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Sir Song Ong Siang (1871 - 1941) was a lawyer and active citizen of the British colony of Singapore.
He was a third generation Straits-Chinese, or Peranakan Baba, and the first Asian in Singapore to be knighted by the Queen of England.
As a young man, he was a very intelligent and diligent student at the Raffles Institution, earning the honour of becoming the first Chinese Queen's Scholar in 1888 to read law in England. Upon the completion of his studies, he returned to Singapore to set up his own legal practice.
Sir Song was a very prominent member of Singapore society, and contributed to civil life in numerous ways. He rose to become a Captain in the Singapore Volunteer Corps, was a preacher in the Presbyterian Church, encouraged and edited several magazines.
His magnus opus was the 600-page compilation of the book One Hundred Years History of the Chinese in Singapore, published in 1923. Till today, it is regarded as a rich source of information on life in the colony.
You can read more about Sir Song Ong Siang here.
The following photographs will provide you with some idea of his life and work in Singapore.
Queen’s Scholars from Singapore, 1886 – 1888.
(Rear left to right) James Aitken, Charles Spence Angus, P. V. Locke, D. A. Aeria (Front left to right) Lim Boon Keng, and Song Ong Siang. These young men represented the cream of Singapore’s brightest minds.
The first editors of the Straits Chinese magazine (picture taken in 1904).
Song Ong Siang is on the left; Dr Lim Boon Keng on the right.
A later photograph of Mr and Mrs Song Ong Siang.
For all his contributions rendered, he was conferred the Order of the British Empire in 1927 and Knight of the British Empire in 1936 by King George V.
This portrait was painted by the German artist Julius Wentscher in 1936.
In evening dress, Sir Song has his knighthood badge around his neck, and the silver star of the order and the Colonial Auxiliary medal on his chest.
A copy of his book, One Hundred Years’ History of the Chinese in Singapore, is displayed on the table, together with a Bible and other bound books.
The portrait was placed, along with others of prominent men, in the Victoria Memorial Hall for many years. Today, it is placed in the permanent display section, “Modern Colony,” in the National Museum of Singapore.
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