Friday, December 30, 2011

At Fort Canning: In search of John Horrocks Whitehead

John Horrocks Whitehead gets my attention as he is linked to Tan Tock Seng

http://clanbarker.com/getperson.php?personID=I608&tree=Po

John Horrocks Whitehead, a partner in the trading firm of Shaw,Whitehead & Co.
John Horrocks Whitehead died at Singapore in 1846 aged 36 years. the same age as his uncle the cotton tycoon had reached at the time of his death. He is mentioned in the Singapore newspaper regarding his involvement with the church, St Andrews I believe, just near the Raffles hotel, and I believe he is buried in the churchyard.

John Horrocks Whitehead is buried in the old cemetery at Fort Canning in Singapore. A tombstone was reportedly erected for him by his good friend and business partner, the wealthy philanthropist Tan Tock Seng (1798-1850) upon which he inscribed "as a token of affection on the part of a Chinese friend, Tan Tock Seng."

I searched old cemetry at Fort Canning but I was 40 years too late...
A cluster of about 10 tombs was preserved in one corner, including a Russsian: Wladimir Astafiew

 and John  Lee Khia Soon

But most of the stuff was very dilapidated and removed in the 1970's:


Some of the tombstones have been embedded in the perimeter all, but I could not find that of John Horrock Whitehead

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