• The name “Whampoa” originated from Hoo Ah Kay, a Chinese businessman and community leader in 19th-century Singapore.
• Hoo Ah Kay was born in Huangpu (Whampoa) district in China’s Guangdong province. He came to Southeast Asia with his father for business when he was young and later founded the firm Whampoa & Co. As a result, he came to be referred to as “Whampoa”, or “黄埔先生” in Chinese, which is made up of “黄埔” (Whampoa) and “先生” (Sir/ Mister).
• Hoo Ah Kay was fluent in English, a rarity for the Chinese in his time. This allowed him to take on various government positions during the British colonial period.
• In addition to his business achievements and philanthropic deeds, Hoo Ah Kay was noted for owning Whampoa Gardens, or “南生花园” (also known as “南生园”), one of the early villa gardens in Singapore. This garden was originally located within the vicinity of Whampoa today.

Blocks 90 and 91 along Whampoa Drive each house a hawker centre, with one operating from morning till afternoon and the other operating in the evenings. They offer a wide variety of local food that draws diners from near and far. (Lianhe Zaobao, 17/8/2019) 

Hoo Ah Kay was proficient in both the Chinese and English languages. He served as China’s first honourable consul in Singapore and concurrently served as the consul of Russia and Japan. He was a legendary figure in the history of diplomacy.