Monday, August 18, 2008

Lee Keng Kiat (1851-1917)


This is another road within the Tiong Bahru Estate that is named after a Strait-born Chinese from Malacca.

L
ee Keng Kiat (1851-1917) was born in Malacca and educated in Penang.

After his graduation, he came to work in Singapore and later joined the Straits Steamship Co as a sub-manager.

He contributed much to the Straits-born Chinese community.

He is the son of Lee Quee Lim.

Lee Keng Kiat had two sons, Lee Chin Tuan and Lee Chin Huk.

Mr Lee Keng Kiat died in 1917 at the age of 66.

Today, Keng Kiat Road is just a Cul De Sac within the Tiong Bahru Estate and it leads to nowhere. (It was probably a road that goes into a small kampong behind Tiong Poh Road till the early 1980's. The kampong was cleared for the Central Expressway.)

The "Karang Guni" people thought this would be a good place to congregate and collect container loads of cardboard boxes from all the uncles and aunties who are trying to eke out a living from their own recycling programme.

At times, this Cul De Sac is also used by the nearby temples to burn their "offerings".

Since whatever is done there
does not get in anyone's way, no one really mind what people do there as long as they don't mess up the place.

No comments: