Series 1 - Brief and concise biography of Tan Tock Seng

Tan Tock Seng is born in 1798 in Malacca, Malaysia. He was a renowned Hokkien merchant, landowner, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Mr Tan was the third son of an immigrant from Fujian province in China. He started as a humble vegetable seller and eventually rose to become one of Singapore's early Chinese leaders. He was the first Asian to be appointed Justice of the Peace (JP). In 1844, he set up Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), the first Chinese hospital in Singapore, for the poor.

As a young man full of entrepreneurial drive but no worldly goods, Mr Tan ventured to Singapore to start a small roadside business. He would buy fruits, vegetables and fowl from the countryside and hawk the fresh food in the City.

Hardworking and thrifty, he saved up enough money to open a shop along the riverside at Boat Quay in 1827 and proved to be a fine businessman. It was likely that he spoke English and he made his fortune when he joined a joint business in land speculation with an English friend, Mr J.H. Whitehead of Shaw, Whitehead & Co.. Mr Tan eventually became a wealthy businessman.

Mr Tan contributed generously to charity and became a renowned philanthropist amongst the Chinese. He was known to provide burial costs for the Chinese poor. His most famous gesture was the gift of $5,000 to build the Chinese Pauper's Hospital (later to be named after him , the Tan Tock Seng Hospital or TTSH) in 1844 at Pearl's Hill. This hospital was opened in 1849. He was also one of the founders of Singapore's oldest temple,the Thian Hock Keng Temple at Telok Ayer Street. This became the centre of worship for the Fujian Chinese.

Tan Tock Seng was the first Asian to be made a Justice of the Peace by the Governor Butterworth. His role in helping the early Chinese immigrants settle disputes earned him the title "Captain of the Chinese."

Mr Tan died in 1850 at age 52. His grave lies along the grassy slope next to Jubilee Church, 256 Outram Road, Singapore. An obituary in the Singapore Free Press described him as one of Singapore's "earliest settlers as well as most wealthy inhabitants." The paper also praised his contribution as a Justice of Peace.

References

• Tien, Mui Mun (1997, 29 September). Tan Tock Seng. Retrieved April 11, 2009, Web site: http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_118_2005-01-22.html
• Tan Tock Seng Hospital (2006). Tan Tock Seng Hospital - Our Founder. Retrieved April 11, 2009, Web site: http://www.ttsh.com.sg/new/about/founder.htm