What's This Place About?
This road is named after Chua Kim Keat of the Straits Trading Company (STC). He was a descendant of Peranakan who came to Singapore in 1886. He was only a tin salesman with the STC when he first started. Chua Kim Keat has a country house built where Kim Keat Road is. He was a horticulturist and also well known for the garden parties he hosted and well-attended by Chinese and Europeans elites.
Author's Thoughts
Chua Kim Keat must have made certain contribution to Singapore or perhaps the area around Balestier Rd that he earns a road to be named after him. The question is, do anyone really knows who is he and what he did? I tried googling up his name, but all information is just about him working in the STC. I suggest, more work should be done so that the general public will be more aware of these unknown but named historical person.
