Mac Ritchie water tomb

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jnifur
25-04-2004, 03:45 PM
Wonder has this been discussed b4.
But one of my fren send me the email.
I personally have bypass this tomb many times b4.
The lastest visit was 2 yrs b4.
I was on a sample collection with my colleagues.
And my colleague went infront of the tomb n commented on the tomb n the date of deceased. I remember went there last Apr 2002. And after that I was sick for dunno how many months and got into a series of bad luck....dunno is it coincidence or have I accidentally Offended the person there :confused: :eek:



Haunted Places: McRitchie Water Tomb


The Mystery of McRitchie Water Tomb



This is a solitaire tomb that could be found at the logging track of MacRitchie reservoir


1. The tomb is facing a tranquil open view; 2. At both sides there are mud tracks; 3 & 4. Mysterious sea creatures found on shore

Mystery of year 1876 tombstone at MacRitchie


Tomb of the Unknown
(Source: The New Paper, By Lee Tee Jong, November 18, 2003)

WITHIN the tranquil MacRitchie Reservoir Park lies a 127-year-old mystery. A solitary tombstone dated 1876 stands beneath a canopy of mangrove trees along the Chemperai-Jering jogging trail. It is so old that even the National Archives of Singapore (NAS) does not have any record of its existence.

NAS said they only have cemetery burial records, exhumation records and death certificates dating after 1947.

Regular joggers speculate that the deceased was either a nobleman or an important official. Said Mr Raymond Lim, 60, a retiree who first saw the tombstone 30 years ago: 'The carvings are elaborate.

'From a geomancy point of view, the location is good - given its proximity to nature and water.' The throne-like tombstone, which is three steps from the water's edge, commands a panoramic view of the open reservoir and the surrounding greenery.

A row of red Chinese characters carved on the vertical slab reveals the year of death and the surname of the deceased as Fan. Over the years, the writing has become faint, and there are cracks running across the slabs. Algae is growing around the slabs and dead leaves encircle the tombstone, about half the size of a table-tennis table.

But there were signs that someone had been taking care of the tombstone. On the horizontal slab were two red candles, two big joss sticks, an urn filled with the joss stick butts, several blobs of melted wax, a pack of half-opened joss sticks and a lighter caked with mud. The giant joss sticks were damp and slightly bent in the rain. A broom and a sweeper lay against the branch of a mangrove tree two metres away.

Most joggers shied away from the tombstone. There are two jogging paths nearby, and most joggers chose the one that is further away. The occasional jogger who ran closer to the tombstone went behind it.

One of them, Mr Francis Teo, 40, said: 'I do not want to be disrespectful towards the deceased by running in front.'

The salesman, who has been jogging there for 20 years, had a theory about the tombstone. He said: 'I suspect the family might have wanted to put the tombstone at Bukit Brown cemetery near MacRitchie Reservoir but later placed it here to make it more exclusive.'

The Environmental Health Department of the National Environment Agency, which oversees the management of Government cemeteries, crematoria and columbaria, has no intention of removing the tombstone. Its officer, Mr Yip Kwok Hoong, said: 'Unless someone applies for an exhumation permit, we will not clear the tombstone.'


MacRitchie reservoir in yesteryears



First Reservoir: MacRitchie Reservoir
(Source: Raffles Computer Science Club)

When Singapore was founded as a British trading port, two groups of people came to depend on the island for water. One was the growing number of ships that called for goods and supplies including water. The other was the growing population of migrants drawn to the small island because of the opportunities for trade and money-making.

Fresh water came from wells and rivers but these became increasingly inadequate to cope with demand. As early as 1823, British Resident John Crawfurd proposed to spend 1000 dollars on a new reservoir and waterworks to supply water to the ships. Nothing came of the plan. In 1852, the government surveyor proposed a plan to tap the headwaters of the "Singapore Creek". The plan, if carried through, would have supplied some 2067 million cubic metres (546 million gallons) of water to the town. Nothing came of this scheme too.

In 1857, Straits Chinese merchant Tan Kim Seng decided to donate $13 000 towards improvements to the waterworks for the town. Some of the money was frittered away but eventually a scheme materialised to create an impounding reservoir in Thomson by constructing an earth embankment to impound water. Unfortunately, the projected cost of building the reservoir, which came to more than $100 000, could not be covered by Tan's gift. The colony was then governed from Calcutta, and the colonial government there declined to spend the large sum required to build the reservoir. So that it would not reflect badly on the colonial government, the Municipal Council decided to build a fountain to commemorate Tan's gift to the town. The fountain at Fullerton Square was unveiled in 1882, 18 years after Tan's death in 1864.

Eventually, the proposed impounding reservoir in Thomson was built and completed in 1867. The pumps and distributing network was not completed till 1877. 2 pumping stations were built at MacKenzie Road and Mount Emily. Singapore's first waterworks was officially opened in 1878, 20 years after Tan Kim Seng's philantrophic gesture

In 1891, the Impounding Reservoir, as it was then known, was further enlarged under the supervision of the Municipal Engineer James MacRitchie. MacRitchie Dam was enlarged between 1891 and 1894. The dam was further raised by 1.5m in the period 1903-1905 to increase its storage capacity. The cost of the extension was $32 000 and it increased the capacity of the reservoir to over 1840 million cubic metres (468 million gallons).

The enlarged reservoir was named the Thomson Road Reservoir in 1907 but in 1922, it was renamed MacRitchie Reservoir to recognise James MacRitchie's work.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the average daily supply of water was about 4 million gallons and it was not enough to meet demand. A combination of droughts and increased demand let to water shortages and more plans to increase the water supply. One plan was to channel water from the upper section of the Kallang River into the Thomson Road Reservoir. Another was to build a service reservoir in Pearl's Hill.

To take the water from the Upper Kallang, Thomson Reservoir was extended in 1905. The Kallang Tunnel Works were completed in 1907.


The informant, Mrs Kwong (with her maiden name 'Tai') shed some light on the water tomb mystery



Tomb Mystery and Shui Gui
(Source: an informant who is said to be related to the family descendents of the deceased of the tomb)

Many years ago, there wasn't any reservoir at where it is now called McRitchie reservoir. It was a very scenic hill. And who can guess the eerie tomb where most people shun away nowadays was once a romantic alcove? It was a protruding lookout point in the middle of a hiking track along the slope of a hill. From there the view was spectacular as it over looked a lush hilly landscape like a flowery meadow over the valley. Birds and wild monkeys over the hills sang in orchestra and the nature sounds filled the air.

The above mentioned romantic alcove was a meeting place for Fann and Lok (both are not real names). The alcove witnessed the most drastic emotions of mankind, put up by this couple, through life and death, joy, romance, betrayal, grief and tragedy.

The story happened near the end of 18th century. Fann was a sole daughter of a rich and famous family who run an import trading business with the British. Fann grew up in Britain and always loved nature. Her grew-up environment shaped her to be a bold and open-minded person. That was somewhat opposite to her father that was very traditional and rigorous - a typical Chinese business man who calculates gain and loss more than anything else. Since Fann was young, her family had arranged a marriage for her, that was common in the old days, with a son of a tycoon called Tai. Obviously building a marriage with a tycoon's son would benefit lifting Fann's family business to a new height.

However, Fann never wanted to submit to her fate. Being a girl of 20 years ago, she was autonomous enough to manage her own life. She left home from time to time and she would like to hang out at the scenic walks in McRitchie reservoir (that wasn't a reservoir in those days). That was a perfect place for some quiet moments, away from troubles. It became Fann's favourite sanctuary whenever she felt depressed.

Fann met her Mr. right at the reservoir one day. That was Lok. We didn't know much about Lok, not even our informant. We were told that Lok was a charismatic communist, a leader of some political group before the war who regularly organized gatherings near McRitchie reservoir area. It is their destiny that they bumped, they clicked and fell in love though they came from quite a different background.

Their dating at McRitchie reservoir lasted for some period of time. This couple always met there, fell in love and they vow to get married there with the witness of heaven and earth (the sky and the valley in McRitchie reservoir). They courted each other more and more often, until one day Fann's family got wind about this. As expected, Fann's father was very angry about this affair because her daughter was disobeying him, let alone the fact that Lok was a communist clan leader that was a natural enemy to a Pro-British business man. Fann's father and Tai's father plotted to do something patching up the situation. The arranged marriage had to proceed in only few months time anyway. They wouldn't allow Lok to interrupt about it.

