Chia Eng Say was our grandfather’s name. Our grandfather had a diverse array of businesses in both Singapore and Malaya (including a rubber plantation in Malaya) so our family travelled between both places during the war. 

Photo of a rubber tapper at a rubber plantation in Singapore

Taken during 1970s

Credit: Roots.gov.sg (link)

​Our grandfather had a lot of children and wives - he had 10 wives in total. He owned a very big bungalow at Sea View, where each family occupied a separate room. Our mother was the daughter of his first wife. Sadly, our grandmother was the first of the wives to pass away, leaving behind seven sons and seven daughters. During the Japanese war, all seven brothers were killed right in front of the house. The Japanese entered the house, caught all the men and killed them. 

We had numerous aunts, and they were all well-educated - our grandfather believed in the value of education. Before the war, our aunts attended an English school. A bus would come to collect all the children and take them to school. One classroom alone was filled with children from our family. The children weren’t scared of the teacher because they would all gang up against the teacher. Our mother didn’t like to study so she would go there to play with the other kids. 

After our uncles died, one of our aunties who was working with the Japanese made friends with them. She was given a letter which they stuck to the front of the house. When the Japanese saw the letter, they would leave your house alone. The letter probably said that this house was under the protection of the Japanese. This kept the whole family safe.

Our grandfather also owned the Mandai Granite Quarry back then, so our family was well-off. Our father worked as an accountant in our grandfather's company, where he managed the distribution of salaries and allowances for each family within the household. Life in general wasn’t that bad for us - we still had enough food on the table.

​However, due to our grandmother's early passing, we did not enjoy the privileges of a first wife's family. She was a generous and charitable woman who frequently went out to help the poor and the sick. The second wife assumed the privileges of a first wife, and this shift in status pushed our immediate family's rank down. Today, we only encounter the other branches of the family during weddings and funerals, but we don't have much interaction otherwise.

Obiturary of Mrs Chia Eng Say

Malaya Tribune, 27 August 1941, Page 3

Credit: Singapore Tombstones Epigraphic Materials blog

​Our grandfather met a tragic end when he was shot while visiting one of his wives who lived outside of the main household after curfew. During that time, the Japanese had imposed strict curfew hours. Despite having ten wives, only six of them were formally registered.

​Following our grandfather's passing, one of our uncles took over the family business and continued to provide for the entire extended family.