Tan Boo Liat

Tan Boo Liat was born in a well-known and established merchant family in Singapore. He is the son of Tan Soon Toh, the grandson of Tan Kim Ching, and great grandson of Tan Tock Seng, the founder of family fortune, much based on rice trade.

Tan Boo Liat was one of the pioneer members of the Straits Chinese British Association when it was first formed in 1900. The President of the Association was Tan Jiak Kim and Vice President, Seah Liang Seah. He was the owner of the mansion called Golden Bell Mansion (named after his grandfather, Tan Kim Ching) in Mount Faber. On December 15, 1911, Chinese revolutionary leader Dr Sun Yat Sen, stayed the night here, immediately after his arrival from Europe. He was also instrumental in the formation of the Singapore Chinese Girl School (Sing Po Chung Kwo Hsio Tang) located at Hill Street in 1899.

He was interested in racehorses and became an instant celebrity among the race horse community when his horse, "Vanitas" won the Viceroy Cup on December 26, 1898 at Calcutta, India making it the first horse from Malaya to do so. Along with the trophy is the princely sum of $100,000. Vanitas continued its racing career after its return to Singapore and won in 1899, the Singapore Derby for the third successful time.

Tan Boo Liat had strong commercial links to Thailand and was honored by the King of Thailand by being awarded the title Phra Anukul Sayamkich.

Tan Boo Liat died in Shanghai in 1934, his body was embalmed and return to Singapore via a ship called "President Johnson".