This photograph, taken between 1870 and 1879, shows a view of the Government House. Designed by the Colonial Engineer John Frederick Adolphus McNair and built by Indian convict labourers, the stately Government House (completed in 1869) conformed to the Victorian eclectic aesthetic popular from the 1860s. The building was to be the official residence of 21 London-appointed Colonial Governors. Today, this structure is known as the Istana, and it is the official residence of the President of the Republic of Singapore. (Caption source : http://www.sgcool.sg). Title from inscription, on front of photograph.
All rights reserved. Lee Kip Lin and National Library Board, Singapore 2009.
