Tuesday 27 December 2011

Cheah Chen Eok 谢增煜

CHEAH CHEN EOK 谢增煜, JP 

Cheah Chen Eok was born in 1852 in Penang and was the only son of Cheah Sim Hean. He was educated at the Penang Free School and first worked at the Messrs Boon Tek & Co. and later to the Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London and China of Penang branch. Where he served the firm for eight years. His father, Cheah Sim Hean was born in China with ancestry in Chang Tai District, Fujian. 

In 1872, Cheah Chen Eok married daughter of Foo Tye Sin and had six sons and three daughters. With financial support from his father-in-law, in 1876, he commenced business in partnership with Foo Boon Sean, his brother-in-law, under the firm Chen Eok & Co., principally engaged as a ship chandler and trading general goods. After six years of prosperous business, he joined the Opium & Liquor Farm with interests in Penang and Singapore. In 1902, he became the Superintendent for the farm, backing by his vast experience in business affairs. In the farm business where he had engaged for almost 25 years had made him a great success to-be-told. The farm was one of the biggest income revenues for the colony and had employed more than 200 workers. 

Cheah Chen Eok’s business by then had expanded to tin mining and plantations. Besides business concern, he was active in playing pivotal role in public affairs. He was a Justice of Peace, Municipal Commissioner of Penang, Visitor to goals and hospitals, member of the Chinese Advisory Board, a trustee of the Penang Free School and member of all local clubs. Cheah Chen Eok regarded himself as a loyal British subject and had great interest in English educations. In 1897, when Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, he offered to fully fund the erection of a clock tower in commemorating the event. The clock tower was constructed at King Edward Place, costing him $35,000. Cheah Chen Eok died in 1922 at the age of 70 years.

Cheah Chen Eok in his youth

19 comments:

  1. My mother is Cheah Phaik Cheng (deceased), i recalled she mentioned that Cheah Chen Eok is my maternal great grandfather, so i may be his great grandson on the maternal side. I remember mother mentioned/showed me the old family mansions (among others) on kalawei road. I am now living in the US

    Dr. K. L. Lim
    limhrl@aol.com

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  2. Hi Dr Lim. Thanks for the input.

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    1. Hi Eugene,my name is Lisa Cheah, Sonia is my daughter.I'm the great grand daughter of Cheah Tat Jim. Sorry for years of overdue. I have pic of Cheah Wat Lam n his wife Lily Lim Bin Ai(my paternal grandparents).

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    2. Hi Eugene,my name is Lisa Cheah, Sonia is my daughter.I'm the great grand daughter of Cheah Tat Jim. Sorry for years of overdue. I have pic of Cheah Wat Lam n his wife Lily Lim Bin Ai(my paternal grandparents).

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  3. Dr Lim, we may be distantly related? My paternal great grandfather was Lim Chin Tsong (aka LCT),and my grandfather was Lim Kar Chang.

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  4. Eugene, great job on the posts/blogs. Maybe you should publish Lim Chin Tsong or Lim Kar Chang?

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  5. Thanks Borneo60. I will certainly look into that.

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  6. Lim Chin Tsong was my maternal grandfather.

    So how are you(borneo60) related to me?.

    Chan Hock Kin

    adamantine4@yahoo.com

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  7. My mother is Cheah Swee Gaik. She is the great great granddaughter of Cheah Chen Eok. Her great grandfather is Cheah Tat Jin. The second son of Cheah Chen Eok. Granddaughter of Cheah Wat Lam. The first son of Cheah Tat Jin. Daughter of Cheah Peng Teong. The third son of Cheah Wat Lam. My grandfather Cheah Peng Teong passed away in 1997.

    Thank you Eugene Khoo for posting so many information about my ancestor. Great job. Never thought of finding their names on the Internet. Thank you. Have a good day Mr.Khoo.

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    1. Sonia, glad to see you corrected the spelling of Adam Cheah's name! He's probably on his 2nd bottle of scotch while reading what you wrote!!!

      C. Goh
      Las Vegas

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  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  9. I am wondering whether anyone knows the full name of Cheah Chen Eok's wife?

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  10. Hi

    I hope some people may still be reading this blog. Does the name Cheah Pek Suat ring a bell to anyone? Could she be one of Cheah Chen Eok’s daughter?
    Thanks

    Dr Lye

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  11. 我是 Calvin cheah ka shing,cheah peng soon的孙子。希望可以在来临的2020年时的清明节可以在cheah wat lum 的坟墓前见到各位远方亲戚

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  12. Hi Calvin Cheah,

    Do you happen to know where Cheah Phaik Suat’s tomb is in Penang?

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  13. Hi, i am the daughter of Cheah Wat Gark, grandson of Cheah Cheng Eok

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