A variety of currencies were used in Singapore during different periods in its history. These included Chinese coins in the 14th century; Spanish and other silver dollars for much of the 19th century despite official attempts to introduce the Indian rupee between ...
Opium (Papaver somniferum) contributed significantly to the general trade in Singapore’s pioneering years. Encouraged by the British colonial government, it reaped great profit from opium licenses. However, many Chinese coolies succumbed to this vice as an escape ...
Urban planning in Singapore began in the 1820s when Stamford Raffles implemented a land-use plan later known as the Raffles Town Plan. However, for most of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, Singapore’s physical growth was haphazard and largely ...
The Singapore Volunteer Corps began as the Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps in 1854 with the support of then Governor Colonel W.J. Butterworth. Clashes between Chinese secret societies in 1854 led to the formation of a volunteer force to boost Singapore’s internal ...
With origins stretching back to 1921 when the Singapore Natural History Society was formed, the Nature Society (Singapore) is the leading non-government organisation concerned with nature conservation in Singapore. It supported the preservation of the zoological ...
Since 1948, general elections have been held to elect representatives to Singapore’s legislature. The first election was held in 1948 to elect six unofficial members to the 22-seat Legislative Council. The electorate was, however, limited to British subjects. Over ...
The Singapore League (S.League) is a professional football league and represents the highest level of domestic football competition in Singapore. It was officially launched in 1996 with eight local teams contesting in the inaugural season. The league accepted its ...
Freemasonry, a fraternal society, was first set up in Singapore on 8 December 1845 with the establishment of Lodge Zetland in the East, the oldest surviving Freemason lodge here. Its members are called Freemasons or Masons, and belong to lodges or temples. The ...
The Singapore Swimming Club (SSC) was established in 1894 at Tanjong Rhu by a group of Europeans. In 1994, the club celebrated its 100th anniversary with the opening of a museum dedicated to its history and the publication of a commemorative book. With a large ...
The Malay Regiment was an all-Malay military force formed at Port Dickson, Malaya, on 1 March 1933 under the command of British officers. Also known as Askar Melayu in Malay, the regiment is best remembered for its soldiers’ display of bravery and loyalty in the ...
Singapore’s inaugural Formula One motor race was held at the Marina Bay street circuit from 26 to 28 September 2008. Called the Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, it was the first and only race to be held at night in F1’s history, and the first F1 street race ...
Singapore River communities were people living by or around the Singapore River. In ancient times, Singapore, then known as Temasek, was a fishing village. The orang laut (sea gypsies) were the earliest known inhabitants in Singapore. Later, in the early 1800s, ...
Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) is the oldest Catholic girls’ school in Singapore. Founded in 1854 by the French sisters of the Congregation of the Holy Infant Jesus, the school was established at the corner of Bras Basah Road and Victoria Street (present ...
The National University of Singapore (NUS) was officially established on 8 August 1980 through the merger of Nanyang University and the University of Singapore. However, the university’s origins can be traced to the founding of a medical school in 1905. NUS has ...
The National Archives of Singapore (NAS) is responsible for the collection and management of records pertaining to the nation’s political, social and economic history. Apart from public records, it also identifies and collects records of historical significance ...
The National Stadium of Singapore was officially opened on 21 July 1973 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. For over three decades, it was used for many major sporting, cultural, entertainment and social events, such as the 1983 and 1993 Southeast Asian Games, ...
Carl Alexander Gibson-Hill (b. 23 October 1911, Newcastles-upon-Tyne, England–d. 18 August 1963, Singapore) was the last British director of Raffles Museum (today’s National Museum) in Singapore. He also made his mark as president (1956–61) of the Malayan Branch ...
Guthrie & Co.’s history began in 1823 when a partnership was established between Alexander Guthrie and Thomas Talbot Harrington, a family friend. First located in a rented godown on Hill Street, the company sold British goods to the European and Chinese communities ...
St George’s Church is an Anglican church located at Minden Road, off Holland Road, on the grounds of what were once the Tanglin Barracks. Built between 1910 and 1913 as a garrison church, the distinctive red brick building has a rich history dating back to the ...
The Jawi Peranakkan, the first Malay newspaper in Singapore, was founded in 1876 and remained in circulation until 1895. The rise and demise of the newspaper was closely associated with the history of the Jawi Peranakan community in Singapore. The Jawi Peranakan ...