Ban Hoe Seng - From Commodities To Motorcycles.

Ban Hoe Seng employee Yeoh Oon Kok astride a British made Velocette motorcycle.

Ban Hoe Seng, the name synonymous with Honda automobiles had its beginnings dealing in commodities like rice, rubber and tin.

Founded in 1910 by Chew Boon Juan its first shop in Ipoh was located at Market Street. In 1916 the premises was shifted to a three storey building at 62 and 64 Belfield Street, and was made its headquarters.

In the 1930’s Boon Juan’s second son, Chew Choon Siew came back from Hong Kong to run Ban Hoe Seng. Born in 1905, Choon Siew was in his 30’s at the time. 

All trading was halted at the onset of the Second World War from 1941. After the war Ban Hoe Seng first started dealing in a whole new product, European Motorcycles.

The company was made up of two of Boon Juan’s sons, Chew Choon Siew as Chairman and Chew Choon Kok the Managing Director.

Another relative Yeoh Oon Kok a grandson of Boon Juan was its foreman who later became Sales Manager.

The first motorcycle franchise it secured was Francis-Barnett in 1946 followed by several other popular European brands like Lambretta and Velocette.

In 1958 Ban Hoe Seng landed its first main dealership with Honda motorcycles through Boon Siew Honda.

In 1958 Ban Hoe Seng introduced Honda motorcycles.

It became a dealership that would last a long time with Boon Siew and later with Honda Malaysia.

JAG

The Chew Clan@ 26th August 2017

The Chew family members that gathered on the 26th August 2017 were the descendants of the four Chew brothers who came from China at the turn of the last century.

They were Chew Boon Juan, Chew Boon Seong, Chew Boon San and Chew Boon Hong.

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A Very CHEW Get-Together

The descendants of the Chew families came together to meet, greet and catch up on the latest new with their families.

2nd generation explaining the connection to their 3rd generation. 

Identifying the link to their relationship

They were the descendants of the Chew brothers, Boon Seong, Boon Juan, Boon San and Boon Hong. There were other relatives present that being a cousin of Chew Boon Juan and a Yeoh.

(left) Ignatius meets his cousin Poh Chan while Poh Lian looks on.

The meeting was at the request of Ignatius Chew on hearing of his cousins Chew Poh Chan, Chew Poh Lian and Chew Hoe Peng, both son and daughter of Chew Boon Hong who would be visiting their mother, invited them to visit the Chew museum.

A lunch to make the meeting more memorable. 

The get-together weekend held on 26th August 2017 was a very wholesome affair with some family members bringing photos for Ignatius to add to his collection of museum memorabilia,

The second day of the meeting was a lunch meeting with another relative Dato Lim Si Boon at Meru Valley Resort.

At Meru Valley Resort to meet with relative Dato Lim Si Boon

The Chew's meet with Dato Lim Si Boon (centre in grey) for a family photo.

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