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Towkay Leong Tian Nyean
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Leong Tian, as he preferred to be known was born in Mei Xian in 1886, the second of four children, and came to Malaya at the age of 16 in 1902. He started work as a labourer in the mines and then after a time was promoted to Chief Supervisor. Married for the first time in 1918/1919, he had two wives, first Liew Soon Yin and then his second wife Wong Fah Yin. Between the two wives he fathered 20 children, 10 boys and 10 girls, but one of the girls passed away as a baby.
By 1928 he was a very successful miner and bought Rose Villa at No 49 Jalan Gopeng for $70,000. The house had previously been built by the brother of Chung Thye Phin, Chung Thye Chong.
Like many of the immigrant Chinese who came to these shores he had always intended to return to China and as soon as he could afford it he sent money back to his younger brother to build a grand Hakka mansion in Mei Xian. The house was built, but Leong Tian never made it back to China to live out his old age. He passed away in Ipoh in 1956 aged 70.
Unusually, Leong Tian’s success was due to only one particular mine which became a legend in world mining circles during his time as its Managing Director and major shareholder. This was the Beatrice Mine in Silibin Road, Ipoh. The mine consisted of one almost pure “pipe”.