Chew Gaik Khim .. Chew Boon San’s First Born Child

Chew Gaik Khim (right in dark clothing) d/o Chew Boon San and cousin Chew Gaik Kuan d/o Chew Boon Hong. Taken at the family's Cameron Highland's bungalow

Chew Gaik Khim a daughter was the 1st  born child of Chew Boon San and Toh Bok Wai. She together with her two brothers were born in China.  

Chew Boon San had 4 sons and 5 daughters. His 1^st son was Chew Choo Beng, Chew Choo Peng, Chew Choo Khoon and Chew Choo Lek. His daughters were Chew Gaik Khim, Chew Gaik Khee (2), Chew Gaik Wooi (3), Chew Gaik Suan (4) and Chew Gaik Teang (5)

According to a niece Sally Chew Soak Heng aunt Khim did not marry. In our home at Gopeng our grandmother Toh Bok Wai was handicapped and had a servant to look after her. Our 4^th aunt Gaik Suan too was bedridden and had a servant to tend to her.

But 1^st and 2^nd aunts Gaik Khim and Gaik Khee looked after their 4th sister. Although there was a servant to tend to her the 2 sisters were around the whole day looking after her”.

After our grandmother & 4th aunty passed away aunts Khim and Khee stayed in Ipoh with our 5th aunt Helen Chew Gaik Teang. Aunt Teang had married and had 2 sons.

Niece Adeline Chew Soak Leng said her aunt was conservative but mixed freely only when she was with her cousins.

She said that Gaik Khim was especially friendly with cousins Chew Gaik Kuan d/o Chew Boon Hong and Chew Gaik Looi d/o Chew Boon Juan.

Amongst Cousins. Standing (from left) Chew Gaik Looi, Chew Ah Heng, Kwan lu-Foon, Chew Gaik Choo, Chew Gaik Khim, Chew Gaik Kuan. Seated: Chew Ah Pik, Chew Gaik Tiew, Chew Gaik Poh, Chew Gaik See.          Photo: Goh Kwee Leng album.

Occasionally she would spend the day with the cousins in Ipoh. At other times she would join her cousins during school holidays at Chew Boon Juan’s Penang home, their holiday homes at Penang Hill or Cameron Highlands. In later years she would go along cruises to Hong Kong with her cousins.

Yeoh Poh See, another relative, said that Aunt Gaik Khim always mixed with us. She would bring her youngest sister Gaik Teang along. Because of their difference in years of their ages we would tease “Kimmee (Gaik Khim) your daughter is crying”.

Yeoh Saw Kin a relative said that she remembered that Aunt Gaik Khim had lived in Gopeng. She visited Chew Boon San with her mother Chew Gaik Tiew as a little girl during Chinese New Year.

"Khim wanted to look after her mother so she missed the chance of getting married. She was a beautiful girl. When she was in Penang there would be a lot of cars that would come around to No 4 North Beach road, Chew Boon Juan's home"

Another relative confirmed that one of her uncles was very interested in Khim and considered her very beautiful but alas it was one sided.

Above (from left) sisters Helen Chew Gaik Teong, Chew Gaik Khim and Chew Gaik Poh. Seated niece Chew Woon Teng, Helen's son and Chang Poh Yoke wife of Choo Peng

Saw Kin said that aunt Khim was adventurous. "Sometime in the mid 70’s Gaik Khim and Gaik Looi visited me in London. That year I came home to Ipoh and told her to get the key to my house from my neighbor. I also had a good English housekeeper who used to cook for me and she took just the 2 of them for a tour round London". 

In the early 2000's Khim and Khee were placed in a nursing home. Khim had a stroke and needed support while Khee had dementia. Both aunts passed away not long after.  According to nephew Chew Pete Cheung, his aunt Khim was in her 90’s.

JAG