Friday 31 July 2020

The Queen's Scholars

In October 1884, the Colonial Secretary and Acting Governor of the Straits Settlement, Cecil Clementi Smith proposed an education scholarship scheme to sponsor promising young students to further their professional educations in British universities and to encourage students to remain and complete their educations in school. Hence, the prestigious award known as Higher Scholarships were created in 1885 and called as it is until 1890 before renamed to Queen's Scholarship in honour of Queen Victoria. 

In 1911, the scholarship was suspended due it's criticism for causing stiff competition among students and added with its high cost to maintain by the government. It was restored in 1924 through the efforts of former scholars such as Dr Lim Boon Keng, Song Ong Siang and Noel Clarke, and the scholarship was then opened to both genders. 

The list below shows the first part of the recipients covering from 1887 until 1939. The second part which is still in writing progress covering the years 1940 - 1957, where the awards were later given in the form of Scholarship and Fellowship. The Queen's Scholarship was later replaced when both Malaya and Singapore attained self government. 

Year

Recipient

Affiliation

Profession

1887

Lim Boon Keng (1868 – 1957)

Raffles Institution, Singapore

Edinburgh University
MB, CM

Medicine

1888

Song Ong Siang (1871 – 1941)

Raffles Institution, Singapore

Downing College, Cambridge
Middle Temple
MA, LLM

Law

1893

Ung Bok Hoey (b. 1874)

Penang Free School

King’s College, Cambridge
Middle Temple
Did not complete his studies in law

Journalism

1894

Koh Leap Teng (1875 – 1956)

Penang Free School

Edinburgh University
MB, BCh

Medicine

1896

Gnoh Lean Tuck (1879 – 1960)

Penang Free School

Emmanuel College, Cambridge
MA, MD

Medicine

1897

Quah Sin Keat

 

Penang Free School

St John’s College, Cambridge
BA, LSA

Medicine

1898

Phung Chock Kong

Penang Free School

Emmanuel College, Cambridge

 

Goh Lai Hee (1881 – 1951)

Raffles Institution, Singapore

Emmanuel College, Cambridge
BA, MA

Journalism

1901

Yeoh Guan Seok (1883 – 1926)

Penang Free School

St. John’s College, Cambridge
Inns of Court
Gray’s Inn
BA, LLB

Law

Chan Sze Pong (b. 1884)

Victoria Inst., Kuala Lumpur
Raffles Institution, Singapore
Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge
BA, MB

Medicine

1902

Koh Kheng Seng (d. 1958)

Penang Free School

St. John’s College, Cambridge
BA
Did not complete his studies in medicine

Teaching

Tan Seng Suan

St. Xavier’s Inst., Penang

Cambridge University
BA, MB, BC

Medicine

1904

Lim Guan Cheng (b. 1928)

Penang Free School

Cambridge University
BA, MB, BCh

Medicine

Chan Sze Jin (1886 – 1948)

Victoria Inst., Kuala Lumpur
Penang Free School
Downing College, Cambridge
Inns of Court
BA, LLB

Law

1907

Khaw Oo Kek

St. Xavier Inst., Penang

Edinburgh University
MBBS

Medicine

1908

Leong Yew Koh (1888 – 1963)

St. Xavier Inst., Penang

University of London
Inner Temple
BA, LLB

Law

1909

Khoo Heng Kok

Penang Free School

University of London
Gray’s Inn
BA, LLB

Law

No examinations were held and the scholarship was discontinued (1910 – 1923)

1924

Teh Say Koo

Penang Free School

Emmanuel College, Cambridge
BA, ACA

Economics

Tan Ah Tah (1906 - 1976)

Penang Free School

Christ’s College, Cambridge
Inner Temple
BA, LLB

Law

1925

Oei Khye Thuan

St. Xavier Inst., Penang

 

Law

 

Yeoh Cheng Hoe

Penang Free School

Oxford University
BA, MRCS, LRCP

Medicine

1926

Tan Teow Bok (d. 1994)

St. Xavier Inst., Penang

Oxford University
Inner Temple
BA, BCL

Law

Oon Khye Beng (1907 –  1992)

Penang Free School

Downing College, Cambridge
BA

Engineering (M&E)

1927

Lim Kheng Kooi

Penang Free School

St John’s College, Cambridge
BA, LLB

Law

Cheah Heng Sin

Penang Free School

Oxford University
Middle Temple
BA

Law

1928

Cheah Soon Hock (1906 – 1988)

St. Xavier Inst., Penang

Cambridge University
Inner Temple
BA, LLB

Law

1929

Ooi Tiang Eng

Penang Free School

Oxford University
MA, BM, BCH, ETC

Medicine

Tan Thoon Lip (1910 – 1959)

Raffles Institution

John’s College, Cambridge
Gray’s Inn
BA, LLB

Law

1930

Goh Liang Chuan

Anglo Chinese School, Penang

Cambridge University
BA, MA, LLB

Law

Miss Maggie Tan (1913 – 1995)

Raffles Institution

London School of Medicine for Women

Medicine

1931

Chuah Seng Chew

Raffles Institution

Cambridge University
BA

 

Liew Swee Cheng

Raffles Institution
ACS, Singapore
Queen’s College, Cambridge
BA, LLB

Law

Ong Hock Sim (1913 – 1978)

St. George’s Inst. Taiping

Cambridge University
BA, LLB

Law

1932

Tan Sim Eng

Raffles Institution

 

Law

1933

Keong Siew Tong (1914 - 1975)

St. Xavier’s Inst., Penang

St. John’s College, Cambridge

Medicine

1934

Lau Fook Khean

St. Xavier’s Inst., Penang

Downing College, Cambridge
BA, MB, BChir

Medicine

1935

Ng Yok Hing

ACS, Ipoh

Cambridge University
MA, BChir, MBBS, MRCP, DTM, H Eng

Medicine

1936

Lim Hong Bee (1917 - 1995)

Raffles Institution
Outram Road Sch

 

Law

Chia Kim Chwee (1917)

Raffles Institution
ACS, Singapore
Downing College, Cambridge
BA, MA

Law

Ng Wah Hing

ACS, Ipoh

Christ’s College, Cambridge
BA

Engineering (C&S)

1937

Lim Chong Eu (1919 – 2010)

Penang Free School

Edinburgh University
MB ChB

Medicine

Chin Kim Hong

 

MBBS

Medicine

1938

Lim Kok Aun (b. 1920)

Raffles Insitution
ACS, Penang
Edinburgh University
School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
BSc, MB ChB

Medicine

Lee Lian Chye (b.1921)

Raffles Institution
ACS, Singapore
Edinburgh University
MBBS

Medicine

Yap Pow Meng (1921 - 1971)

Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur

Cambridge University
MD, DPM

Medicine

1939

Rodney Russell Lam (1993)

Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur

Edinburgh University
MB ChB

Medicine