Help Promote Heritage Awareness

Do you love history and heritage? If so, please consider supporting my efforts to showcase some of Singapore’s most beautiful antique tiles. My focus is on rare examples found at Bukit Brown Cemetery and surrounding commemorative areas, where over 100,000 tombs are facing the possibility of future development.

In 2012, I unexpectedly attended the exhumation of my great-grandfather at Bukit Brown Cemetery, and later discovered four tombs of my Peranakan and Chinese relatives. Upon subsequent visits, I noticed the presence of brightly coloured tiles, similar to ones I had admired at my relative’s shophouse on Club Street and other remaining tiles shophouses around town. I was fascinated by their charming designs, and intrigued to learn of their international connections to England, Belgium, France and Japan.

Over 100 volunteers have supported my efforts since April 2019 to uncover and clean some 200 vintage tiles from Bukit Brown Cemetery and surrounding commemorative sites. The task has been unrelenting amid jungle-like conditions, but necessary in order to give these ceramic gems the loving polish that they deserve. Many volunteers have found it a deeply moving experience to admire, clean and record the timeless beauty of many tiles over a century old.

I’m committed to self-publishing my book, Singapore Heritage Tiles: An International Mosaic of Love’, in late 2021. Until now, I have financed my project primarily through my own funds.

Your direct donation goes towards these costs:

• professional photography

• printing

• graphic design

• professional editing

• and most importantly….time!

This project has received a Heritage Participation Grant from the Singapore National Heritage Board, which partially covers my costs. The remaining amount needed for the project is generated through sales of my artwork and Heritage Tile Calendar. Your kind donation allows me to focus fully on successful delivery of this passion project.

All donors will be thanked personally and invited to join me for some online sharing sessions.

Thank you.

Jennifer xx