Reminiscing the Rustic Charm of Ulu Sembawang
Ulu Sembawang in the eighties remained a rustic, countryside-like place, seemingly isolated from the rest of Singapore that had seen rapid urbanisation over the years. Jalan Ulu Sembawang, the main...
View ArticleTong Nam Tobacco and the Rise and Fall of Local Cigarette Producers
Along MacPherson Road, at its junction with Harvey Road, is a white double-storey shophouse that was once one of Singapore’s major cigarette manufacturers. This was the former factory of Tong Nam...
View ArticleTanglin Shopping Centre’s 52-Year Legacy at Orchard Road
Opened in 1972, Tanglin Shopping Centre was one of Orchard Road’s earliest retail landmarks. Until its closure and demolition in 2024, it had witnessed, for more than half a century, the development...
View ArticleThe Forgotten Legacy of Chui Eng Free School
Located at Amoy Street, Chui Eng Free School (萃英书院) was established by the Hokkien Huay Kuan in 1854 with endowment from Tan Kim Seng (陈金声, 1805-1864), a wealthy Peranakan businessman and...
View ArticleLandmarks of Yesteryears – Whampoa Ice House
The old godown with Victorian wrought-iron balustrades was a landmark along the Singapore River for more than a century. It was the Whampoa Ice House, Singapore’s first ice house that opened in 1854....
View ArticleThe Beginning and End of Lim Chu Kang “Runway”
Lim Chu Kang Road used to be a long curvy road. In the mid-eighties, a new straightened stretch of Lim Chu Kang Road was built, and, over the years, became known as the Lim Chu Kang “Runway”. The...
View ArticleThe Camps Along Sembawang Road (Part 2) – Dieppe Barracks
Built in the mid-sixties, Dieppe Barracks’ early occupants included the 3rd Commando Brigade of the Royal Marines and 95th Commando Light Regiment of the Royal Artillery. It was at Dieppe Barracks...
View ArticleStirling Road and Singapore’s Oldest HDB Flats
For the longtime residents at Stirling Road, more than six decades have passed in a blink of eye. Prior to the fifties, this area was made up of swampland, plantations and burial ground. Then came...
View ArticleSingapore’s Most Recognisable Logos, Then and Now (Part 1)
A logo is more than a graphic design. It is a visual representation of a brand, business or product. For organisations and companies, it is a corporate symbol that reflects their image, efficiency and...
View ArticleThose Years When We Brushed Our Teeth Together
Dental education and oral hygiene for the young in Singapore have come a long way. In 1969, the Ministry of Health (MOH) launched dental education for all the primary schools in Singapore, with the aim...
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