Category Archives: Historic

Searching for the Forgotten Military Insignia Plaques of Gillman Barracks

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Remember Singapore

At a small forested slope inside Gillman Barracks, between Block 37 and 38, quietly lie two forgotten stone military insignia plaques that previously belonged to the Middlesex Regiment and Loyal Regiment, two of British’s infantry battalions stationed in Singapore in … Continue reading →

Posted in Exotic, Historic | Tagged Alexandra Road, Gillman Barracks, Loyal Regiment, Middlesex Regiment, Second World War, Singapore 1930s, Telok Blangah Road | Leave a comment

The Camps Along Sembawang Road (Part 2) – Dieppe Barracks

Posted on May 30, 2025 by Remember Singapore

Built in the mid-sixties, Dieppe Barracks’ early occupants included the 3rd Commando Brigade of the Royal Marines and 95th Commando Light Regiment of the Royal Artillery. It was at Dieppe Barracks where the Royal Marines first flew their regimental colours … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged ANZUK Command, Dieppe Barracks, First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, Kangaw Barracks, Khatib Camp, Nee Soon Barracks, Nee Soon Camp, New Zealand Force Southeast Asia, Royal Australian Regiment, Royal Highland Fusiliers, Sembawang Air Base, Sembawang Road, Singapore 1970s, Singapore 1980s, Singapore Armed Forces, Trial Crash | 2 Comments

Landmarks of Yesteryears – Whampoa Ice House

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Remember Singapore

The old godown with Victorian wrought-iron balustrades was a landmark along the Singapore River for more than a century. It was the Whampoa Ice House, Singapore’s first ice house that opened in 1854. Hoo Ah Kay (1816-1880), better known as … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Historic, Nostalgic | Tagged Cold Storage, Federick Tudor, New Singapore Ice Works, North Boat Quay, Preservation of Monuments Board, River Valley Road, Singapore Ice Works, Singapore River, Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, Straits Ice Company, Tudor Ice, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Whampoa Ice House | 2 Comments

Tong Nam Tobacco and the Rise and Fall of Local Cigarette Producers

Posted on December 19, 2024 by Remember Singapore

Along MacPherson Road, at its junction with Harvey Road, is a white double-storey shophouse that was once one of Singapore’s major cigarette manufacturers. This was the former factory of Tong Nam Tobacco Company (东南烟草公司). Tong Nam Tobacco Tobacco companies existed … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged Chop Wing San, Harvey Road, Jumabhoy Mohamed Jumabhoy, Kwong Hang Ho, MacPherson Road, North Canal Road, Overseas Tobacco Company, Primary Production Department, Second World War, Singapore 1950s, Singapore 1960s, Singapore 1970s, Singapore 1980s, Syonan Tokubetu-si Tobacco Manufacturing Association, Tong Nam Tobacco | 3 Comments

Reminiscing the Rustic Charm of Ulu Sembawang

Posted on November 30, 2024 by Remember Singapore

Ulu Sembawang in the eighties remained a rustic, countryside-like place, seemingly isolated from the rest of Singapore that had seen rapid urbanisation over the years. Jalan Ulu Sembawang, the main route in the area, wound through a large part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Exotic, Historic, Nostalgic | Tagged Bukit Sembawang Estates, Canberra Community Centre, Cheah Moi Moi, Cheng Chi School, Chong Pang Community Centre, Chong Pang Village, Chong Sin Road, Chung Yee School, Church of St Anthony of Padua, Fu Xing Tang Temple, Housing And Development Board, Hua Mien School, Huang Long Community Centre, Jalan Kuala Sempang, Jalan Pasar Sembawang, Jalan Ulu Seletar, Jalan Ulu Sembawang, Jalan Ulu Sembawang (2km) Community Centre, Jalan Ulu Sembawang (3km) Community Centre, Lorong Chikar, Lorong Chuntum, Lorong Gambas, Lorong Lada Hitam, Lorong Lada Merah, Lorong Lada Padi, Lorong Maha, Lorong Pikat, Mandai Catholic Village, Mandai Hokkien Cemetery, Mandai Road, Mandai Tekong Community Centre, Mandai Tekong Village, Methodist Tamil School, Min Cheng School, Ng Tiong Choon Seafood Restaurant, Public Works Department, Registry Of Vehicles, Semangat Ayer Limited, Sembawang, Sembawang Road, Sin Hwa Chinese School, Singapore 1960s, Singapore 1970s, Singapore 1980s, Singapore 1990s, Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Rural Board, St. Anthony's Church, Stephen Lee Road, Sungei Simpang Village, Ulu Sembawang Park Connector | 5 Comments

