• Xing Ying (杏影)

      Xing Ying (杏影) (b. 1911, China–d. 5 January 1967, Singapore), whose real name was Yang Fangjie (杨芳洁) and was also known as Yang Shoumo (杨守默), was a pioneer writer and editor of literary supplements. Besides “Xing Ying”, he also published under other pen names such ...

    • Suratman Markasan

      Suratman Markasan (b. 29 December 1930, Singapore– ) is a prolific poet, novelist and respected literary pioneer in Singapore. His literary career spans from the early 1950s to the present. The numerous awards he has received include: the Southeast Asian Writers ...

    • Choy Weng Yang

      Choy Weng Yang (b. 1936, Singapore–) is an artist, curator, art writer and educator. As one of Singapore’s prominent second-generation artists, Choy’s works embody a distinctive style of abstract expressionism and exploration of colours. He was part of the pioneering ...

    • Lien Shih Sheng

      Lien Shih Sheng (连士升) (b. 24 May 1907, Fujian, China–d. 9 July 1973, Singapore) was an influential pioneer writer and news editor. His works span multiple genres such as travelogues, commentaries and biographies. Lien is best remembered for his Letters from the ...

    • Ruth Wong

      Ruth Wong Hie King (b. 10 June 1918, Singapore–d. 1 February 1982, Singapore) is widely regarded as a pioneer educator who transformed teacher training in Singapore. Wong was the first female principal of the Teachers’ Training College (TTC) and the founding director ...

    • G. D. Coleman

      G. D. (George Dromgold) Coleman (b. 1795, Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland–d. 27 March 1844, Singapore) was Singapore’s pioneer colonial architect. He became the first Government Superintendent of Public Works when he was appointed in 1833. Coleman planned, surveyed ...

    • Kwek Leng Joo

      Kwek Leng Joo (24 April 1953, Singapore–16 November 2015, Singapore) was a prominent businessman, photographer and philanthropist. The younger son of Kwek Hong Png, founder of conglomerate Hong Leong Group, Kwek was the deputy chairman of City Developments Ltd ...

    • Shirin Fozdar

      Shirin Fozdar (b. 1 March 1905, Bombay, India–d. 2 February 1992, Singapore) was a women’s rights pioneer. One of the founders of the Singapore Council of Women (SCW) in 1952, Fozdar was also a key figure in establishing the Muslim Syariah Court and the Women’s ...

    • Society of Chinese Artists

      The Society of Chinese Artists (SOCA) was established in 1935. It is one of the earliest art associations in Singapore, alongside the Singapore Art Club (新加坡美术俱乐部, established in around 1882) and Commercial Art Institute (新加坡美术广告研究会, established in 1937). SOCA’s ...

    • Independent Schools Scheme

      The Independent Schools Scheme was introduced by the Ministry of Education in 1987 to give selected leading schools greater autonomy in the management of its own affairs, such as staff recruitment and salaries, curriculum, textbooks, school programmes, pupil admission ...

    • Lin Chen

      Lin Chen (b. 1919, Singapore–d. 29 August 2004, Singapore) was a pioneer theatre director and playwright who was active in the local Mandarin theatre scene in the 1950s and 1960s. He was also an accomplished writer who wrote short stories and prose under the pen ...

    • Lim Cheng Hoe

      Lim Cheng Hoe (b. 24 May 1912, Xiamen, China–d. 3 September 1979, Singapore) was a pioneering watercolourist in Singapore and one of the founders of the Singapore Watercolour Society. Unlike some of his contemporaries from the Nanyang group who were educated in ...

    • Wu Peng Seng

      Wu Peng Seng (b. 1915, Shantou, China–d. 23 May 2006, Singapore), also known as Goh Peng Seng, was a pioneer photographer in Singapore known for his landscape photography and photographic travelogues. Wu was involved in photography for more than half a decade, ...

    • Queenstown Community Library

      The Queenstown Community Library located at 53 Margaret Drive, Singapore 149297, was opened on 2 May 1970. It was the first full-time Branch Library, built by the National Library in its plan to decentralise home reading services. It pioneered several firsts amongst ...

    • Runme Shaw

      Runme Shaw (Tan Sri) (Dr) (b. 1901, China–d. 2 March 1985, Singapore) was a pioneer in the film and entertainment industry in Singapore and Malaysia. He founded Shaw Brothers with his brother, Run Run Shaw. Besides being a film magnate, Runme was also a well-known ...

    • Tukang urut

      Tukang urut is a Malay term for masseuse. The art of urut is a pioneering trade practised by both men and women. A tukang urut provides therapeutic and soothing body massages to provide relief for a range of muscle aches, cramps, pain and even strains. Female tukang ...

    • Anthony Poon

      Anthony Poon (b. 21 April 1945, Singapore–d. 2 September 2006, Singapore), an abstract artist and sculptor, was a pioneering second-generation Singaporean artist. He is best known for his “Wave” series of paintings and wave-relief paintings which he developed. ...

    • Goh Poh Seng

      Goh Poh Seng (b. 1936, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya–d.10 January 2010, Vancouver, Canada) was a physician, poet, laureate, award-winning writer and entrepreneur. He played an active role in the arts scene of post-independence Singapore. Goh was a pioneer of local English ...

    • Chew Boon Lay

      Chew Boon Lay (b. 1851 or 1852, Changchow, China–d. 2 June, 1933, Singapore) was one of Singapore’s early pioneers. He bought large tracts of land in Jurong on which he cultivated pepper and gambier, and later rubber. He also founded the Ho Ho Biscuit Factory. ...

    • Opium and its history in Singapore

      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 ...

       

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