The Peranakan Chinese community played an influential role in developing women’s education. Chinese Peranakan women were among the first to be educated in the Straits Settlements. Tan Teck Neo, the third daughter of Tan Keong Saik (a Peranakan Chinese shipping magnate) was home-tutored by the Methodist missionary Sophia Blackmore, who evangelised among the women of the community. Tan was reputedly the first Chinese woman to have been educated in English in Singapore. She later became one of the first teachers at the Singapore Chinese Girls’ School.
