Former cemeteries in Singapore
As the need for land for urban development and public housing increased in Singapore, former cemeteries and burial sites were gradually cleared to make way for redevelopment.
The original portion of the cemetery, as found in the register of Lands Held on Grants issued by Sir Stamford Raffles and J. Crawfurd, was listed as "Lot 576.
When this small cemetery became full, application for a new burial ground was made in May 1827 by Reverend Robert Burn, the resident chaplain.
Two arches, designed by Captain Charles Edward Faber, superintending engineer of the settlement, were also built–one was on the southern, seaward side, and one was on the landside.
Although attempts were made in 1886 by Sir Frederick Dickson, the colonial secretary, to repair and preserve the remaining memorials, the condition of the cemetery continued to gradually deteriorate.
By 1954, the greater part of the cemetery's gravestones and memorials had been removed, although some of the inscription plaques had been saved and placed within the north and south walls.
12 gravestones, including those of Sir Elliot Bovill, Chief Justice of the Straits Settlements from 1892 to 1893, and Hans Hermann Eschke, the first German Consul-General in Singapore, were moved to Fort Canning Green.
The land was then later bought by Ong Kew Ho and the Hokkien Huay Kuan, who gave it to the Ngee Ann Kongsi.
It was originally announced by Minister of State for National Development Tan Chuan-Jin in February 2012 that 5000, out of more than 100000 graves, would make way for a new 4-lane road that would cut through the cemetery.
[19] On 30 September 2015, it was reported that the cast iron gates of the cemetery were removed from their posts and would be reinstalled (after refurbishment) at the mouth of a new access road near its original location.
Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng was previously a cemetery in Singapore that was established in 1870 by Cantonese and Hakka immigrants largely from the three prefectures of Guangzhou, Huizhou and Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province, China.
Within a century, Peck San Theng (PST) became one of the biggest Chinese cemeteries in Singapore, holding more than 100,000 graves over 324 acres (1.31 km2) of land.
After a long legal back-and-forth, the government compensated 8 acres (32,000 m2) of land to Peck San Theng which accommodating an office block, a heritage museum, two temples and a columbarium.
Yet in a pocket of space in-between Buona Vista and Commonwealth stations, there lies a little oasis of solace if one takes a look out to view the nearly 3000 neatly aligned graves amongst the many high-rise apartments of Holland Close.
The beginnings of the Hakka Cemetery trace back to 1822, when the first influx of migrants from the Guandong province set up the Ying Fo Fui Kun clan at Telok Ayer street.
A minority group in comparison to the Hokkiens and Teochews, the carefully chosen words of "应和" or Ying Fo/Ho reflected their desire for a peaceful environment and mutual support amongst fellow migrants.
In 1887, the Ying Fo Fui Kun clan bought over 100 hectares of land between the current Buona Vista and Commonwealth areas and named it Shuang Long Shan (双龙山) or Double Dragon Hill.
Despite being met with constant resistance from the Colonial Government in the 1930s, it was not up till Singapore's independence in 1965 did negotiations between the clan and state began to fully reclaim the area of Shuang Long Shan for urban redevelopment.
