Wee Bin () born in China in 1823, was a Chinese migrant of the mid-nineteenth century who founded what was, at the time, Singapore's largest Chinese shipping firm.

One Hundred Years' History of the Chinese in Singapore ''One Hundred Years' History of the Chinese in Singapore'' is a book written by Song Ong Siang and published in 1923. It is a compilation the lives and contributions of the Chinese from 1819 to 1919 to Singapore. Contents The first eight chapters ...

by Ong Siang Song, 1923Family and State: The Formation of a Sino-Thai Tin-mining Dynasty, 1797-1932 By Jennifer Wayne Cushman, Craig J. Reynolds Contributor Craig J. Reynolds Published by Oxford University Press, 1991; , ; p. 63, 67, 172 At the age of thirty-three, Wee Bin founded Wee Bin & Co., under the chop Hong Guan, in 1856. The firm was based in Market Street, and became prominent in the 1860s. Wee ran the firm according to Western business practices. Wee Bin, through his firm, carried on business as merchants and shipowners. At first, he began business relations with various trading houses in

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...

(then part of the

Dutch Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, whic ...

), and eventually became the greatest importer of products from that port. He also traded in all kinds of earthenware, and later on built up a fleet of over twenty vessels for the Chinese and Dutch Indies trade. With increasing interest in the tin mining industry and the need for more and more people to work the mines, Wee Bin was also responsible for carrying migrant workers from China to work in the

Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Co ...

. Wee Bin married the daughter of Kiong Kong Tuan. He died in 1868 at the age of 45, leaving an only son,

Wee Boon Teck Wee Boon Teck (; 1850–1888) was the only son of Wee Bin and was the latter's successor at the firm of Wee Bin & Co., where he improved and strengthened the position of the firm.Asian culture, Issue 28 by the Singapore Society of Asian Studies ...

, and an only daughter. Wee Bin's daughter married

Lim Ho Puah Lim Ho Puah () was a Hokkien merchant who was born in Amoy in 30 December 1841 and came to Singapore at an early age. He was employed by Wee Bin & Co., where his abilities were noticed by his employer, Wee Bin. He later married Wee Bin's daughter ...

, who would later take over Wee Bin & Co., before passing it on to his fourth son Lim Peng Siang.Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources Author: Wright, Arnold (Publication Info: London, Durban, Colombo, Perth (W. A.), Singapore, Hongkong, and Shanghai by Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Company, limited)

References

* * Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij: stoomvaart en staatsvorming in de Indonesische archipel 1888-1914 - Volume 3 of Publikaties van de Faculteit der Historische en Kunstwetenschappen By Joseph Norbert Frans Marie à Campo, published by Verloren, 1992, , * * * * * * The Great circle: journal of the Australian Association for Maritime History, Volumes 6-9 by the Australian Association for Maritime History, published by The Association, 1984 *

The Nautical Magazine ''The Nautical Magazine'' was a monthly magazine containing articles of general interest to seafarers. The magazine was first published in 1832 by Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. (London) as ''The Nautical Magazine: A Journal of Papers on Subjects ...

, Volumes 163-164, Published 1950 * Parliamentary papers, Volume 108 by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, published by HMSO, 1906 ( Item notes: v. 108 - 1906) * Parliamentary papers, Volume 93 by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons published by HMSO (His/Her Majesty's Stationery Office), 1909 * * * Sociétés et compagnies de commerce en Orient et dans l'océan Indien - Volume 6 of Bibliothèque générale de l'École pratique des hautes études, Bibliothèque générale de l'École pratique des hautes études. Sciences économiques et sociales, Bibliothèque générale de l'École des hautes études en sciences sociales by Michel Mollat, Published by S.E.V.P.E.N., 1970 * * * * Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources Author: Wright, Arnold (Publication Info: London, Durban, Colombo, Perth (W. A.), Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shanghai by Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Company, limited) {{DEFAULTSORT:Wee, Bin Singaporean people of Chinese descent History of Singapore People from Singapore 1823 births 1868 deaths

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Further reading