CHEW JOO CHIAT
There is only one original photograph of Chew
Joo Chiat. It is in the home of one of Chew’s great grandson. Ancestor worship
has been passed down from generation to generation and the duty now falls on him. Chew’s photograph is a full body portrait. It
was taken in a photo studio as shown above. It shows him dressed in a western attire
- coat and pants with a bow tie complete with a topee or hat on the table. The
photo gave the impression that he was an educated man with an illustrious
career and standing in society.
After Chew Joo Chiat’s death his
photo was put in No 73 Joo Chiat Road for ancestor worship by his eldest son Chew
Cheng Liam. When Cheng Liam died in 1946, his photo was placed next to his
father. Ancestor worship was continued by the next generation. Now the duty falls on the fourth
generation living at Chai Chee.
I
saw Chew Joo Chiat’s half body photo in books, magazines, newspapers and
webpages. It had been crop and used without permission. In one instance I
noticed credit for the photo was given to a person who copy it. In fact, that person should not take credit for himself. Many people are not aware of copyright.
Half body photo Chew Joo Chiat crop from the top photo
