THE PROPERTY WILL of EU TONG SEN Posted On
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HERITAGE TRUST PTE LTD SG50 A DEDICATION TO OUR HERITAGE OUR FIRST HERITAGE POST- THE PROPERTY WILL OF EU TONG SEN Posted On LinkedIn By Simon Monteiro, a budding historian who loves old documents of the Straits Settlements. For every week in 2015. To do my part for the love of Singapore. I will feature 400 of my rare documents for the public to appreciate history. Email me at [email protected] or Link me on Linkedin Simon Monteiro Introduction : A few years ago I manage to get this document, as I am collecting historical manuscripts & letters of Early Singapore Pioneers , it is my great pleasure to dedicate my first post to Mr Eu Tong Sen. A great man who created the major history of the Chinese community in Singapore from the last 1800’s. Three of his great properties were : Eu Villa, Euston and Eu Cliff. And have the pleasure of enjoying this manuscript. Date of Document 29th August 1958 Architecture can be viewed as a reflection of value placed on life. In colonial Hong Kong, a distinctive Gothic-style castle, Euston, was built by tycoon Eu Tong Sen (1877–1941) as his family's grand residence. Eu was a prominent figure in South China and Southeast Asia and remains a local legend decades after his death. Eu's castle, being built in 1928 and demolished in the 1980s, was and still is one of the most recognizable monuments in the region. Although Eu did not leave behind any autobiography or memoirs, the monumental castle can be regarded as a symbolic manifestation of his life story. The design of the castle is of mixed ancestry—it is a reconciliation of traditional Chinese design based on feng shui (Chinese geomancy) with European architectural elements. The fusion of East-West architectural building elements, as symbolized by the Eu castle, was a significant achievement symbolizing general social and cultural changes spanning more than a century. STEPHANIE PO-YIN CHUNG a1 a1 Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong HERITAGE TRUST PTE LTD SG50 A DEDICATION TO OUR HERITAGE OUR FIRST HERITAGE POST- THE PROPERTY WILL OF EU TONG SEN Eu Villa Euston is now called Euston Court Eu Cliff HERITAGE TRUST PTE LTD SG50 A DEDICATION TO OUR HERITAGE OUR FIRST HERITAGE POST- THE PROPERTY WILL OF EU TONG SEN HERITAGE TRUST PTE LTD SG50 A DEDICATION TO OUR HERITAGE OUR FIRST HERITAGE POST- THE PROPERTY WILL OF EU TONG SEN The document stated that all the things in the house were included in the will. Eu Tong Sen 余东璇 Eu Tong Sen, OBE, JP There is an old Chinese adage saying that family wealth never survives for three generations. Witnessing several prominent Chinese families in the Straits Settlements and British Malaya fell into this "generation trap" one would have to nod in agreement. However, this adage is not applicable to the Eu family. Whom profoundly known by the signature, Eu Yan Sang, a legacy known in today as a traditional Chinese medicine store stretching a chain of branches throughout the world. The Eu Yan Sang has been notably remained a family business run by the fourth and fifth generations of its founders. HERITAGE TRUST PTE LTD SG50 A DEDICATION TO OUR HERITAGE OUR FIRST HERITAGE POST- THE PROPERTY WILL OF EU TONG SEN Eu Tong Sen was born in Penang on 23 July 1877, he was the only son of Eu Kong-pui also known as Eu Kong (1853 - 1891) by his first wife Leong Kum Yow (1854 - 1927). His grandfather Eu Hok-chung (1822 - 1886) was a fengshui master in China. Eu Tong Sen died on 11 May 1941 survived by 13 sons and 11 daughters through his 11 wives distributing in Malaya, Singapore and Hong Kong. The story of Eu Tong Sen is inseparable with the legacy of Eu Yan Sang, in which founded by his father and step-mother. Eu Yan Sang was founded in 1879 in Gopeng and stretched to Ipoh and Kampar in 1881. It was a traditional Chinese medical hall setup near tin mining towns to cure miners whom could not afford for Western medical aids. Eu Kong-pui Madam Leong Kum Yow Eu Kong was born in 1853 in Foshan, Guangdong with Jiangxi origin. In September 1876, Eu Kong left his native to Penang together with his wife, Leong Kum Yow and a younger brother, Eu Kong Chun. He was then employed to the Wo Yuen Cloth Store as shop assistant. Shortly after three months, he became a business partner in Wo Yuen as well as a bakery shop by investing few hundred dollars. Unfortunately, after eight months both businesses were forced to shut down due to the sudden capital withdrawal by Wo Yuen's owner. After the