Neo Tiew (梁宙) (1884 – 1975), also known as 梁后宙, was born and raised in Nan’an County in Fujian Province, China. Due to his impoverished circumstances, he left home for Singapore in 1897. Among his many jobs, he worked in a provision shop, started a bullock cart business, and spent about two years in Selangor as rubber plantation supervisor. In 1912, his uncle handed over his brick-kiln business to him.