Chan Wing and his Istana
The following description on the old Istana was written by Chan King Nui 陳瓊女 (#8/26, b. ?, d. ?), with notes supplied by her younger brother, Chan Chin Cheung 陳千祥 (#22/26, b. 12 November 1934, d. ?). Their father, Chan Wing 陳振永, was born in 1872 a . In 1887, the 15-year-old decided to leave his hometown in Xinhui (新會縣 龍灣里 石頭鄉). He traveled to Singapore but eventually landed in Sungei Besi. Chan Wing first worked as a coolie 苦力 but Loke Yew 陸如佑 (b. 1846, d. 1917) soon noticed that he can be put to better use. He was made, in 1891, the person-in-charge of two Tong Hing Loong 東興隆 shops at the relatively young age of 20. In 1905, Chan Wing partnered with Cheong Yoke Choy 張郁財 (b. 1873, d. 1958), Liew Weng Chee 廖榮枝 (b. 1884, d. 1948), San Ah Wing 辛亞榮 (b. 1872, d. 1953), and took over a European mining company and renamed the company to Hong Fatt b 鴻發礦場公司. The open-cast tin mine oper