Rasmussen's .. '6th Generation Oh Descendants' Visit Kampar

The Rasmussen's and the Lim's one day earlier at YLCO Museum

One day after visiting the YLCO museum on 1 December 2022, the Rasmussen’s, John Paul Rasmussen the father, Lim Pek-Sue the mother and sons Rory and Lloyd took the train to Kampar.

Rory and Lloyd are 6th generation Oh descendants. The Rasmussen’s are connected to the Oh’s through their mother Lim Pek-Sue. Her grandfather was Oh Kay Cheang the 5th son of Oh Cheng Keat. Rory though he lives in Australia is well versed with early Oh family history in Kampar.

Rasmussen's took the train to Kampar

Rory and Lloyd are 6th generation Oh descendants

From the train station they proceeded directly to no 134 and 136 Jalan Gopeng, the business premises that was known as Ban Seng Leong that was set up in 1914 by Yeoh Chin Kee and Oh Cheng Keat.   

They were greeted by great grand uncles Oh Teik Sin s/o Oh Kay Cheng and Oh Teik Lim s/o Oh Kay Lai. Lim Teo Chye and Oh Saw Nee, Pek-Sue’s parents had driven to Kampar from Ipoh.

The article from '20th Century Impressions of British Malaya'

In an article in the book '20th Century Impressions of British Malaya'  Ban Seng Leong was described as being started by Yeoh Chin Kee with his brother-in-law Oh Cheng Keat in 1914. The article further stated that the partnership had "interest of a number of mines and that they possess smelting works and buy tin ore on a large scale. Their principle customers for the refined ore are Straits Trading Company”. It operated from 1914 till the late1980’s.

Ban Seng Leong was two shop lots along the main road Jalan Gopeng, Kampar from where Oh Cheng Keat operated his many businesses starting with tin mining and later rubber trading as well as supplying gasoline. The two shops was connected together through arches between the two shops.  

The headboard atop Ban Seng Leong

...was two shoplots Nos 136 and 134  on Jalan Gopeng ...

..with No136. a long corner shop shared with Jalan Ampang

From the 'Singapore and Straits Directory 1918'

No 136 is a corner lot shared with Jalan Ampang. It is currently a DaMaCai lottery shop operating in the front. Because of the length of the shop the back portion was used as a collection centre for tin ore and rubber.

No 134 is an insurance agency operated by Oh Teik Lim. According to Lim, in the earlier years it was an office which employed ten workers which looked after the accounts of the various businesses. It was also a store for storing of tin ore. It was secured with steel bars all around, which penetrated deep into the ground, for added security. One other business they had was supplying fuel by a hand operated pump placed just outside no134.

Oh Teik Lim at No134.. note the arches behind that connected with No136

.. the steel bars "that go all the way down for security purposes' for securing the tin ore stored 

Oh Cheng Keat had a villa just 800 meters south of Ban Seng Leong where he lived with his four wives. Two of his wives Yeoh Kim Liang and Yeoh Chai Hong were sisters of his business partner Yeoh Chin Kee. He fathered 25 children, 15 sons and 10 daughters. The rubber that was collected at Ban Seng leong was processed at the villa.

Oh Cheng Keat's villa located 800meters south of Ban Seng Leong

Oh Cheng Keat and his wives. L/r: Tan Kooi Wah, Tan Tew Keok, Yeoh Chai Hong, Yeoh Kim Liang and Oh Cheng Keat

At No 136 is a two sided clock which Oh Teik Sin proudly showed his nephews. On the inner side it showed the manufacturer and place as London. However the clock did not work. The clock outside worked and displayed the name of Ban Seng Leong and the year 1914.

The century old clock is still working.....

but only on the outside. It doesn't work inside the shop

The next stop was the Kampar Chinese Burial ground to pay their respects to great grandfather Oh Cheng Keat. Buried in the same grounds was Yeoh Chai Hong one of Oh Cheng Keat wives and Oh Kang his father. According to Teik Lim, Oh Cheng Keat arrived first and later when he had settled brought Oh Kang his father from China.

To top off the day the family gathered for lunch to exchange notes during the day. Rory Rasmussen had mentioned that the father of Yeoh Chin Kee had given his son the money to start Ban Seng Leong saying it was a whole family endeavor. A very interesting statement. 

The cemetery of Oh Cheng Keat .....

his wife Yeoh Chai Hong (L) and his father Oh Kong

Family lunch. (left from centre ) Lim Pek-Sue, John, his sons Lloyd and Rory Rasmussen, Oh Teik Lim and Lim Teow Chye followed by siblings Oh Teik Sin, Oh Saw Yen, Oh Saw Heng and Oh Saw Nee.

At a later date I received from Rory Rasmussen photos of them taken at the road signs of Oh Cheng Keat at Thomson Pines in Ipoh.  

A thousand thanks to the Rasmussen’s for covering the basics of the Oh Cheng Keat heritage history . 

Standing proudly at my 'Grandfather's Road'

    Kampar 2022

JAG