mishaps, in 1878, Eu Kong became a shop assistant in a Chinese grocery store known as Yue Sang owned by Khoo Wan Heng. The store was an agent distributing goods from Southern China to the tin mining towns in the Malay States. It was here, Eu Kong entrusted by his employer to collect debts in Malaya. In 1881, Eu Kong took his wife and son, Eu Tong Sen back to Foshan. After two months sojourn in his native, Eu Kong left for Hong Kong and married a woman, Man Woon Chang. Man Woon Chang was said to be able to speak in English and was a good helper in Eu Kong's business. In 1882, Eu Kong entered into the Government Farms tenders in Gopeng. He won the bidding and became a revenue collector for the next three years. Following with HERITAGE TRUST PTE LTD SG50 A DEDICATION TO OUR HERITAGE OUR FIRST HERITAGE POST- THE PROPERTY WILL OF EU TONG SEN his successful biding in Gopeng, Eu Kong integrated the tin-mining farm with the Chinese grocery and medicine store, in which he named it Yan Sang. In 1884, he brought his another younger brother, Eu Kong Tak to join him. On 24 March 1891, Eu Kong suddenly died and left his businesses in crisis whereby his wives and brothers were fighting over his fortune. Eu Tong Sen who was only 14 years old was then called back to take over his father's businesses. However, his step-mother had arranged him to study English under F. W. Harley in Penang and in 1895-1897 in Anglo Chinese School, Ipoh under W.E. Horley. When Eu Tong Sen reached 21 years old he was officially inherited his father's fortune through his father's appointed attorney, Grant Mackie. In 1902, his half sister adopted by his step-mother was married to Leong Kwong Hin, a Chinese Protectorate in Singapore whom later became his private secretary. Mrs Leong Kwong Hin was born in 1887 and died in 1940 in Singapore. Eu Tong Sen Eu Tong Sen in his early adolescence By the time Eu Tong Sen inherited his father's fortune, the government farms were in the process of phasing out. As the British were no longer in need for it to attract investors in British Malaya. The concept of capitalism was then introduced, only the wealthiest with capital and connections could operate business in large scale. In order to accommodate this new policy, Eu Tong Sen drew a new direction for the family business. He became amongst the first Chinese miners to utilize the hydraulic pumps in his tin mines. This expensive machinery could extract the earth deeper into the alluvial layer. In Perak, Eu Tong Sen had about eight mines employing about 8,000 coolies, three in Gopeng, two in Kampar, each one in Tronoh, Chenderiang and Papan. In Selangor, he had two mines each in Ampang and Kanching, employing about 3,000 coolies. As for Negri Sembilan he had a one in Batang Benna operated by about 1,000 coolies. Eu Tong Sen also setup a foundry known as Sang Woh to manufacture HERITAGE TRUST PTE LTD SG50 A DEDICATION TO OUR HERITAGE OUR FIRST HERITAGE POST- THE PROPERTY WILL OF EU TONG SEN tin-based products and export it out from Malaya. When the future for tin was uncertainty in the late 19th century, Eu Tong Sen invested in rubber plantation of about 1,000 acres with about 3,000 coolies. Eu Tong Sen was the Vice-president of the Anti-Opium Society, a member of the Kinta Sanitary Board, and an Unofficial Member of the Federal Legislative Council of the Federated Malay States (1912 - 1920). In 1903, he purchased a Qing official title to enhance his social status. Eu Tong Sen also known for his generous donation of $55,000 to the Hongkong University in 1918 as well as to the Raffles College in Singapore. In order to mark the Eu family's philanthropic efforts and the family business image, Eu Tong Sen renamed Yan Sang with Eu Yan Sang. It was during this time too, that Eu Yan Sang was diversified into remittance business. The remittance services were first extended to Singapore, Penang, Perak and Kuala Lumpur. In 1909 he setup another remittance branch in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong and in 1928, Eu Tong Sen made Hong Kong as his home. By 1914, the remittance services by Eu Yan Sang had reached the Dutch East Indies and Southern China. On 7 January 1932, the Eu Tong Sen (Singapore) Ltd. was founded as a remittance agent for overseas Chinese in British Malaya and Straits Settlements. By the late 1920s, Eu Yan Sang already had a strong base for remittance business in Southeast Asia and Southern China. During this time, the Eu Yan Sang extended its core business to real estate, property investment and banking sectors.