“From Chinese Manager to Full Estate Manager”
While serving in the Volunteer Corps, Tan Piah Eng was also doing
well in civilian life, rising through the ranks of the rubber estates.
·
By 1911, at 33, he was already Chinese
Manager, praised as steady, hardworking, and intelligent.
·
By 1917, he was recommended for full
managerial command.
·
By 1920, at 42, he was Acting
Manager.
·
By 1924, at 46, he was formally
recognised as: “Tan Piah Eng, Esq., Manager, Bukit Timah Rubber Estates
Ltd.”
In 1905, at age 27, grandfather Tan would be hired as a
Manager by the Chasseriau Estate (a French company) to manage their rubber
estate (the rubber estate was born from virgin jungle in 1905 and the first
rubber was seeded then over 900 acres of land, having sold the rest of the
original 3200 acres to fund the estate works).
In late 1909 it would be taken over by a British company and
renamed The Bukit Timah Rubber Estates, Limited. (Part of this estate later
became the former Singapore Turf Club and now future Turf City MRT station).
Because of the company policy of having European Managers, he reverted down to
Assistant Manager (yet Acting Manager). His roles included taking charge of the
factory, drying shed and stores, all the coolies and tappers and weeders.
________________________
The first manager of the estate was Mr H.T. Clarkson. Here is a testimonial of Tan from him as he handed over his duties to Mr W.B Stephens in 1911.
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| Including the above, all letters and documents are now with The National Library Board & National Archives of Singapore - All Rights Reserved |
Ø 1911 Oct 3rd (aged 33)
Mr. Tan Piah Eng has been employed as Chinese manager on
this Estate for the past 4 ½ years during the last 18 months under me.
I have great pleasure in testifying to Mr. Tan Piah Eng’s
abilities.
I have always found him steady, hardworking, willing and
interested in his work and I am sorry that as I am leaving I shall not in the
future have his assistance.
Harold T. Clarkson
Manager
The Bukit Timah Rubber Estate Ld
Singapore
________________________
By the end of 1913, Mr Stephens left the estate and Mr W
Rawson took over. Unfortunately by the December 1914, the Great War (first
World War) started (see The War Years tab), prices of rubber began to decline
and found no market at all, and Mr Rawson was called to serve his country, but
not without writing this testimonial for Tan.
Ø 1914 Dec 31st
This is to certify that Mr. Tan Piah Eng has worked as
assistant to me on this estate for the last year.
(He has been in the employ of the company for very many
years and remains during my absence.)
I have found him very honest and trustworthy, and he has
worked hard and loyally supported me on all occasions.
He has been in charge of the factory, drying shed, and
stores.
And in complete charge of the Chinese coolies, tappers
and weeders, and the Javanese tappers.
He was particularly useful when we working coolies under reduced
wages during the beginning of the war. And I have had no trouble whatever from
coolies under his charge. He has handled the labour under him with great tact,
under difficult circumstances. He is also very useful in the office, and can
keep accounts neatly, and accurately.
W. Rawson
Manager.
__________________________
The next and 4th manager to run the estate was
CCF Crowther (2 and a half years from 1915 to 1917)
Ø 1915 Dec 1
Dear Mr Piah Eng,
Just a few lines to wish you and Mrs Piah Eng a
Prosperous New Year, and a Happy one.
I regret I am unable to say that your salary will be
increased from tomorrow, but I think that if we put in good work during the
next two or three months, the Directors will show their appreciation by giving
us all a rise.
I would like to thank you for the help you have given me
during the last half of this year, may I ask from you loyalty and help during
1916, so that we can make Bukit Timah Estate second to none with regard quality
of work and cheapness of product.
Yours Sincerely,
CCF Crowther
Unfortunately due to an internal disagreement with the
management, Mr Crowther decided to leave, but not without this note from him to
Tan
Ø 1917 Jun 29
Dear Mr. Piah Eng,
As I am handing over this estate on the 30th instant I
send you this as a reference.
Except for one or two misunderstandings, we have got on
well together. You have a good command over Chinese labour. The tapping on your
Division during my 2½ years supervision has improved a great deal.
You should look out for a small Manager’s billet as you
are quite capable of taking charge.
Thanking you for the help given me at all times.
With kind regards to Mrs Piah Eng.
Yours sincerely,
CCF Crowther
__________________________
The last European Manager to whom Tan reported to was Mr AH
Graham from 1917 to 1921
Ø 1920 May 6
This is to certify that Mr. Tan Piah Eng took over the
management of Chasseriau Estate in 1905. When the estate was sold to Bukit
Timah R.E. (Rubber Estate). Mr. Piah Eng became an Assistant (1910). He is now
Acting Manager.
