Clyde Terrace Market

Background

Once the largest market in Singapore, Clyde Terrace Market was a cluster of huts and sheds at Kampong Glam in the 1860s. It was completely revamped in the early 1870s into a building mostly of ironwork.¹ It was expanded over the years to meet the demands of a growing population, before its closure and demolition in 1983. In its place today stands the Gateway, a twin-tower project designed by I. M. Pei and Partners of New York.²

History
It is unclear when Clyde Terrace Market was established. It probably came about after Clyde Terrace was built. Clyde Terrace was a coastal road connected to Beach Road at both ends – at the junction of Beach Road and Shaik Madersah Lane, and at the junction of Beach Road with Jalan Sultan.³ Clyde Terrace was named after Sir Colin Campbell, Baron Clyde of the 1857 Indian Mutiny fame.⁴ Near Clyde Terrace was Clyde Street, which used to exist at Kampong Glam and was one of the streets adjacent to Shaik Madersah Lane. Another market, Campong Glam Market (later spelled as Kampong Glam), was already present in the Rochor area since the 1830s.⁵

While Clyde Terrace was not indicated in an 1862 survey map of Singapore town, it was documented in newspapers and official records from 1863 onwards.⁶ On 16 May 1863, The Straits Times reported a dispute between two men at Clyde Terrace, where one man had attacked the other with a parang.⁷ In addition, at two Municipal Council meetings in 1863, bills were passed for the payment of repairs to the steps and wall of Clyde Terrace, which amounted to $62.70.⁸

Clyde Terrace Market was first mentioned in local papers in 1870. On 1 June 1870, The Straits Times reported poor drainage at the market.⁹ At the Legislative Council meeting held later that year, the reclamation of the beach at Clyde Terrace Market was regarded as one of the important works included in the financial estimates of the Straits Settlements for 1871.¹⁰

During the reclamation process in the same year, the government decided to reclaim a further portion of the beach westwards, because of the additional revenue potential. The space reclaimed amounted to 63,172 sq ft, with 41,437 sq ft appropriated for roads, while leaving the remaining portion up for sale. The government also made a provision of $37,889 for the construction of a new market in 1872 at the reclaimed beach, to replace the one that had fallen into disrepair.¹¹ After the demolition of the former market, the site grew into a pasture for itinerant horses, as a result of construction delays. Many stallholders had to give up their businesses, while others rented shop space in the neighbourhood albeit at a higher price.¹²

On 29 March 1873, the foundation stone of the new Clyde Terrace Market was laid with Masonic honours by the Singapore Freemasonry, in the presence of the Governor of the Straits Settlements, Sir Harry St. George Ord. It was laid together with a plan of the building, a same day copy of The Straits Times, and currencies from England, Australia, India, Mexico, Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements. The ceremony was led by District Grand Master William Henry Read. The ceremony was attended by individuals from elite colonial society in Singapore, including members of the Legislative Council.¹³

Situated on Beach Road at the junction with Rochore (old spelling of “Rochor”) Road, Clyde Terrace Market was one of five markets (including Ellenborough Market and Rochore Market) that municipal authorities tendered out the exclusive right to lease stalls. The person awarded the tender, often referred to as the farmer, had to pay annual rent to the municipality and in turn collected fees and tolls from the vendors at the market. This was a lucrative business for the farmer.¹⁴ The farmer was also fully responsible for the running and management of the market.¹⁵ The system was abolished in 1910 in the interest of public health, and public markets were directly managed by the municipality thereafter.¹⁶

In the 1890s, Clyde Terrace Market was considered the best and most frequented market in Singapore. It sold a wide range of provisions, even attracting customers who lived far away.¹⁷ It was situated 1.6 km from Johnston’s Pier, and 4 km from Tanjong Pagar Wharf.¹⁸ The market was expanded three times to add a separate section each for vegetables, fish and poultry, because of high demand for these goods.¹⁹ The vegetable market, which had a basement, was used as a bomb shelter during the Japanese Occupation.²⁰ While the poultry and fish markets were torn down in the early 1970s, the vegetable and dried goods market remained open until it was relocated to Pasir Panjang in 1983.²¹

