Song Ong Siang
Encyclopedia
Sir Ong-siang Song K.B.E.
, V.D.
, M.A., LL.M.
, was a lawyer and active citizen of the British Colony of Singapore. He was a third-generation Straits Chinese or Peranakan
Baba (Peranakan term for man), and the first ever Asian in Singapore to be knighted. Sir Song was noted for his worthy contributions to the development of the Singapore civil society, and was held in the highest esteem throughout the Colony.
He was born on June 14, 1871 in Singapore to Song Hoot Kiam, the founder of the Straits Chinese Church (now Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church
) and Ms Phan Fung Lean, a wife from Elder Song's second marriage. He was the eldest son from Song Hoot Kiam's second marriage – the youngest of the three sons of borne from Elder Song's two marriages.
As a youth, Sir Song studied at The Raffles Institution
and briefly at Christian Brothers' School (now St. Joseph's institution).
He was a brilliant student, and won the Guthrie Scholarship at the age of 12 – a record he had continued to hold for five consecutive years. The young Song was disqualified from the honor of being the first Queen's Scholar - the honor went to Dr Lim Boon Keng - as he was under-aged at the time of the award.
He was eventually awarded the Scholarship in 1888, becoming the only Chinese Queen's Scholar to read law in England. He was an outstanding scholar at the Middle Temple
and Downing College in Cambridge
. In 1893 Sir Song was called to the Bar, entering legal practice upon returning to Singapore. In that same year he set up the legal firm, Aitken and Ong Siang at the age of 22. Song was also a shareholder and trustee of the Anglo - Chinese Boarding School in 1904. In 1907 he married Helen Yeo in a military wedding – the first of its kind for a Chinese in Singapore.
Sir Song was a devout Presbyterian. When the Elder Song died in 1900 he succeeded his father as church elder, actively involving in the development of the Church choir and the church magazine. He was also a volunteer preacher, and served as Chairman of The Chinese Christian Association, formed in 1889 by the Elder Song.
Sir Song played an active role in community service, and deeply concerned with the welfare of the Straits Chinese and female education. As he was effectively bilingual in Malay and English, he produced the first Romanized Malay-language newspaper, Bintang Timor in 1894. The paper only ran for less than a year due to lack of support. Three years later, Sir Song and Dr Lim Boon Keng
began the Straits Chinese Magazine, a Malay language newspaper which enjoyed popular support by the community for 11 years. He also found the Singapore Chinese Girls' School
together with Dr Lim and other prominent Straits Chinese gentlemen, in July 1899 on Hill Street
. The school taught Romanised Malay, Chinese, Arithmetic, Geography, Music and Sewing to equip young girls for their future roles as wives and mothers.
Sir Song continued to contribute to the society by founding the Chinese Philomathic Society, and Straits Chinese British Association, and the The Hullett Memorial Library (HML) in his alma mater The Raffles Institution
together with Dr Lim Boon Keng in 1923. He also became the first Chinese Captain in the Chinese Volunteer Corps in Singapore.
His notable work to the society earned him a place as a Nominated Member of the Singapore's Legislative Council
in 1919 and again serving as Member from 1924-1927. For his outstanding work in the Colony, Sir Ong was conferred the O.B.E.
in 1927, and the K.B.E.
in 1936 by King George V
.
Above all the contributions made, it was his monumental work on writing and publishing the 600-page book, One Hundred Years' History of the Chinese in Singapore in 1923 that earned him a significant recognition in the annals of Singapore history. It remains an invaluable work of reference on Singapore history today.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, V.D.
Volunteer Decoration
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was created by Royal Warrant under command of Queen Victoria on 25 July 1892 to reward 'efficient and capable' officers of the Volunteer Force who had served for twenty years...
, M.A., LL.M.
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
, was a lawyer and active citizen of the British Colony of Singapore. He was a third-generation Straits Chinese or Peranakan
Peranakan
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era....
Baba (Peranakan term for man), and the first ever Asian in Singapore to be knighted. Sir Song was noted for his worthy contributions to the development of the Singapore civil society, and was held in the highest esteem throughout the Colony.
