People
Singapore’s Pioneer Cartoonists
Cartoons today may be seen as kids’ stuff but many of the early cartoonists were ideologically motivated, and they drew cartoons to bring about social and political change.
S. Rajaratnam: The Lion’s Roar
The second volume of S. Rajaratnam’s authorised biography – The Lion’s Roar – was launched in July 2024. In her introduction to the book, extracted here, author Irene Ng explains how the journalist-turned-politician was a critical figure in Singapore’s early years.
A Scientific Adventure: The Life and Legacy of Dr Lee Kum Tatt
Dr Lee Kum Tatt was instrumental in the development of Singapore’s scientific and industrial landscape.
The Search for a “Lost” Towkay of Malaya
The writer’s attempt to trace the contours of his grandfather’s life was complicated by the fact that, unknown to him, his grandfather had more than one name.
Cikgu Asfiah Abdullah: A Cultural Luminary
A former teacher and mak andam fulfils her dream by writing a book on Malay recipes in 1986, the first all-Malay cookbook from Times Books International.
Reconstructing Charles Darwin’s Lost Library
Almost 20 years of painstaking scouring and sleuth work have resulted in what is probably the largest and most comprehensive resource on Charles Darwin.
Pioneering Local Journalist R.B. Ooi
As a journalist, R.B. Ooi always had his finger on the pulse of Malaya, bringing to the fore issues at the heart of the nation.
Joseph Conrad’s Singapore
Joseph Conrad’s visits to Singapore in the late 19th century are immortalised in some of his novels, such as Lord Jim, The End of the Tether and The Shadow-Line.
Interview with Victor Savage, Co-author of Singapore Street Names: A Study of Toponymics
From Desker Road to Xilin Avenue, street signs around Singapore recall the lives of people whose stories are a part of the nation’s history.
Conquering the World’s Tallest Mountain
David Lim led the first Singapore expedition team that successfully scaled Mount Everest on 25 May 1998. This is an excerpt from his book, Mountain to Climb: The Quest from Everest and Beyond.
Chia Boon Leong: The Twinkle-Toed Olympian
Although short in stature, footballer Chia Boon Leong was a force to be reckoned with.
Remembering William Lim
The late architect William Lim did more than shape Singapore’s skyline. He was also deeply passionate about urban planning, culture, the arts and engaging the next generation.
The Curious Visit of Qing Ambassadors to Singapore
The visit by Qing officials to Singapore in 1876 led to the establishment of the first Chinese consulate here a year later.
Coach Choo Seng Quee, A Giant of Singapore Football
Uncle Choo masterminded Singapore’s famous Malaysia Cup victory in 1977. Four decades after his death, we remember his many contributions to the sport.
Tok Sumang: A Translation
A story about Wak Sumang, a man of great wisdom and many talents, and the founder of Kampong Punggol.
Neo Tiew: The Man Who Built Lim Chu Kang
The opening up of Lim Chu Kang owes much to the efforts of Neo Tiew, who helped clear the land and later became the headman of the area.
Khoo Hooi Hye, Lim Bong Soo and the Heyday of Malayan Tennis
Two remarkable athletes served up a storm to make Malaya a tennis power to contend with during the interwar years.
Subaraj Rajathurai: A Voice for the Wild
A gentle giant with a larger-than-life personality, Subaraj Rajathurai helped to save Singapore’s green spaces.
My Grandfather Was a Rōmusha
During World War II, forced civilian labourers known as rōmushas were used by the Imperial Japanese Army for hard labour. They helped to build the Death Railway.
Loke Wan Tho: The Man Who Built Cathay
While best known as a giant in the movie business in Malaya, Loke Wan Tho was also passionate about bird photography and the arts.
Loke Wan Tho: A Photo Essay
Loke Wan Tho was a renaissance man, says his niece, Choo Meileen, chairwoman of Cathay Organisation.
A Royal Wedding Gone Wrong: The 1820 Uprising in Riau That Brought the Bugis to Singapore
Celebrations during a royal wedding in Tanjung Pinang in 1819 led to a terrible misunderstanding that would change the course of history in Riau and Singapore.
Giving a Voice to the Dead: Remembering Chao Tzee Cheng
As a forensic pathologist, Chao Tzee Cheng helped bring murderers to justice.
The Orang Seletar: Rowing Across Changing Tides
Singapore was once a home to the seafaring Orang Seletar who now reside in Johor Bahru. Ilya Katrinnada takes them on a tour around Singapore visiting Merlion Park, Sembawang Park and Lower Seletar Reservoir Park.
Cinema Pioneer Tan Cheng Kee
The Alhambra and Marlborough theatres were famous landmarks in pre-war Singapore. Barbara Quek looks at these cinemas, and the man behind the curtain.
The “Tiger” in Singapore: Georges Clemenceau’s Visit in 1920
Lim Tin Seng looks back at Clemenceau’s visit to Singapore 100 years ago.
Karikal Mahal: The Lost Palace of a Fallen Cattle King
William L. Gibson uncovers the story behind the pair of grand buildings along Still Road South.
Stamford Raffles and the Two French Naturalists
Two young French naturalists were hired by Stamford Raffles in December 1818 to collect wildlife specimens in the region and they were with him when Raffles landed in Singapore in 1819. Danièle Weiler looks at their life and work.
