Personal comments
In some articles, his birth year is erroneously stated as 1860, making him only 12 years old when he travelled alone to Singapore by boat.This seems implausible (in my personal opinion), so 1856 is likely the more accurate year of his birth.
His birth year 1856 is also stated in a NUS article (ref: NUS Library Portal Databank (2019))
He originally lived on Canton Street next to Boat Quay.
(ref: NUS Library Portal Databank (2019))
According to my grandmother (his daughter-in-law), Heng Pang Kiat's mother sadly passed away when he was young.His father remarried and apparently the stepmother did not treat him kindly.He was still a teenager, so it could have just been a case of him not getting along with his stepmother (personal conjuncture).In any case, it was probably the impetus for him to leave home and make his way to the new frontier known as the Straits Settlement of Singapore.He would have most likely travelled on a junk, like the other early Chinese immigrants, on a potentially perilous journey that would have taken several weeks at sea.
On arrival, it is likely that he drifted between odd jobs, most likely entailing hard labour, before eventually securing an apprenticeship with a Teochew textile trader.One story I heard from my grandmother is that he actually worked in the quays as a coolie (low-wage hard labourer) when he first arrived.
At some point in his youth, he managed to secure a job as an apprentice to a Teochew cloth trader.This is where he learnt the ropes of business by a traditional mentoring system in exchange for cheap labour. (ref: Yen 2014)
(picture source: Lee 1984)
He also developed another row of 4 shophouses even numbered 30 to 36 on Emerald Hill Roadbut used a difference architect by the name of Yeo Hock Siang. (ref: Lee 1984)
I am unable to confirm the actual year that houses 30 to 36 were built - it was probably around this time (c1908) - TO BE CONFIRMED
More detailed information on Emerald Hill in this section.
APPOINTED AN ASSESSOR UNDER THE WAR TAX ORDINANCE
(ref: The Straits Times 15 July 1930)
This appointment was to assist the Collector of War Tax under the British Government, during World War I.
(ref: Malaya Tribune 12 July 1920)
This official announcement published in the Malaya Tribune mentioned that Heng Pang Kiat had arrived in Singapore 48 years earlier,confirming that the year of his arrival was 1872.
The Chinese Advisory Board was originally set up in 1889 by the Governor of the Straits Settlement Sir Cecil Clementi.The Chinese Advisory Board's main purpose was to facilitate communication between the British government and the Chinese community.
The board comprised of promiment and influential Chinese businessmen in Singapore, representing the different dialects.
(ref: Tan 2018, Mothership.sg article 2019)
It is highly likely that Heng Pang Kiat had learnt to speak English fluently by this stage of his life, if he had major appointments with the British government.However, it is also plausible that the British officers based in the Straits Settlements could also speak Chinese dialects fluently such as Teochew and Hokkien.My grandfather (son of Heng Pang Kiat) spoke fluent English so I feel that the former statement is more likely that the latter. (Personal conjecture)
His hearse remained lying-in-state for 100 days at 44 Emerald Hill Road,before being accompanied by daughter to Swatow (汕头市 Shàntóu), China for burial.
References
Lee Kip Lin (1984) Emerald Hill - the Story of a Street in Words and Pictures National Museum Singapore, ISBN 9971917092, 9789971917098, p88
Malaya Tribune (12 July 1920) Untitled Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, National Library, Singapore. Microfilm reel NL3887 p 5
Mothership.sg article (2019) Teochews in Singapore Politics Accessed 15 Aug 2023
NUS Library Portal Databank (2019) Wang Bangjie article https://libportal.nus.edu.sg/media/lib_ch/databank-wangbangjie.pdf [note this link no longer works] [accessed Jan 2019]
Tan Gia Lim (2018) An Introduction To The Culture And History Of The Teochews In Singapore
The Straits Times (15 July 1930) Heng Pang Kiat obituary Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, National Library, Singapore. Microfilm reel NL637, p 19
Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore URA (2003) 50 Emerald Hill Accessed 27 July 2023
Yen Ching-hwang (Yan Qinghuang 顏清湟) (2014) Ethnic Chinese Business in Asia - History, Culture and Business EnterpriseWorld Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd, University of Adelaide, Australia. ISBN: 978-9814317528 p75-76
www.HengPangKiat.com This is a not-for-profit website about my great-grandfather Heng Pang Kiat - an important Chinese Teochew pioneer in Singapore CPC 2023 Any Amazon UK affiliate program commissions via this family website will be used to help offset its maintenance