He was born on June 14, 1871 in Singapore to Song Hoot Kiam, the founder of the Straits Chinese Church (now Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church
Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church
The Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian church in Singapore. It is located at Prinsep Street in the Rochor Planning Area, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district....
) and Ms Phan Fung Lean, a wife from Elder Song's second marriage. He was the eldest son from Song Hoot Kiam's second marriage – the youngest of the three sons of borne from Elder Song's two marriages.
As a youth, Sir Song studied at The Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution , founded in 1823, is the oldest centre for pre-tertiary learning in Singapore. It is an independent school in Singapore providing secondary and pre-university education. RI consists of a boys-only secondary section , and a coeducational pre-university section...
and briefly at Christian Brothers' School (now St. Joseph's institution).
He was a brilliant student, and won the Guthrie Scholarship at the age of 12 – a record he had continued to hold for five consecutive years. The young Song was disqualified from the honor of being the first Queen's Scholar - the honor went to Dr Lim Boon Keng - as he was under-aged at the time of the award.
He was eventually awarded the Scholarship in 1888, becoming the only Chinese Queen's Scholar to read law in England. He was an outstanding scholar at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
and Downing College in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
. In 1893 Sir Song was called to the Bar, entering legal practice upon returning to Singapore. In that same year he set up the legal firm, Aitken and Ong Siang at the age of 22. Song was also a shareholder and trustee of the Anglo - Chinese Boarding School in 1904. In 1907 he married Helen Yeo in a military wedding – the first of its kind for a Chinese in Singapore.
Sir Song was a devout Presbyterian. When the Elder Song died in 1900 he succeeded his father as church elder, actively involving in the development of the Church choir and the church magazine. He was also a volunteer preacher, and served as Chairman of The Chinese Christian Association, formed in 1889 by the Elder Song.
Sir Song played an active role in community service, and deeply concerned with the welfare of the Straits Chinese and female education. As he was effectively bilingual in Malay and English, he produced the first Romanized Malay-language newspaper, Bintang Timor in 1894. The paper only ran for less than a year due to lack of support. Three years later, Sir Song and Dr Lim Boon Keng
Lim Boon Keng
Lim Boon Keng, OBE was a Chinese doctor who promoted social and educational reforms in Singapore and China. Lim was of Chinese Peranakan descent, with ancestry from Hai Teng district in Fujian, China.-Early life:...
began the Straits Chinese Magazine, a Malay language newspaper which enjoyed popular support by the community for 11 years. He also found the Singapore Chinese Girls' School
Singapore Chinese Girls' School
Singapore Chinese Girls' School is one of the oldest schools in Singapore having been founded in 1899. It is a full school with both primary and secondary divisions, taking in students between the ages of 6 and 16...
together with Dr Lim and other prominent Straits Chinese gentlemen, in July 1899 on Hill Street
Hill Street
Hill Street is a street in the downtown of Singapore starting from Eu Tong Sen Street and ending at Stamford Road, where the road becomes Victoria Street...
. The school taught Romanised Malay, Chinese, Arithmetic, Geography, Music and Sewing to equip young girls for their future roles as wives and mothers.
Sir Song continued to contribute to the society by founding the Chinese Philomathic Society, and Straits Chinese British Association, and the The Hullett Memorial Library (HML) in his alma mater The Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution , founded in 1823, is the oldest centre for pre-tertiary learning in Singapore. It is an independent school in Singapore providing secondary and pre-university education. RI consists of a boys-only secondary section , and a coeducational pre-university section...
together with Dr Lim Boon Keng in 1923. He also became the first Chinese Captain in the Chinese Volunteer Corps in Singapore.
His notable work to the society earned him a place as a Nominated Member of the Singapore's Legislative Council
Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements
The Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements was a legislature formed on April 1, 1867, when the Straits Settlements was made a crown colony...
in 1919 and again serving as Member from 1924-1927. For his outstanding work in the Colony, Sir Ong was conferred the O.B.E.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1927, and the K.B.E.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1936 by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
Above all the contributions made, it was his monumental work on writing and publishing the 600-page book, One Hundred Years' History of the Chinese in Singapore in 1923 that earned him a significant recognition in the annals of Singapore history. It remains an invaluable work of reference on Singapore history today.