On one fateful evening, as usual, Fann was expecting to meet Lok at their favorite spot in McRitchie reservoir. Instead of Lok, his fellow came and delivered her a letter. Nobody knows what was the content of the letter and who had actually written it. However, on the next morning, Fann's body was found dead at the bottom of the valley, just right under the lookout point where Fann always hanged out. Again, nobody knows whether she jumped down, pushed down or fell down by accident.

After Fann's death, the wedding arranged between the two families of course had to be cancelled. Hence, Fann's family business, without the help of tycoon Tai, plunged down very soon and eventually got bankrupt.

But still, the tycoon's son, Tai loves Fann very much. That was what the public could have seen about. He spent a lot of money and took Fann to be buried at the lookout point with a splendid tomb. The grand tomb had a very superb facing, overseeing the hills across the valley. Many years later, however, McRitchie reservoir was developed into a water catchments area, and the valley turned into a water reservoir as it is of today. Water filled up the valley, to the level of the tomb, flooding even the lower part of it. This is how the name water tomb came about.

How our informant knows so much about? She claimed that she was a relative to Tai but refused to elaborate more. The concealment led us to speculate that there was something dirty that the Tai family had done but we just cannot verify without any evidence.

Under much persistence, our informant finally admitted that Tai's family had done something to intervene into Fann's relationship with Lok, but not with any intent to have her killed. The informant told us another secret too, relating to the choice of location where Fann was buried.

Most people would think that Tai so loved Fann (although it was one way) that he had been so nice to build her a posh tomb. The truth was otherwise.

We were told that Lok was actually murdered in the same year after Fann died, and Fann's body was found to be pregnant by the doctors in hospital. People know that Lok was killed too in a riot but it was actually a plot arranged in purpose. Here is the most intriguing thing. Lok's body was buried in Bukit Brown cemetery (aka Kopi Hill cemetery). That was the idea by his dialect clan leader who in turn was controlled by Tai's family. And Fann's body was offered to be buried at the lookout point that happened to be on the opposite site of the hill.

In other words, Fann and Lok were buried between and separate by a hill, back-to-back. So they never face each other. All these were arranged by Tai! You can see how jealousy turned into hatred, and into revenge.

Since then, Fann's grave was nicked as water tomb. Even more frightening, people believe that is very haunted. Sightings of a female apparition emerging from water are common at night. Some call it Shui Gui (water ghost).

Our informant continued telling. Nowadays the decedents of Tai's family realized what their grandfather had done is tremendously wrong. They feel guilty about it, especially after they heard that the Shui Gui which is believed to be Fann's spirit was haunting the reservoir. They used to invite monks to perform rituals trying to appease the soul but that doesn't help. Till now, Tai's family has been funding a contractor to come and sweep the tomb regularly. Every year they will bring offerings by themselves to the tomb during festivals like Ching Ming and July Hungry Ghost Month.

This is a fair world, when planting a good deed, you will receive a good reward. Likewise a crime will invite mishap. God knows what they have done. Tai's family seems to be cursed. The grandfather and the father were both drown to death, though not in McRitchie reservoir. It wasn't long ago. The father at his late age had developed some mental problem. He was kept at home all the time. But for some unknown reason, one day he sneaked away alone, and found drown in a sewage drain mysteriously. It was classified as an unnatural death by the police, and was reported on news last year.

One last thing that the informant told us. If we want to know whether Fann's spirit is around, throw a coconut into the water. If it floats, that means no spirit. If it sinks, that shows Fann's spirit is around!

That is all our informant shared with us. She looked quite sad at the end of the interview. She kept murmuring to herself "Wrath, such is wrath, how I wish Fann's spirit will be in peace". Yes, SPI too, wishes Fann's spirit would rest in peace.


Pictorial Tour



1. On a fateful midnight, SPI Ah-Toh and SPI Azri set out to investigate the McRitchie water tomb; something seems to be following Azri
2. This is the kind of quiet and eerie tracks they were walking in;
3. Along the way, an exceptional bright orb that looks like a fire ball was captured, it was as if coming to our way!
4. After about 20 minutes of night walk in the dark, they entered the Jering Track that was built over the water


1.Toh and Azri suddenly stopped. Look! Some mysterious water stains. From this photo it looks something has crawled up
and went back down to the water. What is this?? Here is a closer look
2. A little further up, another water stain was found. They are too small to be footprints.
There are several more, and they just appear in the middle of the wooden track. See this one. Werid!
3. This water stain has mud, obviously it is from the muddy water down there. See these photos from another angle (1) (2).
4. Azri and Toh were studying on the mysterious water marks, little they know that some spiritual force was tailing them from behind...


