Chinese coolies, who were engaged mostly in unskilled, hard labour, formed the early backbone of Singapore’s labour force. They were mainly impoverished Chinese immigrants who came to Singapore in the latter half of the 19th century to seek fortune, but instead ...
Telok Ayer Street extends from Market Street to Anson Road. Telok Ayer was designated a Chinese district by Stamford Raffles in 1822 and gained prominence in the 1820s because it served as the landing site for early immigrants. This led to a concentration of religious ...
The Pondok Peranakan Gelam Club is a community club for the Bawean Malay community. Established officially in 1932, the club served as a communal home for Baweanese immigrants until the 1960s. Originally located at 64 Club Street, it moved to Telok Ayer Hong Lim ...
China Street connects Cross Street to the junction of Pickering Street and Church Street. The street used to be notorious for its gambling dens and secret societies.
Kampong Glam (originally spelt “Campong Gelam” when it was named around 1830) is one of 10 subzones of the Rochor area located in the central region. The estate covers 56 ac of land located to the east of the 19th-century European town in Singapore, between Rochor ...
The Jewish community has been in Singapore since the early years of British colonisation, and has contributed significantly to Singapore’s development as a nation.
Orang Laut (Malay for “sea people” or “people of the sea”) were nomadic sea gypsies organised into suku (divisions). They occupied the maritime zone surrounding the Strait of Melaka. During the period when the British thought Singapore was uninhabited, the Orang ...
New Bridge Road is a one-way street that begins from Coleman Bridge on the south of Singapore River and ends at the junction of Eu Tong Sen Street and Kampong Bahru Road.
Five-foot-way traders were craftsmen who conducted their businesses along shophouse walkways that were five feet wide. These traders were immigrants of various ethnicities who came to early Singapore and could be found in areas such as Chinatown.
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, ...
Rickshaws are hand-drawn taxi-cabs used in colonial Singapore. Originating from Japan, rickshaws were first brought to Singapore in 1880, becoming a major form of public transport. Rickshaw-pulling was a primary source of income for thousands of Chinese immigrants. ...
A cholera epidemic occurred in Singapore in July 1873 and lasted till September the same year, resulting in 857 reported cases and 448 deaths. The 1873 outbreak was particularly deadly with a mortality rate of 41.5 percent. Port health controls on immigrants and ...
A ban on the sale, import and manufacture of chewing gum in Singapore took effect on 3 January 1992, four days after the ban was announced in The Straits Times. The ban encompassed all substances made from the “gum base of vegetable or synthetic origin”, such as ...
The Causeway is a road and rail link between Singapore and Johor Bahru in Malaysia. Completed in 1923, the 1.05-kilometre Causeway cost an estimated 17 million Straits dollars and spans the Johor Straits (also known as the Tebrau Straits). At the Singapore end ...
Chinatown is an estate located largely in the Outram area in the Central Region of Singapore. In his 1822 master Town Plan, Sir Stamford Raffles allocated the whole area west of the Singapore River for a Chinese settlement known as the Chinese Campong (kampong ...
The Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) is an umbrella body of Chinese clan associations in Singapore. The Federation was registered on 9 December 1985 and formally inaugurated on 27 January 1986. It was founded by seven clan associations, ...
Wayang, a Malay word meaning “a theatrical performance employing puppets or human dancers”, commonly refers to Chinese street opera in Singapore, although it is also used in reference to other forms of opera such as wayang kulit. In Mandarin, Chinese street opera ...
Travelling hawkers or itinerant hawkers were a common sight in Singapore during the 19th century to mid-20th century. They were frequently found along busy streets and intersections, peddling food, drinks, vegetables, poultry and sundries. Street hawking was a ...
Sri Mariamman Temple on South Bridge Road is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore. Commonly referred to as Mariamman Kovil (“Mariamman Temple” in Tamil), the temple was constructed for the worship of Goddess Mariamman by immigrants from the Nagapattinam and Cuddalore ...
Polar Puffs & Cakes is a food manufacturer and operator of a confectionary chain best known for its curry puffs. Originally known as Polar Café, Hong Kong immigrant Chan Hinky began running the business from 1926. The first Polar Café, a landmark on High Street, ...