Khoo Hock Cheong 邱福種

Khoo Hock Cheong

Khoo Hock Cheong was a tin miner, planter and contractor. He was born in 1855 in Fujian, China and was son of Khoo Tek Heok. Khoo Hock Cheong came to Penang in 1870, where he left his ancestral village, Xinjiang in Sandou district, Haicheng county of Fujian province.

He first started a provision shop in Penang and three years later he was joined by a partner and extended his business. At the same time he took charge of a sugar plantation and factory and commenced to import European goods. Twelve years later the partnership was dissolved and for few months he did no business at all.

In 1887, he started to trade as a merchant and in 1888 held the lease of the Situl General Farms in Kedah. Losing heavily in this venture, he was obliged to give up business and start another, with several partners, he became the dealer in indigo and tapioca. Two years later, finding that this business did not pay him well, he withdrew from it and went to Telok Anson, where he established himself as a rice and tin merchant.

At the end of two more years he went to Kuala Lumpur and opened up a business in partnership with a Singapore firm as a dealer in tin, opium, rice, coffee, etc. there he remained for about nine years. He then entered into contracts for supply of labours to load and unload the goods conveyed by the Federated Malay States Railways in Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Malacca. In 1912, he was the loading and unloading contractor for Port Swettenham.

In his later life, Khoo Hock Cheong ventured into rubber plantation and tin mining and owned numerous landed properties in Kuala Lumpur, Port Swettenham and several parts of Selangor. His main office was at the Old Market Square under the name Chop Hock Cheong. Through his illustrious business life, Khoo Hock Cheong soon assimilated into the Western culture, by sending his children for English education as well as actively socialising with the European elites.

Khoo Hock Cheong was a committee member of the Selangor Miners in 1914 until 1917. He died in 1917 in Kuala Lumpur. In 1917, his youngest son Khoo Soon Leong married Yap Kon Keow, the only daughter of Yap Loong Kee and Low Hup Neoh. Khoo Hock Cheong’s family residence was located at No. 117-B Ampang Road, Kuala Lumpur, next to Chua Cheng Bok’s Mansion. The names of his children are taken from his tombstone, however there are contradictions between the Chinese names and the Roman-spelled names. 

Wife:
Yeoh Geok Kheng

Sons:
1. Khoo Soon Ghee 邱順義 (probably is Khoo Chye Poh)

2. Khoo Soon Heng 邱順興 (probably is Khoo Chye Beng)

3. Khoo Soon Leong 邱順隆

Daughters:

1. Khoo Chye Poh 邱彩樊 (probably is Khoo Chye Huan)

2. Khoo Chye Hoon 邱彩雲 married Law Yew Swee

3. Khoo Chye Ha 邱彩縀 (probably is Khoo Chye Tuan)

Grandsons:
1. Khoo Hong Shaw
2. Khoo Hong Chye
3. Khoo Hong Kuan
4. Khoo Khee Seng
5. Khoo Khee Huat
6. Khoo Khee Choon
7. Khoo Khee Leong
8. Khoo Hong Chow
9. Khoo Hong Leng
10. Khoo Hong Cheng
11. Khoo Hong Poh

Granddaughters:
1. Khoo Cheng Hoon
2. Khoo Cheng Choo
3. Khoo Gaik Choo
4. Khoo Gaik Kim married Chua Boon Peng son of Chua Cheng Liat in 1938

Cheah Tat To

CHEAH TAT TO

Cheah Tat To was born in 1871 in Penang, and was the eldest son of Cheah Chen Eok. He was first educated at the Convent Penang and St Xavier’s Institution, before to the St George’s College, England. In 1894, he left for England to study law and by 1897, he was called to the English bar of Lincoln’s Inn but did not complete his terms. In 1900, he returned to Penang and became a member in the Opium and Liquor Farm, where his father was the Superintendent of the Farm. Shortly afterwards, he planned to continue his law studies in England, but the intention remained with no proceed.

Cheah Tat To was a Director of Menglembu Lode Mining Ltd, member of the Penang Turf Club and Chinese Recreation Club. He had two sons and one daughter. Both his sons, Cheah Wat Hye and Cheah Wat Sun were well-known tennis players in the country. On 12 February 1925, Cheah Tat To only daughter Cheah Guat Teong Kooi married Dr Lee Tiang Keng, a prominent figure in Penang. The Cheah family lived at the Coombe Hill, a spacious private residence owned by Cheah Chen Eok.