The seaside market would flood at high tide, allowing tongkang (bumboats) to draw up alongside it for the unloading of goods.²² Its seafront location made it prone to damages caused by the rough sea, and repairs were made to the landing steps, pier and sea wall.²³ Further reclamation of Beach Road – between Rochore River and Stamford Road canal – took place in the 1930s.²⁴ After reclamation, as the market was no longer situated on the shore, lorries were used to transport goods from the beach to the market.²⁵

Gangsterism
The vicinity of Clyde Terrace Market was home to secret societies. Besides extorting money from hawkers, members of these secret societies were also engaged in activities such as gambling, smoking opium and smuggling.²⁶ Rivalry between the secret societies resulted in gang clashes, which were regular occurrences on the beach,²⁷ and sometimes murder.²⁸ With cooperation between the Vegetable Wholesaler’s Association and the police, the tense environment caused by secret societies improved by 1983. Police surveillance had also intensified by then, deterring the gangsters from causing trouble.²⁹

Closure
In 1969, the Jurong Fishing Port and Central Fish Market were built to replace Telok Ayer Basin wharf and Ellenborough and Clyde Terrace markets.³⁰ Several stallholders from Clyde Terrace Market moved to North Bridge Road Market when the latter opened in 1974.³¹ Then in 1977, the government announced plans to build a central market for fruit and vegetables at Pasir Panjang. This market would replace Clyde Terrace Market and other wholesale centres in the city affected by urban redevelopment.³² In 1981, the government unveiled its plan to build the Gateway, 37-storey twin towers, which would partly occupy the site of Clyde Terrace Market. The market was demolished after the stallholders were relocated in June 1983.³³

Variant names
Since its structure was mainly iron, the new Clyde Terrace Market became known as “iron market” vernacularly:³⁴

Malay: pasar besi³⁵

Tamil: irumbu pasar³⁶

Hokkien: thih pa-sat³⁷

The variant names of streets and roads located in its vicinity also referred to the “iron market”.

Hokkien: thih pa-sat khau (Beach Road), thih pa-sat khut-thau hang (Beach Lane), thih pa-sat ma-ta-chhu tui-bin hang (Clyde Street), thih pa-sat tui-bin hang (Garden Street, Jeddah Street).³⁸

The market was also known as the Beach Road Market, because of its location on Beach Road.³⁹



