Song was born 1830 in Malacca, British Malaya.[1] His father was Song Eng Chong.[2] He attended an English educational institution, after following Christian missionary James Legge to England, alongside two of his Malaysian peers.[1] He also studied at Hong Kong's Anglo-Chinese College, taking up the Cantonese language as a subject.[3] He was a choir member at the Strait Chinese Church.[4]
After arriving back in Singapore, Song worked as a teacher for a short period of time,[5] before working as a cashier for much of his lifetime,[6] from 1853 to 1895.[5] He is cited as having "founded the oldest family of Straits Chinese Christians in Singapore",[7] as well as being the "first local Christian pioneer in Singapore".[8]
Song had his first marriage some time after his return to Singapore,[9] though not to the girl his parents had chosen for him, for she was not of Christian faith.[5] His first spouse was Choon Neo (née Yeo),[9] an alumna of the Chinese Girls' School. He later wed Phan Fung Lean, a Thai Chinese, following the death of Yeo.[5] One of his children was author Song Ong Siang.[4] Song had fourteen children[5] and three marriages in total.[10] He was a Christian,[5] and could speak excellent English,[4][6] and could also converse well in the Malay language.[5] A road was named after him in Singapore.
Song died in 1900, aged 70.[10] The Straits Chinese Magazine wrote that Song "was a specimen of the best type of the Chinese character", describing him as a "mighty rock to his large family".[5] Hoot Kiam Road, located near River Valley Road, is named after him.[7]
^ abcdefghSng, Bobby Ewe Kong. "Song Hoot Kiam". Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity. Archived from the original on October 13, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
