Jiak Chuan Road, Singapore

In this time of pandemic, Virtual Sketchmeets (using Google Maps) has become popular for Urban Sketchers who can't organize their usual group sketchmeets. I have decided to use this practice to revisit and do a virtual sketch of places of significance in my life. My sketches will be accompanied by a personal photo (or two) taken at the site!

As he was never mentioned when I was growing up, I assumed that my great grandfather Tan Jiak Chuan (my father's ancestor) was a non entity compared to his cousin Tan Jiak Kim and their grandfather Tan Kim Seng who both made the history books as entrepreneurs and philanthropists. 

It was therefore quite a surprise when walking in Chinatown, Singapore a few years ago to come across a road named after him – Jiak Chuan Road!  According to Wikipedia, he was responsible for carrying on the work of his grandfather's business Kim Seng and Company which dealt with planting and mining. (I'm relieved to learn from a book on Tan Kim Seng that he did not make his fortune in the opium trade!).

The houses on Jiak Chuan Road are not particularly interesting, housing a budget hotel and shophouses. (I'm told that there is now a Spanish restaurant along there). It had an infamous past when it was part of a red light district in the area. 

I've chosen to sketch a temple on Teck Lim Road seen from the end of Jiak Chuan Road where my photo was taken in 2016. 

Here's a link to a newspaper article on his fascinating funeral. He died in 1909 aged 52 from Hyperpyrexia (overheating of the body) after visiting some hot springs! How unlucky!

https://tombs.bukitbrown.org/2020/05/tan-jiak-chuan.html

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”

#virtualsketch #virtualsketching #JiakChuanRoad