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Koopman

| Introduction | Origins of Koopman | Opa GW Koopman |
| Early years in Surabaya | Surabaya connection to Scotland? |
| Oom Chris Koopman | Dutch Club in Singapore | Family time in Singapore |

Family time in Singapore

Below is a photo of Oom Chris and Oom Frits, his eldest brother (Seated), in a picture taken in Singapore. Oom Frits, of whom I do not know so much, apparently followed a university study for engineering and became the first engineer to create an artificial ice skating rink in the world, photos of which I have, where part of the Koopman family is standing on an ice rink in the backyard of one of the farms owned by Opa Koopman in the 1920's or 1930's. I have several newspaper articles where he is pictured as president of the Dutch Engineers Society before the war. It must have been quite something for him to visit his younger brother in Singapore, similar to all the other family members who traveled around the world at that time to visit each other.

The photo below is of Oom Chris and his wife, nee Fitchner, of French descent. The photo was taken during a trip to Colombo in Ceylon, nowadays known as Sri Lanka. The location of the photo studio was opposite Face Galle Hotel, a hotel which was constructed in 1864, has been renovated and still stands in Colombo.

I assume, but have no confirmation, that Oom Chris and Tante Fichner stayed in this hotel during their stay as it was a pre eminent address to stay at. It is called the oldest hotel east of the Suez Canal.

Oom Chris and his wife had 2 daughters, below a photo taken at the time of World War I which was sent as a Christmas card to family. They are Mimi and Dison Koopman, my aunties.

In 1923, Oom Chris passed away and was buried at Bidadari Cemetary in Singapore. In 2002 or 2003 the Singapore Government removed all graves and built a new apartment complex on the site. The event was largely unnoticed, as most of the graves belonged to expatriates and the notice to reclaim the land was in the Singaporean press only. From stories of other expatriates who had family buried there, if no claim was made, the bones were thrown carelessly in a bag to be destroyed.

Rest in Peace, Oom Chris, wherever your bones are now. This is another example of the extreme anti colonialism which to this day pervades Asia.

According to a good friend of mine, it was only through the intervention of a well known Dutchman, Mr Winsemius, who advised Singapore PM Lee Kuan Yew during the early years of independence, to not throw out the baby with the bathwater, and to not destroy all things colonial, to ensure a legacy existed for the future generations. Gladly, the proposal was accepted, with the added carrot of tourism attractions, now well confirmed as tourism numbers in Singapore rise annually.

Each time I drive through Grange Road or sit on one of the Quays for a drink I imagine Oom Chris, walking along to visit his warehouse at Robertson Quay or for a social occasion, wearing his trademark straw boater.

After his death, it appears Mdm Koopman-Fichner moved to France, as the last bit of information I have is that the two daughters were awarded the Medal of the Legion d'Honneurs for their activities in the resistance, during World War II. I have not been able to make any further discoveries on these facts so far but hope to find out more what actually happened in Singapore and afterwards.