The photograph shows a celebration dinner held in the first hall of Botan House, which stood at the junction of Neil Road and Craig Road. It was built in 1883 and home to generations of the family of the shipping magnate Tan Kim Tian (1832-1882). His company Tan Kim Tian and Son Steamship Company was one of the first firms in Singapore to change their fleet of sailing ships to steamships. In 1876, he was elected the first president of the Tan clan temple, Tan Si Chong Su. Botan house was sold in 1978 and subsequently demolished.This photograph came from the collection of Botan House.
