Category Archives: Cultural

Have a Cup of Kopi…. with Butter

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Remember Singapore

It was a warm and humid afternoon. There were few customers in this old kopitiam tucked away at the ground floor of one of the old HDB flats at North Bridge Road. The sleepy neighbourhood had seen several changes in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural, Nostalgic | Tagged Chin Hin Eating House, Coffee With Butter, Heap Seng Leong, Kopi Gu You, Kopitiam, North Bridge Road, Tanglin Halt | 10 Comments

Singapore’s Grandfathers’ Roads – Legacies of Our Pioneers

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Remember Singapore

Last weekend, a campaign called “Is this your grandfather’s road?” was carried out at Tiong Bahru estate to discourage motorists from parking illegally and obstructing the traffic. The “grandfather’s road” phrase has been always a popular and catchy one, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural, Historic | Tagged Abraham Solomon, Ahmad Bin Ibrahim, Alberto Eber, Amber Mansions, Benjamin Henry Sheares, Cecil Clementi Smith, Cheang Hong Lim, Chew, Chew Boon Lay, Chia Ann Siang, Dr Albert Winsemius, Eu Tong Sen, Grandfathers' Roads, Grange House, Henry Lloyd, Joo Chiat, Joseph Elias, Killiney House, Lim Bo Seng, Lim Boon Keng, Lim Nee Soon, Lim Tua Tow, Mohamed Eunos bin Abdullah, Neo Tiew, Robert Fullerton, Seah Liang Seah, Singapore Pioneers, Sir Henry Keppel, Sir Stamford Raffles, Syed Ali bin Mohammed Al-Junied, Syed Shaikh bin Abdul Rahman Alkaff, Tan Kim Seng, Tan Tock Seng, Thomas Oxley, Veerasamy Naidu, Whampoa Hoo Ah Kay, William Farquhar, Zubir Said | 63 Comments

10 Common Misconceptions of the Names of Places in Singapore

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Remember Singapore

Is Ang Mo Kio “ang mo kio” (tomato)? Or is Holland Village named after the Dutch community in Singapore? Are there any links between the new Chong Pang estate and the old Chong Pang Village? Let’s find out more… 1. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural | Tagged ABC Market, Ang Mo Kio, Caucasian's Bridge, Chong Pang, Holland Village, Hong Kah, Jalan Kayu, Lavender Street, Newton Circus, Orchard Road, Tampines | 20 Comments

Once in Our Life, Two Years of Our Time

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Remember Singapore

“Training to be soldiers To fight for our land Once in our life Two years of our time Have you ever wondered Why must we serve? Coz we love our land And we want it to be free, to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural, Historic | Tagged 11B, 1206, 2359, 5BX, Basic Military Training, Battle Inoculation Course, Camouflaged No.4 Uniforms, Central Manpower Base, Chao Keng, Charlie Company, Cheong Sua, Eye Power, FIBUA, Full Battle Order, Goh Keng Swee, GPMG, IPPT, M16, Marksmenship, MINDEF, National Service, Nee Soon Camp, ORD, People’s Defence Force, Physical Training Instructor, Pulau Tekong, ROD, SAF Cookhouse, Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Infantry Regiment, Standard Obstacle Course, Temasek Green, Wayang | 103 Comments

Singapore Campaigns of the 70s/80s

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Remember Singapore

With intensive usage of media, campaigns are launched to achieve certain particular goals, usually in a political, social or commercial sense. Sometimes, a campaign represents an era, and some of its posters go on to become iconic representations that are … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural | Tagged Better Food For Better Health, Chinese Dialects, Clean And Green Singapore, Eat Frozen Pork, Family Planning And Population Board, Graduate Mothers' Scheme, Hanyu Pinyin, Keep Our Water Clean, Keep Singapore Clean, Keep Singapore Crime Free, Lee Kuan Yew, Long Hair Will be Attended Last, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Health, National Courtesy, National Heart Week, Road Safety, Seat Belts Save Lives, Singa the Courtesy Lion, Singapore 1970s, Singapore 1980s, Singapore Campaigns, Singapore Kindness Movement, Singapore River, Singapore Tourism Promotion Board, Singlish, Speak Good English Movement, Speak Mandarin, Stop At Two, Wash Your Hands | 38 Comments

