Song Ong Siang
Sir Song Ong Siang Downing College | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | First ever knighted Asian in Singapore |
| Spouse | Helen Yeo Hee Neo (杨喜娘)[2] |
| Parent(s) | Song Hoot Kiam (father), Phan Fung Lean (mother) |
Sir Song Ong Siang
Background
Song was born in Singapore to Song Hoot Kiam (Chinese: 宋佛儉; pinyin: Sòng Fó Jiǎn), the founder of the Straits Chinese Church (now Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church)[4] and Ms Phan Fung Lean, a wife from Elder Song's second marriage. He was the eldest son from Song Hoot Kiam's second marriage – the youngest of the three sons of borne from Elder Song's two marriages.
As a youth, Song studied at The
He was eventually awarded the Scholarship in 1888, becoming the only Chinese Queen's Scholar to read law in England. He was an outstanding scholar at the
Song was a devout
Song played an active role in community service, and deeply concerned with the welfare of the Straits Chinese and female education. As he was effectively bilingual in Malay and English, he produced the first Romanized Malay-language newspaper, Bintang Timor in 1894. The paper only ran for less than a year due to lack of support. Three years later, Song and Dr Lim Boon Keng began the Straits Chinese Magazine, an English language newspaper which enjoyed popular support by the community for 11 years. They were later joined by Dr Wu Lien-teh as a fellow editor.[5]
He also founded the Singapore Chinese Girls' School together with Lim and other prominent Straits Chinese gentlemen, in July 1899 on Hill Street. The school taught Romanised Malay, Chinese, Arithmetic, Geography, Music and Sewing to equip young girls for their future roles as wives and mothers.
Song continued to contribute to the society by founding the Chinese Philomathic Society, and Straits Chinese British Association, and the
Above all the contributions made, it was his monumental work on writing and publishing the 600-page book, One Hundred Years' History of the Chinese in Singapore in 1923 that earned him a significant recognition in the annals of Singapore history. It remains an invaluable work of reference on Singapore history today.
Song died in 1941.[7]
References
- ^ Yeo, Nick. "Bidadari Cemetery". lionraw.com. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ^ "SONG Ong Siang". Geni.com. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ISBN 9789813204508.
- ^ Sng, Ewe Kong, Bobby. "Song Ong Siang". Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - PMID 24570319.
- ^ "Ong Siang Song". Editions Didier Millet. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ^ "Song Ong Siang". National Library Board. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
Bibliography
- Cook, John Angus Bethune (1907) Sunny Singapore : an account of the place and its people, with a sketch of the results of missionary work. London : E. Stock.
- Clammer, J. R. (1980). Straits Chinese Society: Studies in the sociology of Baba communities of Malaysia and Singapore. Singapore: Singapore University Press.
- Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church (1993) Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church: 150 Years of Faithfulness, 1843-1993. Singapore: The Church.
- Song Ong Siang (1923) One Hundred Years' History of the Chinese in Singapore.London : J. Murray.
- 'Singapore days of old : a special commemorative history of Singapore' published on the Singapore Tatler 10th anniversary issue (1992). Hong Kong: Illustrated Magazine.
- Wright, A., & Cartwright, H. A. (eds.)(1908) Twentieth century impressions of British Malay: its history, people, commerce, industries and resources. London: Lloyd's Greater Britain Pub.
External links
- Singapore Chinese Girls' School, "Our History"
- Mr Song Ong Siang; his life and work.
- One Hundred Year's History of the Chinese in Singapore
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