This notice issued by the Kwang Hok Kongsi, a Chinese secret society that was part of the Ghee Hin Mother Lodge, informs all members that they were required to gather at the given time and date to help bear the coffin of a deceased society member. It is also stated that failure to attend would result in punishment without mercy. Secret societies in Singapore were set up in the 19th century with increased Chinese migration to the British colony to provide mutual aid and support for the migrants. These societies had originated from the Tiandihui, which in turn was a local version of the secret society in China that was a sworn fraternity of men with the common aim of overthrowing the Qing dynasty and restoring the Ming. It is uncertain when the Kwang Hock Kongsi was set up but it appeared on the 1879 Official Register of Secret Societies.