Those Favourite National Day Songs We Once Sang

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Remember Singapore

Sing Singapore was a song book published in 1988 by the Ministry of Communications & Information. If I remember correctly, every student that year received one copy. As written in the message of the first page, this simple book of … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural | Tagged Count On Me Singapore, Five Stars Arising, National Day Song, One People One Nation One Singapore, Stand Up For Singapore, There's A Part For Everyone, This Is My Land, We Are Singapore | 10 Comments

10 Legends and Myths of Singapore

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Remember Singapore

Even though we are a young nation, Singapore, like any other countries, has its fare share of legends and myths. Most Singaporeans are aware of the popular folktale of how the name Singapura came about, but what about the other … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural, Paranormal | Tagged Badang, Kusu Island, Merlion, Pulau Blakang Mati, Pulau Ubin, Radin Mas, Redhill, Sang Nila Utama, Selegie Road, Sentosa, Singapore Stone, Singapura, Sisters' Islands, Tanjong Pagar | 44 Comments

From Villages to Flats (Part 2) – Public Housing in Singapore

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Remember Singapore

The history of the public housing in Singapore is largely divided into two sections: The Singapore Improvement Trust’s (SIT) period and the Housing and Development Board’s (HDB) era. Two minor players that had also contributed in the building of public … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural, Historic | Tagged Albert Street, Ang Mo Kio, Artisan Dwellings, Bras Basah, Build and Sell Scheme, Build-to-Order, Bukit Ho Swee Fire, Butterfly Block, Changi Village, Chinatown, Commonwealth Close, Dakota Crescent, Design, Dover Estate, Dutch's Corner, Executive Condominium, Forfar House, Four Leaf Clover Flat, HDB Executive Maisonettes, HDB Terrace House, Hong Lim Park, Housing And Development Board, Housing and Urban Development Company, Jurong Town Corporation, Kampong Java, Kampong Silat, Lakeview Estate, Lim Kim San, Margaret Drive, Marine Parade, Neo Tiew, Pinnacle@Duxton, Potong Pasir, Princess Elizabeth Estate, Princess Margaret Estate, Provision Shop, Public Housing, Redhill Close, Rochor Centre, Selegie House, Singapore Improvement Trust, Strathmore and Dawson, Taman Jurong, Tanglin Halt, Tiong Bahru, Toa Payoh, Upper Pickering Street, Void Deck, Yung Kuang Road, Zion Road | 94 Comments

From Villages to Flats (Part 1) – The Kampong Days

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Remember Singapore

The rapid urbanisation of Singapore in the past four decades has seen hundreds of villages demolished and the lands freed up for redevelopment. The life of many Singaporeans of the last generation changed dramatically as they shifted from their kampong … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural, Historic | Tagged Ama Keng, Amoy Quee, Bah Soon Bah, Boh Beh Kang, Bukit Panjang, Bukit Timah Road, Chai Chee, Chan Chu Kang, Changi Village, Cheng San, Chia Keng, Choa Chu Kang, Chong Pang, Geylang Serai, Hakka Village, Heap Guan San, Heng Ley Pah, Hong Kah, Jackson Plan, Jalan Kayu, Jalan Mata Ayer, Jawa Teban, Kampong Bahru, Kampong Chantek, Kampong Glam, Kampong Kapor, Kampong Kembangan, Kampong Lorong Buangkok, Kampong Pachitan, Kampong Punggol, Kampong San Theng, Kampong Silat, Kampong Ubi, Kangchu, Kangkar, Khatib Bongsu, Lam San, Lau Chu Kang, Lim Chu Kang, Lorong Fatimah, Mandai Tekong, Nee Soon, Neo Tiew, Orang Seletar, Paya Lebar, Phua Village, Potong Pasir, Pulau Blakang Mati, Pulau Brani, Pulau Bukom, Pulau Semakau, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Radin Mas, Simpang Bedok, Somapah Changi, Sompah Bedok, Soon Hock Village, Sungei Mandai, Sungei Seletar, Sungei Tengah, Tan Chu Kang, Tanjong Katong, Thong Hoe, Toa Payoh, Tuas Village, Ulu Bedok, Wak Hassan, Wak Selat, Westhill Village, Woodlands, Yew Tee, Yio Chu Kang | 274 Comments

A Pictorial Gallery of Bronze Sculptures in Singapore

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Remember Singapore

Many people have the perception that Singapore lacks arts and history, but in reality there are many beautiful bronze sculptures on our island. Some are pure artistic creations, a couple of them are rich in their historical values, while others … Continue reading →