong Koon Keat, Ong Tiang Soon, Ong Soon Tee, Lim Soon Liang, Yeo ban Keng, Lim Team Ek, Joseph Chuen Lin Tong, Gwee Cheng Teong, Lee Peck Hoon, Koh Seck Tian, Koh Seck Geok, Khoo Phee Soon, Koh Teong Yean, Lim Choo Kim, Choa Eng Wan, Seah Peng hong, Tan Cheng Kee, Yeo Boon Guan, Tan Hap Seng and Tan Hup Leong.

The flag at the Straits Steamship Col. Ltd.s offices was flown at half-mast yesterday, deceased being one of the founders of the company and a director for over twenty years.

[The Straits Times, 29 October 1917, Page 10 THE LATE MR. TAN JIAK KIM.]