On the trail of Tan Swee Lim

Tan Swee Lim, one of the sons of Tan Tock Seng is #2 on my list

My Uncle Darrell Tan (descendant from TSL) has this to say

"My guess is that Tan Swee Lim was registered as 'Tan Kong Tit' as that could be the transliteration of his posthumous name (explained by Raymond Goh who found the grave - bukitbrown.org). Raymond thinks my guess is correct."

Raymond Goh writes 

"Again they use posthumous name,  in this case,  for Mr Tan, it was 刚直 Gang zhi, which can mean upright and outspoken.

Indeed Tan Swee Lim was certainly upright and outspoken.

In 1860, Tan Kim Ching admitted his brother Tan Swee Lim as a partner, the firm was known as "Tan Kim Ching & Brother", chop Chin Seng Ho, but a few months later Tan Swee Lim left the firm.

14 Jul 1872,  Swee Lim was appointed as acting Siamese Consul during Tan Kim Ching's absence.

Tan Swee Lim was described in the papers as a man of some influence among Chinese, he was consulted on various occasions with the police during some riots.

http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article.aspx?articleid=stoverland18721205.2.16.3&sessionid=1768f70cbb0e4b7f8dc213593a361fa8&keyword=%22tan+swee+lim%22&lang=vi&token=tan%2clim%2cswee

Straits Times Overland Jourmal 5 Dec 1872, pg 13

Tan Swee Lim : I knew it was a very serious row from the reports I heard.
I should never talk to samsengs (gangsters); the best plan is to go at them and arrest them: take them up at once, and don't bother with talking with them. If there we...re no samsengs in Singapore, there would be no bother or riot at all. I think it would be possible to find the samsengs by means of the head society men, and send them out of the countury.

http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Page/stoverland18721205.1.24.aspx

In Dec 1883, Swee Lim together with Lim Cheng Gum and others, owners of coconut plantations at Geylang complained about the various tanneries in the district, which are not only a nusiance to the whole neighbourhood from the offensive smell which they emit, but also a source of loss from the damages inflicted on the trees through the ravages of the beetles which generate in the refuse of the bark and hides strewn about the open ground.

Although Swee Lim died in 1885,  in 1888, there was a building plan for a bungalow at Devonshire Road belonging to him.

Tomb inscriptions:

From Zhangpu (Zhangzhou Prefecture, Fujian)

Tomb erected in the 11th year of the Emperor Guangxu ie 1885,  仲秋, ie in the middle of Autumn, ie the 8th lunar month, on an auspicious day.

Mrs Tan Swee Lim Mdm Tay, died in 13 Apr 1908. 

Children names inscribed in the tomb:

Son: Tan Bin Cheng

Daughter: Tan Tuan Neo

Grandson : Tan Hong Tee

Tan Swee Lim have also got himself a honorary title:

太学生 which means a student of the highest institute of learning during the Qing Dynasty

His wife Mdm Tay was also bestowed a Ru Ren.

Indeed the long lost tomb of Tan Swee Lim has been found.

Compiled and written by Raymond Goh"

Darrel also has other leads...

so there must be more relatives to identify