1 & 2. "Watch out" Toh suddenly said. It big tree growing side way was blocking our way. Our heads almost hit on it. Another view.
This big tree looks spooky from a distance. 3. In contrast to it, there is a small tree growing in the water. Another view.
4. After this bay, we will soon reach the water tomb. Our hearts were thumbing fast.


1. Here is the infamous water tomb! 2. On top of it placed a row of joss sticks. Closer view.
3. The frontal view of the tomb, notice the joss stick urn, bottle of tea leaves and a glass jar that has cigarette lighters inside.
Someone must have come regularly and offer incense.
4. The water level just nicely hits the top wedge of the tomb, covering the lower parts of it. See the flooding on the left and on the right


1. Behind the tomb it was a dense bush; 2. We tried bash in and check if there are any similar tombs inside, but the trees are too dense
3. This is the soil where the deceased laying underneath. Just a note though, the roots may have grown all the way down.
Wouldn't the body be badly disturbed by the overgrown tree roots? How would the dead feel comfortably resting among the roots?!
4. Right on top of the tomb, you can see the curling twigs and branches of the dense trees.
Usually the branches of the trees resemble the web structure of their roots.
So you can imagine how messy the roots would be down there. How would then the buried RIP?


All the photos you see above are taken with camera flash.
The actual situation was, in the midst of the eerie water facing the water tomb, in total darkness.
In order to check out more information about the tomb, we had to turn on our searchlight.
However, smart Azri suggested we shone the light on the silver tea leave bottle instead of the tomb stab directly which is rude.
We spent some effort to recognize the faint inscription on the stab stone. Finally we got it, that would help our research.


We felt more and more spooked at this water tomb. The feeling was though something was watching at us.
When Kenny was busy writing down the stab inscription, Azri and Toh sensed and heard something getting more and more disturbing.
In the background sound of crickets from the bush, slight bubbling noise were emerging from the water.
The noise from the water although was faint, it was scary enough to feel that something was swimming towards us, especially in the dark.
Legends of water ghost go as that they would grab your foot to make you drown, even in shallow paddle of water.
"Kenny, hurry up, there could be crocodiles in this area", Toh warned. And the bubbling noise got louder and louder, nearer and nearer.
Without hesitation, Azri turned the searchlight to the water, and we saw........ (!!)







Answering Mysteries


1. Can anybody verify the mystery of the water tomb?

2. How did the deceased lady now resting in the tomb die?

3. Why was that tomb chosen to be located there?

4. Does water ghost exist in McRitchie reservoir?



Come share your views with us!
j20_sg
25-04-2004, 04:21 PM
saw wad?!~ crocodiles? apprition? spi saw wad?

hmm...walked arnd macritchie be4...nvr seem to haf seen this tomb be4...
lyk13
25-04-2004, 04:48 PM
I remember this water tomb was discussed on a tv show last time....forgot liaoz, then SPI webby also have, but I seemingly never see it before....any other experiences by fellow forumers?
. lala .
25-04-2004, 05:17 PM
I saw the pic on the SPI website. Migosh. It's really freaky!! :eek:
ShuLL
25-04-2004, 07:46 PM
yup...read abt it a few days ago on SPI webby...really eerie...
xx357xx
25-04-2004, 09:01 PM
read it when i entered the SPI webby too.. quite spooked out tat nite after reading it.. heh heh.. i wonder wad will happen if the govt reli do dig it up and transfer it somewhere.. haha..
chayedan
26-04-2004, 01:28 AM
I tout the tomb was lim bo seng tomb??
dennis
26-04-2004, 08:02 AM
hmm i think those of us going for a photo shoot this sat (see Keeptouch Events for more info) better avoid this area :grin:
jnifur
02-05-2004, 09:17 PM
I saw that tomb before...at the canopy of pond there.
Strangely enough, last sat went mac ritchie bypass the canopy never saw it.

The last time I been there...I saw...and I was sick....
Yesterday I went...never see...but today still sick...
Maybe weather not gd lah :ls:
xxevilicexx
04-05-2004, 02:47 PM
but wat did the SPI guys saw actually? cant figure out from the pic :confused:
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