People
In Search of Silvestr
Sparked by a box of old family documents, Jan Beránek embarked on an eight-year quest that brough him from a small Czech village to modern Singapore to uncover the life of his granduncle who died during the Japanese invasion of Singapore.
The House of Cheang
The Cheangs were once one of Singapore’s most illustrious Baba-Nonya families.
Forgotten Photographs of the 1952 Trip to Bali
A treasure trove of negatives found in an old shoebox sheds new light on a trip that led to an exhibition now regarded as a milestone in the history of Singapore art.
A Bridge Between East and West
Liu Kang’s works show the influence of Western artists such as Cézanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh and Matisse, as well as the tradition of Chinese ink painting.
The Liu Kang Collection: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man”
The Liu Kang Collection at the National Library Singapore provides an intimate look at the creative process of one of Singapore’s most celebrated artists.
Uncovering the Origins of Badang the Strongman
Relics of Badang the Strongman can be found throughout the region. But who was this enigmatic figure?
Barbara Kerr: Sharpshooter, School Principal, Girl Guide Extraordinaire
Barbara Kerr made contributions to the Girl Guides, sports and animal welfare. She was also a talented soprano.
In Good Hands: The Calligraphy of Ustaz Syed Abdul Rahman Al-Attas
The master calligrapher’s artworks not only adorn physical spaces but are also found in Malay print publications.
John Sturgus Bastin: A Memoir
The late Dr John Bastin was the leading authority on Stamford Raffles, having published more than 20 books and many essays on Raffles.
Japanese Anglicans in World War II Singapore
During the Japanese Occupation, four Japanese Anglicans were a sign of hope for the locals during a dark chapter in Singapore’s history.
W. Somerset Maugham: Secrets from the Outstations
The former newsreader AGS Danaraj was also a pioneering town planner, who always made time to help the less fortunate.
Eu Tong Sen’s “Pearl Under the Burning Tropical Sun”
The grandeur and opulence of Eu Villa on Mount Sophia was unrivalled in its heyday.
Remembering AGS Danaraj: Pioneer Town Planner and News Reader
The former newsreader AGS Danaraj was also a pioneering town planner, who always made time to help the less fortunate.
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
A man looks at his grandfather with new eyes after a mysterious envelope is found in an old workman’s outfit that was about to be thrown away.
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.
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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.
S R Nathan: 50 Stories from My Life
The late S R Nathan published seven books in his lifetime, but his most accessible is probably 50 Stories from My Life. These two selections offer contrasting glimpses of the man who was President of Singapore from 1999–2011.
Soft Hands But Steely Hearts: Women and Their Art
A coterie of women sculptors in Singapore has successfully redefined this once male-dominated art form. Nadia Arianna Bte Ramli tells you more.
悲悯人生: 陈瑞献的文艺创作 (The Works of Tan Swie Hian)
Tan Swie Hian, whose paintings have fetched record prices, was in fact better known for his literary prowess when he first emerged in the arts scene. Jessie Yak highlights some of his poems, short stories and fables.
Baring Mind and Soul – Tan Swie Hian
After a long absence of 43 years, Singapore’s celebrated multi-hyphenate artist returns to the National Library with a new solo exhibition. Chung Sang Hong tells you more.
Eu Tong Sen and His Business Empire 余东旋与他的商业帝国
The Koh Seow Chuan Collection at the National Library includes documents from the illustrious businessman Eu Tong Sen. Seow Peck Ngiam describes some of its highlights.
Angels in White: Early Nursing in Singapore
In the 1820s, some “nurses” in Singapore were actually chained convicts. Pattarin Kusolpalin chronicles the history of nursing from 1819 until Independence.
The Fruit of His Labour: David Marshall’s Old Apple Tree
Singapore’s fiery Chief Minister used to hold court under an apple tree at Empress Place. But was it really an apple tree? Marcus Ng separates fact from fiction.
Singapore’s First Japanese Resident: Yamamoto Otokichi
A sailor travels halfway around the world in his attempt to return home, and becomes the first Japanese resident in Singapore in the process. Bonny Tan tells the story.
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.
Gaston Mèliès and His Lost Films of Singapore
Gaston Méliès may be the first filmmaker to have directed fiction films in Singapore. Unfortunately, none have survived the ravages of time. Raphaël Millet tells you why.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mohamed Eunos Abdullah: The Father of Malay Journalism
The Eunos area in the east of Singapore is named after the pioneer, Mohamed Eunos Abdullah. Mazelan Anuar traces his legacy.
The Music, Madness and Magic of Dick Lee
The “Mad Chinaman” was probably the first to push the boundaries of popular music in Singapore. Joy Loh profiles the enfant terrible of entertainment.
Singapore’s Sporting Greats
Chua Chong Jin recalls the glory and achievements of some of Singapore’s greatest athletes.
A Nation of Islands
Darwin in Cambridge & Wallace in the Malay Archipelago
Research is still turning up new findings about the lives and science of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace. Among other things, Dr John van Wyhe addresses the misconception that Darwin cheated Wallace of his rightful place in history.
On the Trail of Francis P. Ng: Author of F.M.S.R.
In her effort to republish one of our unknown literary treasures, Dr Eriko Ogihara-Schuck tracks down the elusive Francis P. Ng, author of possibly the first notable work of poetry in English by a Singapore writer.
Lee Kip Lin: Kampung Boy Conservateur
Aw Boon Haw and His Tiger Balm Newspaper Advertisements 1916–1954
Tales of the Dragon’s Tooth Strait
Lee Meiyu offers us a glimpse of pre-colonial Singapore as seen through the eyes of the 14th-century Chinese traveller Wang Dayuan.
邱菽园与晚清政府四位福建籍高官的交往
Professor Zhang Renfeng pieces together the lives of the Fujian people and the helping hand offered by the Overseas Chinese to their homeland through letters between poet Khoo Seok Wan and Chinese officials from Fujian, China.
Remembering John Turnbull Thomson
Timothy Pwee introduces the life, times and works of John Turnbull Thomson, engineer, painter, Government Surveyor and Superintendent of Public Works of Singapore.
Going Places: The Place Poetry of Singapore
Heat and Rain in the Poetry of Khoo Seok Wan
Suratman Markasan: Malay Literature and Social Memory
Azhar Ibrahim examines how the illustrious Malay writer Suratman Markasan uses literature as a means to propagate ideas and mark signposts in our social memory.
邱菽园与康有为的友谊与交往 — 再读邱菽园后人王清建先生珍藏历史文献
Based on letters exchanged by Khoo Seok Wan and Kang You Wei, Professor Zhang Renfeng debunks myths about their friendship and provides insight into historical events during the late Qing Dynasty.
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.
The Unlikely Composer: Tsao Chieh
Despite his untimely death at the age of 43, Singaporean composer Tsao Chieh’s legacy lives on — immortalised through his small but significant body of experimental works. Jun Zubillaga-Pow traces the life of this underrated artist.
A Tale of Many Hands
There’s more to the hand than meets the eye, as Tan Huism found out when she curated an exhibition using the motif of hands for the National Library recently.
Singapore Men of Science and Medicine in China (1911–1949)
Wayne Soon sheds light on the enduring and underrated legacy of Overseas Chinese doctors such as Lim Boon Keng and Robert Lim on China’s medical institutions.
