Tan Tock Seng
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Tan Tock Seng (Template:Zh; 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.Template:Sfn 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.Template:Sfn[1] 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.Template:Sfn
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, and even a fruit plantation.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
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.Template:Sfn 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.Template:Sfn The founding of Thian Hock Keng temple was led by Tan for the Hokkien community and still exists at Telok Ayer Street today.Template:Sfn
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".[1] 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.[1]
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.[2] His initial burial location is unknown but his remains were re-interred at Outram Hill around 1882.[3] The modern day Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the adjacent road Jalan Tan Tock Seng still bears his name.[1]
References
Works cited
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