Old Hill Street Police Station, the Iconic Colourful Landmark by the...
Originally called the Hill Street Police Station and Barracks, the majestic six-storey Neoclassical-style colonial building was Singapore’s largest government building when it was completed at a cost...
View ArticleNostalgic Memories of East Coast’s Road Safety Park
To many, the Road Safety Park (present-day Road Safety Community Park) brings back fond nostalgic memories of their fun school excursions and carefree student days. More than a million local students...
View ArticleOur Favourite Soft Drinks of Yesteryears
We used to call our favourite soft drinks bok zwee or hor lan zwee (“bottled water” or “Holland water” in Hokkien), or ang sai that refers to Fraser & Neave (F&N) orange juice (“red lion” in...
View ArticleGoodbye Bukit Timah Market and Hawker Centre
On the last day of September 2024, the Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre will be officially closed, spelling the end of its history that spans almost half a century. Built in 1975 at a cost of $1.4...
View ArticleSingapore’s 182 Years of Horse Racing Reaches the Finishing Line
On 5 October 2024, a 10,000-strong crowd turned up to witness Singapore’s final horse races held at the Singapore Turf Club’s Kranji racecourse. As the horses raced past the finishing line, it marked...
View ArticleReminiscing 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....
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