Old Hill Street Police Station, the Iconic Colourful Landmark by the Singapore River

Posted on June 30, 2024 by Remember Singapore

Originally called the Hill Street Police Station and Barracks, the majestic six-storey Neoclassical-style colonial building was Singapore’s largest government building when it was completed at a cost of about $634,000 in 1934. It was dubbed by the British as one … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Historic | Tagged Coleman Bridge, Frank Dorrington Ward, Harold Fairburn, High Street, Hill Street, Hill Street Building, Hill Street Police Station, MICA Building, Ministry of Communications and Information, Ministry of Culture Community and Youth, Ministry of Information and The Arts, Ministry of Information Communications and the Arts, MITA Building, National Archives of Singapore, Old Hill Street Police Station, Public Works Department, River Valley Road, Singapore Police Creche, Singapore River | 3 Comments

Exploring the Marsiling Tunnels

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Remember Singapore

Hidden in a small forested hill at Marsiling, the Marsiling Tunnels refer to a mysterious underground bunker when they were rediscovered in the early 2000s. It turned out to be the Woodlands North Depot, an oil reserve station built by … Continue reading →

Posted in Exotic, Historic | Tagged Admiralty Road West, Battle Of Singapore, Japanese Occupation, Marsiling Crescent, Marsiling Road, Marsiling Tunnels, National Library Board, Royal Air Force, Second World War, Woodlands North Depot | Leave a comment

Sago Lane’s Grim History of “Death Houses”

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Remember Singapore

According to a 1840s map, Sago Street appeared earlier than Sago Lane. Sago Street was located at the westernmost boundary of the Chinatown area, a Chinese precinct created as part of the British’s town planning and ethnic segregation in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural, Historic | Tagged Almeida Street, Banda Street, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Bukit Pasoh, Chinatown, Chinatown Complex, Chinese Death House, Chinese Middle School Riots, Dickinson Hill, Hong Lim Complex, Housing And Development Board, Kreta Ayer Community Centre, Kreta Ayer Complex, Kreta Ayer People's Theatre, Mosque Street, Pagoda Street, Sago Lane, Sago Street, Singapore 1960s, Singapore 1970s, Smith Street, Temple Street, Upper Chin Chew Street, Upper Hokien Street, Upper Macao Street, Upper Nankin Street, Upper Pickering Street | 4 Comments

50 Years of Toa Payoh Swimming Complex and Stadium

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Remember Singapore

Toa Payoh Sports Centre’s 50-year-old legacy has come to an end as the complex will be making way for the new Toa Payoh Integrated Development expected to be ready by 2030. Located along Toa Payoh Lorong 6, the sports centre, … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic, Nostalgic | Tagged ActiveSG, Ang Peng Siong, Balester Khalsa Football Club, Housing And Development Board, Joscelin Yeo, Junie Sng, National Day Parade, People's Association, Residents' Committee, SEA Games, SEAP Games, SEAP Games Village, Singapore 1970s, Singapore 1980s, Singapore Amateur Swimming Association, Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, Singapore Sports Council, Singapore Swimming Association, Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, Toa Payoh, Toa Payoh Lorong 6, Toa Payoh Sports Centre, Toa Payoh Stadium, Toa Payoh Swimming Complex, Toa Payoh Town Centre, Toa Payoh Town Park, Youth Olympic Games | 1 Comment

The “Black Bridge” of Orh Kio Tau

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Remember Singapore

In the past, the area along Havelock Road, between Zion Road and Delta Road, was colloquially known as orh kio tau (乌桥头) by the local Chinese. The name, literally “black bridge head” in Hokkien and Teochew, means “starting from the … Continue reading →