I always found him a faithful administrator &
employee. I hope he will serve the Bukit Timah R.E. for many years to come.
[Signature]
_____________________________
In 1922, he would become Manager, the only Chinese Manager
in a British Rubber Estate in Singapore and the Federation of Malay States
(FMS) and resided in the estate with other members of his extended family.
1n 1922 he would also appoint his son Tan Kim Seng (oldest
son from the first wife) as Assistant Manager and in 1923, Tan Kim Kee (his
second son but the only son from his second wife) joined the team as Assistant
Manager.
Ø 1924 Mar 27th
Tan Piah Eng, Esq.,
Manager,
The Bukit Timah Rubber Estates Ltd.
Dear Sir,
The Board of Directors of this company hereby authorise
you to represent the Company at the District Court for the purpose of obtaining
a distraining order against the tenant of the Assistan’t bungalow on the
Company’s Estate for arrears of rent.
We attach Mr. Matthews’ letter to the company dated 15th
December 1923 and copy of our reply of that date which incorporates the terms
of the tenancy. Kindly return the correspondence to us in due course.
Yours faithfully,
[Signature]
Secretaries.
_____________________________
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| Above visual courtesy of Rojak Librarian |
In 1927 part of the rubber estate land would be sold to the
Singapore Turf Club to build a new racecourse, opening in 1933. This is the
future site of the Turf City MRT Station.
___________________________
Never having forgotten his former superiors, here is a 27
May 1935 press cutting detailing the demise of his first boss, Mr H.T. Clarkson
_______________________________
During these Japanese occupation years from 1942 to 1945, Tan would recollect this episode of the war in his letter of Feb 1952: “.. the depression and the infamous Japanese occupation marred its progress with terrible effects. I have lived in the estate and see it grow until the house I was occupying was demolished during the war and although I still would like to live in it conditions are not what they were”
During these Japanese occupation years, Tan continued
working for the estate under Syonan Gomu Kumiai, the Japanese agency overseeing
Singapore’s rubber plantations. It seems that vegetable growing was also part
of the estate to encourage self-sufficiency. This campaign by the new masters
is confirmed by an article in the “Syonan Shimbu” on 14 March 1944
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| Above letter circa 1942 |
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| Courtesy of Rojak Librarian |
In 1952, sensing that the rubber estate was going to be liquidated, and at age 74, Tan writes his final letter appealing for fairness in compensation. We do not know if he received compensation which he has asked for, having served there for 47 years until age 75. See this letter of Feb 4th 1952:
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4th February 52
Messrs. Evatt & Co.
The Secretaries
Bukit Timah Rubber Estates, Ltd.
Singapore
Dear Sirs:
It has come to my notice from the papers that Bukit Timah
Rubber Estates Ltd. will soon go into liquidation.
I am writing this letter with a plea that the Management of
the company would exercise all generosity in the event of my having to be
discharged.
I have put in the best part of my life working with the
company with all conscientiousness and diligence ever since the estate was a
virgin jungle in 1905 and continuing in service as Assistant Manager with the
birth of the Bukit Timah Rubber Estates, Ltd. in 1909. I have seen the company
prosper and the estate flourished through 47 years, during which time the
depression and the infamous Japanese occupation marred its progress with
terrible effects.
I have lived in the estate and see it grow until the house I
was occupying was demolished during the war and although I still would like to
live in it conditions are not what they were.
I hope that when the Directors meet they will weigh my case
with special favour and decide with every generosity when it becomes apparent
that I must leave. I sincerely hope that my length of unbroken service; my
survival over five Managers during those trying planting times until I
eventually became Manager in 1922; my faithfulness and loyalty to the company;
and the many many years of sweat and toil; would help them see their way to
provide me and make the rest of my life a happy and grateful adventure.
I am not oblivious to the good and kind treatment I have
received while I have served and shared the ups and downs of the estate
dictated by the march of time. The fair treatment and complete confidence shown
in my work without unhappy interferences from any quarter makes me very proud
indeed.
I am now 75 years old and I must depend entirely on whatever
may be given to me to subsist for the balance of my natural life. To look for
another job, I am sure you will agree, is out of the question.
I close this last letter to Bukit Timah Rubber Estates in
expectation of a generous recommendation from the Directors to the Liquidators
so that I may subsist in fair comfort and in the realisation that I have served
a good master and received a just reward.
Yours faithfully,
[signature]
Manager
____________________________
Tan Piah Eng had risen to one of the highest positions a local Asian could hold in a British‑controlled plantation system – highlighting his management of labour, production, and estate operations. He was loyal, having served for 47 years until he was 75 years of age.
Note:
Except where indicated, all letters and documents are now with The National Library Board & National Archives of Singapore - All Rights Reserved