Part 1 of 4: House of Tan Yeok Nee built in 1882-85 Traditional Chaozhou style

[Cecil Lee]

The House of Tan Yeok Nee was built in 1882-85 as a family home by Tan Yeok Nee, a gambier merchant from Chaozhou, China. When he first arrived in Singapore, he made a living as a cloth pedler. However. he later established hamsell as a successful gambler and pepper planter in Johor. Malaya. and began trading in these commodltles.

The house is one of the two surviving examples of traditional Chinese mansions in Singapore. the other being River House in Clarke Quay. The House of Tan Yeok Nee is a Teochew-style residential buuilding wlth two main courtyard. lts intricate roof is decorated with wooden carvings, painted plaster relief and colourful porcelain pieces.

Tan Yeok Nee later sold the house and returned to China. During this time, the Singapore-Kranji railway line was being bult and the house was aquired for use by the station master of the nearby Tank Road Railway Station from 1902.

Subsequently, the building was occupied by St Mary's Home, an orphanage and boarding school for girls from 1905-32. In 1938,it became the headquareters for Salvation Army until 1991. The House of Tan Yeok Nee was gazetted a National Monument in 1974.

As there are too many photos, I have created several Parts.

Today, will be converted as an education institution from a Traditional Chinese Medical Hall (TCM) HALL