CHENG Choo Hui 钟主惠
Vanishing Trades,
Accession Number 001217
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 9
Total Reels
- Ang Siew Ghim
Interviewer
- 04:17:04
Total Running Time
- Teochew
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 9
Metadata
- 14 Nov 1990
Recording Date
- 00:30:32
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Family background. Father went to Johore to work as fisherman when she was 3 years of age. Life in village. How mother left village for a place near Swatow to become dressmaker for European ladies. She joined mother later and studied there. Why and how mother insisted she should study.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 9
Metadata
- 14 Nov 1990
Recording Date
- 00:29:14
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Dispute over her education in village. How ancestors' money was used then. Her school life. Came to Singapore in 1927. Life upon arrival. Worked as apprentice at dental clinic in Bras Basah Road. Nature and conditions of work. Differences between past and present dental method. Why family moved to Johore later.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 9
Metadata
- 14 Nov 1990
Recording Date
- 00:30:46
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Moved back to Singapore 2 years later. Her daily life. How her brother was given away for adoption. Why and how she became midwife in 1937. Description of Kandang Kerbau Hospital (KKH) and her training there. Everything free for patients except that they had to bring 5 katis of papers and 2 bars of soap. Her daily life in hospital.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 9
Metadata
- 14 Nov 1990
Recording Date
- 00:30:15
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Further elaboration of her training. Dr B Sheares was her instructor then. Things midwife could and could not do. Women of certain dialect groups reluctant to deliver babies in hospital. Objections of friends and relatives over her career. Working as relief midwife in government clinics. In 1938, became private licensed midwife. Records needed by government. Nature of work. Medicine required.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 9
Metadata
- 26 Nov 1990
Recording Date
- 00:30:44
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Equipment needed by midwife. How she felt when first started working as private midwife. Procedure of work. How she dealt with difficult cases. Her income. Private doctor came when necessary. Bathing new born babies. Working as midwife during Japanese Occupation. Her working basket inspected monthly by government nurse. Average number of cases per month. Younger sister helped her later. Her means of transportation.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 9
Metadata
- 26 Nov 1990
Recording Date
- 00:30:28
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Incidents of patients and babies who died during delivery. How she accidentally saved a baby thought to be dead. Her delivery fees. Sometimes paid slightly more if baby was boy. Some only paid her many years later. Some poor patients still refused to go to hospital. Delivery fees during and after Japanese Occupation. Religious practice and custom of childbirth. Premature babies.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 9
Metadata
- 26 Nov 1990
Recording Date
- 00:30:33
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Continuation of dealing with premature or underweight babies. After 1970s, most patients preferred delivery in hospitals to private midwife. Why she never opened clinic. Private midwives in Upper Serangoon area. How her health was affected by work. Life in Pulau Ubin in 1930s. How she assisted her husband, a rubber contractor, to measure latex collected by labourers. How latex was processed later.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 9
Metadata
- 26 Nov 1990
Recording Date
- 00:29:55
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Reasons for not working as midwife in Pulau Ubin. Why she moved to Upper Serangoon Road later to be licensed midwife. Her own children. Why she adopted other children. Incident of how her parents and brother were killed by relatives. How murderers were caught. Brought up brothers and sister after parents' death. Why she refused to let daughters become midwife.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 9
Metadata
- 26 Nov 1990
Recording Date
- 00:14:37
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Children's education and careers. Had relative to help look after children when she was working. Why her midwife business was always so good for more than 30 years.
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