Seah Eu Chin
| Seah Eu Chin | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 30, 1805 Guangdong, China |
| Died | September 23, 1883 (aged 78) Singapore |
| Nationality | Naturalized British subject |
| Other names | Siah U-Chin |
| Occupation | Merchant, financier |
| Known for | Founder of Ngee Ann Kongsi |
Seah Eu Chin (Chinese: 佘有進; pinyin: Shé Yǒujìn; a.k.a. Siah U-chin, Seah Uchin or Seah You Chin; 1805 – 1883) was an immigrant from South China to Singapore, later becoming a successful merchant and leader in the Overseas Chinese community.
He is a prominent descendant of Seah Clan in Southeast Asia.
Seah Eu Chin was born in 1805 as the son of Seah Keng Liat (Chinese: 佘慶烈; pinyin: Shé Qìngliè), a minor provincial official of Guek-po (i.e. Chinese: "" in Teochew dialect) Village at the Chenghai County of the former Chaozhou Fu. He was educated in Chinese classics in his youth, but decided to seek his fortune abroad. He came to Singapore in 1823, first working as a clerk, then becoming a plantation owner and finally becoming a trader and a merchant.
Seah Eu Chin was a successful plantation owner. He was the first to plant gambier (or white cutch) on a large scale in Singapore. By 1839, his gambier plantation had stretched for eight to ten miles, from the upper end of River Valley Road to Bukit Timah Road and Thomson Road. Mr Seah's holdings earned him the title: 'King of Gambier'. He made his fortune in gambier and pepper plantations. However, by the 1850s–60s, the planting of gambier and pepper was becoming less profitable in Singapore for several reasons, including the increasing scarcity of uncleared land for planting (gambier quickly exhausted the soil and so plantations had to keep shifting), the shortage of firewood from the clearing of forests, and the lack of land on Singapore Island itself.
Therefore, in his later years, he became involved in trading as a merchant and agent under the name of Eu Chin Co. which was based in North Bridge Road. His sons, especially the eldest, Seah Cheo Seah, and second son Seah Liang Seah, helped manage the business, as did his brother-in-law, Tan Seng Poh.
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