History
From Nanjing to Nanyang: Missionary Sojourns to Singapore and Christian Educational Missions in the Early 1950s
Upheaval in China saw missionaries shifting their sights and resources to Singapore and the region, establishing related institutions and reaching the masses through education.
The Awakening of the Modern Television Era
People weren’t particularly interested in upgrading their black-and-white TV to a colour TV. Then came the World Cup.
A Long Time Brewing: The Story of Singapore’s Beer Industry
From Tiger to craft beer, beer brewing in Singapore had a long and storied history.
It’s a Cat’s Life: Airborne Felines Fight in War Against Rats
In 1960, 23 unsuspecting cats found themselves being airdropped into Bario, Sarawak, as part of a rat-busting operation.
A Cool Business: The History of Ice-Making in Singapore
Ice has been an indispensable commodity in tropical Singapore since the late 19th century.
Looking Back at 700 Years of Singapore
Singapore’s history didn’t begin in 1819 when Stamford Raffles made footfall on the island. Tan Tai Yong makes sense of our 700-year history in this wide-ranging essay.
Four Taps: The Story of Singapore Water
From a hole in the ground to running water at the turn of the tap. Lim Tin Seng tells us how far Singapore has come in its search for water.
A Tale of Two Churches
Penang’s Armenian church was demolished in the early 1900s while the one in Singapore still thrives. Nadia Wright looks at the vastly different fates of these two churches.
The Road to Nationalisation: Public Buses in Singapore
From as many as 11 bus companies to just one bus operator by 1973. Lee Meiyu chronicles the early turbulent days of Singapore’s bus industry.
Public Housing, Private Lives
Incredibly, people living in some of the first one-room flats had to share their toilets and kitchens with strangers. Yu-Mei Balasingamchow tells you how far public housing has come since 1960.
Mem, Don’t Mess with the Cook
European families in colonial Singapore had a retinue of servants – cook, chauffeur, nanny, gardener and houseboy – but this did not guarantee a life of ease, as Janice Loo tells us.
Triads, Coolies and Pimps: Chinatown in Former Times
The Chinatown of yesteryear was a thriving hotbed of crime and secret societies. Lim Tin Seng unveils its less glamorous history.
Convict Labour in Colonial Singapore
Singapore was once a penal colony for convicts shipped in from overseas. Bonny Tan documents how their humble service raised some of its famous buildings.
Men in Blue: A History of the Singapore Police Force
The Singapore Police Force has made great strides – along with several changes in uniform – since its inception in 1819. Ang Seow Leng traces its history.
Chasing the Dragon: The Scourge of Opium
The opium trade was a lucrative business in colonial Singapore. Gracie Lee examines its deleterious effects on the economic and social life of the city.
Money-making Bodies: Prostitution in Colonial Southeast Asia
The oldest profession in the world took on a different complexion in Southeast Asia when the European colonial powers arrived. Farish Noor puts the pieces together.
The French Can: Pineapples, Sardines and the Gallic Connection
The Ayam brand of canned sardines was the brainchild of Frenchman Alfred Clouët. Timothy Pwee reveals its history and that of the pineapple canning industry in Singapore.
Stories We Can Call Our Own
Han Fook Kwang shares some of his favourite stories from Singaporeans as told in Living The Singapore Story, a book commemorating the nation’s golden jubilee.
Searching for Singapore in Old Maps and Sea Charts
Kwa Chong Guan dissects the history of maps and tells us how Singapore was perceived and located in early modern European maps of the region.
The Golden Age of Malay Cinema: 1947–1972
Few people are aware that Singapore was once the hub for Malay filmmaking in Southeast Asia. Nor Afidah Bte Abd Rahman and Michelle Heng recount its fabled history.
Over Orchard
Orchard Road as we know it today is a far cry from its quiet beginnings as a plantation and residential area. Fiona Tan takes us back in time to revisit some of Orchard’s most distinctive landmarks.
Parades, Flags and Rallies: Celebrating Singapore’s National Day
National Day parades have been a ubiquitous part of Singapore’s National Day celebrations since Independence. Lim Tin Seng delves into its history, its significance and its evolution.
Old Singapore: Places in Pictures and Oral History
Grand Hotel de l’Europe, National Theatre and National Stadium are just some of the places in Singapore that have might have been forgotten if not for the National Archives of Singapore. Rediscover these buildings of old with Oral History Specialist Lu Wenshi.
The Jiapu Chronicles: What’s in a Name?
Records of family lineage were important in traditional Chinese society. Lee Meiyu charts the history of these documents, or jiapu, which track not only family roots but also the social norms and cultural values of China at the time.
Time–forgotten Trades
Unable to keep pace with Singapore’s economic progress and development, many of Singapore’s early crafts and trades have disappeared. Sharon Teng tells us about these trades and what is being done to remember them.
Kampung Living: A–Z
It’s hard to believe that Singapore was once a sleepy village outpost. Re-live those nostalgic kampung days with this laundry list of life as it once was.