The Plague Fighter: Dr Wu Lien-Teh and His Work
Kevin Y.L. Tan tells us how Penang-born doctor Wu Lien-Teh fought the pneumonic plague in Manchuria and popularised the use of face masks.
Sang Nila Utama: Separating Myth from Reality
Sang Nila Utama helped established the legitimacy of the Melaka Sultanate, says Derek Heng.
Witness to History
Major-General Feng Yee represented China at the Japanese surrender ceremony here. Seow Peck Ngiam tells us about his life.
The King’s Chinese: The Life of Sir Song Ong Siang
Kevin Y.L. Tan pens a portrait of the first person in Malaya to be knighted and the author of One Hundred Years’ History of the Chinese in Singapore.
Fleeing to Uncertainty: My Father’s Story
Barely 13 years old then, K. Ramakanthan and his family escaped with their lives from Perak to Johor during the Japanese Occupation. Aishwariyaa Ramakanthan recounts her father’s harrowing journey.
Exploring an Artist’s Mind: The Tan Swie Hian Collection
What makes the difference between a good artist and a brilliant one? Goh Yu Mei delves into the books and artworks that have inspired a literary and artistic genius.
From the Archives: The Work of Photographer KF Wong
K.F. Wong shot to international fame with his images of Borneo, though not without controversy. Zhuang Wubin examines Wong’s work and sees beyond their historical value.
Pioneers of the Archives
Fiona Tan tells us about the people who laid the bedrock of the National Archives of Singapore, along with details of how the institution has evolved since its inception in 1938.
Researching S. Rajaratnam
Writing a biography can be tedious, painstaking work. But the effort can also be uplifting and inspirational, as Irene Ng discovered when she began researching the life of S. Rajaratnam.
Farquhar & Raffles: The Untold Story
The founding of Singapore in 1819 and its early development have traditionally been attributed to Sir Stamford Raffles. Nadia Wright claims that his role has been exaggerated at the expense of another.
Iron Spearhead: The Story of a Communist Hitman
Ronnie Tan and Goh Yu Mei recount the story of a ruthless Malayan Communist Party cadre whose cold-blooded murders caused a sensation in Singapore in the 1950s.
Creative Collectives: Abdul Ghani Abdul Hamid and His Contemporaries
Nadia Ramli traces the history of the Malay art scene in early Singapore through a collection of art-related ephemera, catalogues and publications at the National Library.
In Honour of War Heroes: The Legacy of Colin St Clair Oakes
Who was the architect behind Singapore’s Kranji War Cemetery and other similar memorials in South and Southeast Asia? Athanasios Tsakonas has the story.
Malay Seafarers in Liverpool
Tim Bunnell speaks to former Malay sailors who reside in the English city and learns how they manage to sustain their identity in a city so removed from home.
Mr Song’s European Escapade
Ong Eng Chuan pores through the faded colonial-era postcards of Peranakan luminary Song Ong Siang to piece together highlights of his 10-month European sojourn.
Scots in Singapore: Remembering Their Legacy
Cheah Hwei-Fe’n examines the impact of print media on the time-honoured craft of Peranakan embroidery and beadwork.
Micro India: The Chettiars of Market Street
Market Street, in the heart of the business district, was where Indian moneylenders ran a thriving trade during the colonial era. Marcus Ng traces the imprint left by the Chettiars.
An Unusual Ambition: The Early Librarians
Bonny Tan traces the careers of little-known librarians, Padma Daniel and her mentor Kate Edith Savage-Bailey, and the circumstances that led to their career choices in pre-war Singapore.
Reel Life Singapore: The Films of Clyde E. Elliott
Clyde Elliott was the first Hollywood director to shoot a feature film in Singapore. Chua Ai Lin examines the authenticity of the three movies he produced here in the 1930s.
Murder Most Malevolent
Sunny Ang, Mimi Wong, Adrian Lim and John Martin Scripps are some of the most cold-blooded murderers in Singapore’s crime history. Sharon Teng revisits their horrific acts.
The Guitar Man: Alex Abisheganaden
Hailed as the “Father of the Guitar”, Alex Abisheganaden, who died on 17 March, 2023, spent the last five decades championing the classical guitar. Joy Loh charts his illustrious career.
The Doctor Turned Diplomat: John Crawfurd’s Writings on the Malay Peninsula
John Crawfurd, the 19th-century British colonial administrator, was known for his insightful writings on ethnology and history in the Malay Peninsula. Wilbert Wong examines the ideas of this visionary scholar and thinker.
Meeting with the Sea
Melissa De Silva mulls over what it is to be Eurasian in this evocative short story that takes her back to the Portuguese Settlement in Malacca.
Chaplin in Singapore
One of history’s greatest comic actors, Charlie Chaplin, stops over in Singapore in 1932 and makes a return visit in 1936. Raphaël Millet traces these journeys.
Ties that Bind: The Story of Two Brother Poets
An American Studies scholar unravels a decades-old mystery surrounding a bone fragment and uncovers a brotherly bond from beyond the grave. Michelle Heng has the story.
Claudius Henry Thomsen: A Pioneer in Malay Printing
Danish missionary Claudius Henry Thomsen produced some of the earliest Malay-language publications in Singapore and the Malay Peninsula. Bonny Tan sheds light on this pioneer printer.
From Pauper to Philanthropist: The Tan Tock Seng Story
Sue-Ann Chia traces the classic rags-to-riches story of a vegetable seller turned land speculator who left a hospital named after him in Singapore.