Toh Siew Eng - A Very Important Visitor Shared Her "Precious Memories"

Toh Siew Eng ..95 years old with a crystal clear memory ......

YLCO Museum received a very important visitor in June. It was Toh Siew Eng, 95years old but better known when she was young as Sin Kek Nya or ‘Visitor’.

Toh Siew Eng was a niece of Chew Boon San’s wife Toh Bok Wai. Due to a  series of unfortunate incidents she and her sister became orphans by the late 1930’s and was taken in by Chew Boon Juan and family. 

Now at 95 years her memory was crystal clear and she was able to tell stories about the early years staying with the Chews from the middle 1930’s until she was married to Cheah Eng Kim in 1949.

Toh came with her family for a day visit to YLCO museum. Ignatius showed the guests the sights of 1 Jalan Lasam and took pictures but was anxious to hear from her memories of the past when she first joined the Chew Boon Juan family.

Toh Siew Eng (centre) with her daughters (l/r) Junnie Cheah, Joyce Cheah, son Cheah Phee Hock and grandson David Cheah 

Toh Siew Eng was born in China and came to Malaya with her parents in 1930. Her father Toh Hock Seng had come earlier and worked for Chew Boon San's rubber estate in Segari called Ban Chin Hoe. Interestingly it shared the same name as Chew Boon Juan's shop at Kampung Kepayang. Chew Boon San's wife Toh Bok Wai and Siew Eng's father Toh Hock Seng were siblings.

Above photo shows Toh Siew Eng with her parents at their home in Segari.  This booklet, done by her daughter Julianna Cheah and narrative done by mum Siew Eng was a beautiful description of her early life till she got married

Initially they lived in Dinding, Perak in the rubber estate where her sister Toh Siew Hong was born. Later they moved to Setiawan where they operated a sundry shop.  (Currently its location of the present Courts Mammoth). The father died shortly after having contracted an illness. After the father’s death the mother moved to Ipoh and stayed in Chew Boon Sans house in Kampar road now the Salvation Army Girls Home. Later the mother remarried but she died during childbirth. Hence the sisters became orphans.

The sisters were taken in by the sons of Chew Boon Juan. Toh Siew Eng lived with Chew Choon Siew while Chew Choon  Hock adopted Toh Siew Hong. This was before the war in the mid ‘1930’s. 

During WWII to escape the Japanese Chew Boon Juan took refuge at Kg Kepayang then later moved Teluk Anson* where they stayed at the factory / smoke house until their long house at Eden estate, Tapah on the Cameron Highlands road was road was completed.  (* Chew Boon Juan had rubber estates in Teluk Anson. Told by Ong Choo See d/o Chew Gaik Hoon and Ong Kok Hoo. Ong Kok Hoo looked afte CBJ Teluk Anson estate.)

..the journey before the war till after the war ....told with a crystal clear memory ....... 

..at Eden estate their sanctuary during the war...their house was at a nice location with a stream nearby 

At Eden, the Tapah Orang Asli (OA) location, their house was at a nice location and had stream nearby. She recalled seeing Chew Boon Juan and wife and also Yeoh Kuan Joo and wife there. I stayed with 7^th aunty Chew Gaik Looi. We ate what the Senoi provided for us usually fish. The children, Yeoh and Chew  used to catch fish with OA children. To us kids it was like camping. (After the war Yeoh Kian Teik bought the land because of the stream and fish).

Her recollections of those war days described the Senoi decorated their faces with flowers. The women wore skirts but not tops. There were cars kept in the jungles but their doors and roofs were stripped and leaving only the shell. 

...i came out and stayed at the big Lim house with the 2 elderly couples ......

At the end of the war I followed 2 elderly couples and came out from Eden first. The couples said it was due to the cold and stayed at the big Lim house in Tapah. The rest of the family came out later using lorries (according to Oh Teik Toh).

The Chews, Chew Choon Kok and Chew Gaik Looi including myself, returned to their home in Belfield Street. I stayed on the 3rd floor with Aunty Gaik Looi while Choon Kok was on the 2nd floor. 

..i stayed on the 3rd floor at the Chew home on Belfield Street, Old Town 

Chew Boon Juan and wife and also Choon Siew went to Green Town to stay where they had 2 single storey houses as the Japanese commander (according to Swee Loh) was still at 61 Chamberlain Road.  Choon Siew and Khaw Cheng Bor stayed at Green Town with Chew Boon Juan and wife. The Yeohs returned to their home at 2 Jalan Bendahara.

After Green Town the family of Chew Choon Siew returned to No 61 Chamberlain Road and Chew Boon Juan and wife returned to their home at Gurney Drive Penang. 

Choon Siew stayed at 61 Chamberlain road and Boon Juan and wife returned to Gurney Drive ....

Toh Siew Eng stayed with Honey Chew on Chung Thye Phin road which was across the road from 61 Chamberlain Road before going to Penang. (Nb Honey Chew was the grand daughter of Ang Hae (Chew Boon Juans 1^st wife) and the daughter of Chew Choon Wah (Chew Boon Juan's 1st son)) and wife Oh Lai Kee.

She stayed in Ipoh throughtout 1946 and 1948 with the holidays being spent at CBJ's home at Gurney drive in Penang. In Ipoh Siew Eng studied at Anglo Chinese Girls School (now Methodist Girls School). She remembers walking through the hedge / fence which was linked to CBJ's house to get to school.

Siew Eng and the Chew children . .."my teenage years were spent with the wider Chew clan.. i was accepted and provided for with love"..TSE

..from the booklet .."Precious Memories"

CBJ's house land was large. Siew Eng recalled that the home had two tennis courts and 4 marble statues. He allowed Chew Boon San (CBS) to build his home (the 1st Chew museum) behind his home while his bungalow (CBS) at Gopeng was being built.  

Siew Eng married in 1949. Her husband was a Penang boy called Cheah Eng Kim introduced by 'Ah Soon Ko' – Khor Cheng Bor's brother. 

...from Precious Memories...

She said that 10 aunt Chew Gaik Swee lent her the wedding gown. Her wedding reception was held at No 4 Gurney Drive.  

Toh Siew Eng's wedding photos. (inset) Chew Gaik Swee loaned her wedding gown.  

After the marriage she stayed at Burmah Road opposite the Adventist hospital, my mother in laws house. All my 6 children were born there.

***********

..the Cheah's had a  break at  lunch ....

The guests were treated to lunch and returned for another round of reminiscing the old days .

I remember.... Chew Boon Juan and Yeoh Khuan Joo and Gaik Looi ....

...including Barbera with the other aunties .....

..this was the name (left photo) of Chew Boon San's estate 'Ban Chin Hoe'. (r/foto) this is the house where I stayed at Segari........  

.. admiring Chew Boon Juan and Goh Lean Kee.."..they gave me a big, comfortable home, treated me well and made life long friendships ..."

..." i remember all the elders in this 1939 photo " ....
 

..With all the Precious Memories it was a very good day at YLCO museum.... 

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