Singapore before pioneers contaminated it.

[syed putra]

A wooden house for a foreman, 1900s. It is slightly better than the lodgings of regular workers, including a veranda.

A group of Malay workers at their lodgings with their family members, 1900s.

A Western business owner’s beautiful house, 1900s, featuring a large gate, garden and many rooms. They were usually owners of shipping companies or rubber plantations, and were supported by the colonial government in land development and trade, gaining many economic benefits from the colonies.

A building belonging to a Western merchant, 1900s. It is near the Kallang River, with large empty spaces in front and behind.
This is Singapore over a century ago; a step away from the bustling port and harbour in the city centre and the pretty British colonial buildings and streets, and there is a vast expanse of rainforest. There are few people and no roads or vehicles, only endless wild forest, green and verdant.

With today’s digital technology, we can restore and colourise old photos, and Singapore’s undeveloped interior of a century ago appears before us. Chinese writer Xu Zhimo stopped in Singapore during its early years and described its air, greenery and women as “too potent to be conquered” (《浓得化不开》lit. too thick to be melted, written in 1928). I think anyone who sees these photos would only love this land more, and marvel at the contributions and struggles of generations of people.

An Indian worker in charge of wooden crates, 1900s.

Workers’ quarters, 1900s. Many lived here on their own, while some had their families with them.

Raffles Lighthouse, 1900s. It was built in 1854 on Singapore’s southernmost island and named after Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who developed Singapore.
So, in this article, I share these moving old photos of Singapore. It is also my wish that this will contribute to the use of old photos of Singapore in media, publishing, exhibitions and educational promotion, bringing it to new heights and opening up Singapore’s video and imaging culture.

 

[laksaboy]

The very name of this island has been based on a lie. There were no lions here. Sang Nila Utama probably saw a wild boar but he was short-sighted and couldn't see properly.

 

[GOD IS MY DOG]

A wooden house for a foreman, 1900s. It is slightly better than the lodgings of regular workers, including a veranda.

A group of Malay workers at their lodgings with their family members, 1900s.

A Western business owner’s beautiful house, 1900s, featuring a large gate, garden and many rooms. They were usually owners of shipping companies or rubber plantations, and were supported by the colonial government in land development and trade, gaining many economic benefits from the colonies.

A building belonging to a Western merchant, 1900s. It is near the Kallang River, with large empty spaces in front and behind.
This is Singapore over a century ago; a step away from the bustling port and harbour in the city centre and the pretty British colonial buildings and streets, and there is a vast expanse of rainforest. There are few people and no roads or vehicles, only endless wild forest, green and verdant.

With today’s digital technology, we can restore and colourise old photos, and Singapore’s undeveloped interior of a century ago appears before us. Chinese writer Xu Zhimo stopped in Singapore during its early years and described its air, greenery and women as “too potent to be conquered” (《浓得化不开》lit. too thick to be melted, written in 1928). I think anyone who sees these photos would only love this land more, and marvel at the contributions and struggles of generations of people.

An Indian worker in charge of wooden crates, 1900s.

Workers’ quarters, 1900s. Many lived here on their own, while some had their families with them.

Raffles Lighthouse, 1900s. It was built in 1854 on Singapore’s southernmost island and named after Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who developed Singapore.
So, in this article, I share these moving old photos of Singapore. It is also my wish that this will contribute to the use of old photos of Singapore in media, publishing, exhibitions and educational promotion, bringing it to new heights and opening up Singapore’s video and imaging culture.

all these are FAKE lah..................Lee KILL You told a couple of Total oil company executives................S'pore was a BARREN LAND before independence.............

 

[The Crow]

During 1900s got colour photos liao? ...

 

[laksaboy]

all these are FAKE lah..................Lee KILL You told a couple of Total oil company executives................S'pore was a BARREN LAND before independence.............

LKY has always been full of shit... refer to his beliefs in eugenics.

 

[syed putra]

During 1900s got colour photos liao? ...

Using photo fixit. Or similar.

 

[Willamshakespear]

[Sarcasm] Er....
. Where is the toilet & the sewerage pipes? Do they poop on dug-out holes nearby?
. Where are the electrical fittings for at the least a radio & lights?
. Where is the drainage system & concrete floors when it rains, or are they to walk in the m&d?
. Where is the fence, to keep out animals if not robbers?
. As there is little entertainment, adult owners will indulge in babies production, then when the kids grow up, WHO will own the hut & who gets kicked off?
. Where is the privacy from grass walls?
. What is the fire rating for such huts?
. and there is much, much more....[/Sarcasm]

My apologies, Mr Syed Putra. The insignificant nobody me meant no offense. It is good that you showed how our forefathers once lived, but we Humanity had progressed far beyond the once nostalgic & idyllic common huts. Fortunately, Humanity had progressed beyond huts & our PIONEERS that you had maligned, had done a great job in providing better, safe & convenient living standards for our todays.

On a personal level, I would like to own such a hut & put up with supposed inconveniences, but Planet Earth has only limited space, more so in Spore & Asia as population grows based upon faith & hopes that Civilization can bring. We Humankind need MORE fellow Humans, not less, as the more we have, the more capabilities will be extracted from each educated individual BUILDING UPON LEARNT KNOWLEDGE. It is only a numbers game, & the purpose is to fulfill a Divine promise made centuries ago - to fill the stars & Universe, which had been proven possible by today's generation with learnt knowledge from forefathers, as we can now travel to our solar system in Human form & by probes that had reached our Milky way, with much MORE to learn & Evolve.

With their help, future generations will no longer need to fight over mere scraps on Planet Earth, which is not as stable as most think, with earthquakes & cyclones annually. We will need not just a Planet B, but PLANETS B. Even rapacious China, that presumes it is the best govt on Earth, need no longer seeks to dominate our planet thru threats, but will be able to fill PLANETS with its ideologies, as the Universe is HUGE, & so too resources.

When such happens, & if I am alive then, then my dream of owning such a hut will come true, & for many others fellow Humankind as well.... In the meantime, dreams are good & are an inspiration, & only Intelligence, Hard work & considerations for others, can make it come true....

 

[mudhatter]

LKY has always been full of shit... refer to his beliefs in eugenics.

True.

This is why old fart Harry Lee was decidedly anti Islamic, anti Muslim.

It is only because two of stinkypura's neighbours Melayun and Indon had never been Muslims and/or Islamic, that stinkypura had not been taken to task for all its transgressions. As you might as well know, these melayun/indon heathens/deviants are at one edge of the wider Muslim world, they are not true Muslims.

In any other region, stinkypura would have been eviscerated long ago for all its viciously anti Islamic, anti Muslim policies and transgressions.