Author
Toffa Abdul Wahed



References
1. “Saturday, 28th January,” Straits Times Overland Journal, 1 February 1871, 7. (From NewspaperSG); S. Ramachandra, “Chinese Have Own Names for Markets,” Singapore Free Press, 28 April 1951, 3; “A Market,” Malaya Tribune, 15 April 1933, 19. (From NewspaperSG)
2. “Work on $500m Gateway Begins,” Straits Times, 3 June 1983, 12. (From NewspaperSG)
3. Survey Department, Singapore, Plan of Singapore Town Showing Topographical Detail and Municipal Numbers, c. 1893, survey map. (From National Archives of Singapore accession no. SP007293_4)
4. S. Ramachandra, “Telok Ayer – The Oldest Market in Singapore,” Sunday Standard, 10 October 1954, 9. (From NewspaperSG)
5. “Government Farms,” Singapore Chronicle and Commercial Register, 27 October 1831, 3; “Local,”Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 25 January 1850, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
6. J. M. Moniot, Singapore, 1862, survey map, Survey Department, Singapore. (From National Archives of Singapore accession no. SP002994_2)
7. “Saturday, 16th May,”Straits Times, 16 May 1863, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
8. “Municipal Council,”Straits Times, 6 June 1863, 1. (From NewspaperSG); “Municipal Council,” Straits Times, 11 July 1863, 1. (From NewspaperSG)
9. Municipal Council,”Straits Times, 2 July 1870, 4. (From NewspaperSG)
10. Singapore, 21st October, 1870 Present,”Straits Times, 26 November 1970, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
11. Saturday, 28th January”; Straits Settlements,” Straits Times, 12 October 1872, 4. (From NewspaperSG)
12. “News of the Fortnight,” Straits Times Overland Journal, 4 May 1872, 3. (From NewspaperSG)
13. Freemasons. Eastern Archipelago. District Grand Lodge, Ceremony of Laying the Foundation Stone of the Clyde Terrace Market, at Singapore, the 29th day of March, 1873 (Singapore: Straits Times Press, 1873), 12–13. (Call no. RARE English 959.51 CER).
14. Survey Department, Singapore, Map of the Town and Environs of Singapore, 1878, survey map (From National Archives of Singapore accession no. SP002998); “The Municipal Markets,” Eastern Daily Mail and Straits Morning Advertiser, 6 May 1907, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
15. “Market May Close but Memories Will Linger On,” Straits Times, 6 September 1980, 10. (From NewspaperSG)
16. Walter Makepeace, Gilbert E. Brooke and Roland St. J. Braddell, eds., One Hundred Years of Singapore, vol. 1, with an introduction by C. M. Turnbull (Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1991), 333–34. (Call no. RSING 959.57 ONE-[HIS]).
17. “Local and General,” Daily Advertiser, 20 May 1893, 3; “Local and General,” Daily Advertiser, 10 April 1893, 3; “Tuesday, Sept. 14, 1897,” Mid-Day Herald and Daily, 14 September 1897, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
18. B. E. D’Aranjo, A Stranger’s Guide to Singapore with Maps (Singapore; The ‘Sirangoon’ Press, 1890), 5. (From BookSG)
19. Jane Perkins, Kampong Glam: Spirit of a Community (Singapore: Times Pub., 1984), 33. (Call no. RSING 959.57 PER-[HIS]).
20. “Market May Close but Memories Will Linger On.”
21 Perkins, Kampong Glam, 33.
22. Perkins, Kampong Glam, 29; Evelyn Ng, “End of the Beach Road Market is in Sight,” Straits Times, 7 August 1980, 10. (From NewspaperSG)
23. “Reuter’s Telegrams,” Singapore Daily Times, 5 February 1881, 2; “Wear and Tear,” Daily Advertiser, 28 March 1894, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
24. “Work of the P.W.D. in the Straits Settlements,” Malaya Tribune, 26 August 1935, 12. (From NewspaperSG)
25. James Wickenden, “How Are Our Seas to Be Harvested?” Straits Times, 16 October 1952, 6. (From NewspaperSG)
26. Perkins, Kampong Glam, 27; “4 Undesirables Are Expelled from Colony,” Morning Tribune, 14 November 1947, 3. (From NewspaperSG)
27. Thursday, 19th September,” Straits Times, 21 September 1878, 5; “CID Man Fired to Break Up Gang Skirmish,” Straits Times, 10 December 1957, 9. (From NewspaperSG); Perkins, Kampong Glam, 30.
28. Three Bullets Sent Killer to the Gallows,”Sunday Tribune (Singapore), 19 September 1948, 9. (From NewspaperSG); Youth bludgeoned to death,” Straits Times, 9 July 1961, 11. (From NewspaperSG)
29. Perkins, Kampong Glam, 27, 52.
30. Ivy Siow, “‘Nightlife’ at the Hub Of Our Fish Mart,” Straits Times, 27 February 1969, 4. (From NewspaperSG)
31. “MP to Open $1m Market in North Bridge Road,” Straits Times, 10 August 1974, 5. (From NewspaperSG)
32. Lim Kim San, Addendum to Presidential Address at the Opening of the First Session of the Fourth Parliament on Tuesday, 8 February 1977, 8 February 1977, Ministry of Culture, 3. (From National Archives of Singapore document no. bhs19770208es)
33. “End of a Marketing Era at Beach Road,” Straits Times, 25 June 1983, 16. (From NewspaperSG)
34. Ramachandra, “Chinese Have Own Names for Markets.”
35. “Page 2 Advertisements Column 3,” Straits Times, 15 October 1897, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
36. “Singapore Street Names,” Straits Times, 9 July 1933, 13. (From NewspaperSG)
37. “How Should Street Names Be Translated into Chinese?” Straits Times, 14 July 1935, 4. (From NewspaperSG)
38. Tan Kee Soon et al., “An Index in Romanised Hokkien and Cantonese to ‘The Chinese names of streets and places in Singapore’,” Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, no. 46 (December 1906): 204. (From JSTOR via NLB’s eResources website)
39. “Page 7 Advertisements Column 4,” Straits Times, 1 July 1912, 7; “Untitled,” Straits Times, 31 August 1926, 10. (From NewspaperSG)



Further resources
National Library Board, Stories from the Stacks: Selections from the Rare Materials Collection National Library Singapore (Singapore: National Library Board and Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2020), 16–18. (Call no. RSING English 016.95957 SIN-[LIB]).



The information in this article is valid as at April 2021 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.