Featured image credit: singas.co.uk

Senica Photos would like to dedicate this post to our nation’s late founding father, Mr. Lee who passed on on 23rd March 2015.

With the long weekend approaching, the initial intention of this post was to feature Tanjong Pagar Railway station as a place to consider visiting over the weekend, as it’s only open on Public Holidays. However, while searching for photos of the station, I came across many old photos of Singapore which I have never seen. Familiar places such as North Bridge road, Bugis street, Chinatown etc, were barely recognisable.

Here are some of the amazing photos. Enjoy!

Contents:
1-4. 1900s
5-9. 1940s
10-15. 1950s
16-27. 1960s
28-37. 1970s
38-39. 1980s
40-66. Undated Photos

1. Collyer Quay Singapore, 1900s

Collyer Quay Singapore, 1900s. National Archive Singapore

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

2. Collyer Quay, 1900

Collyer Quay, 1900. National Archive Singapore

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

3. Tank Road Railway Station, 1900

Tank road railyway station, 1900. National Archive Singapore

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

4. Victoria Theatre under construction, 1905

Victoria Theatre under construction, 1905. Simon McDonald

Photo Credit: Simon Mcdonald

5. Opium Den, 1941

men eating and sleeping in opium denPhoto Credit: Simon Mcdonald

6. Singapore General Post Office, 1945

Photo Credit: myfareast.org

7. Chijmes, 1945

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

8. Chijmes, undated

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

9. The Entrance to Happy World Amusement Park, 1946

The entrance to Happy World Amusement Park, 1946. Esther Kofod

Photo Credit: Esther Kofod

10. Changi Prison, 1950

Changi Prison, circa 1950 Photo Credit: rafchangi.com

11. Kallang Airport, 1950

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

12. Skyline of Singapore (Raffles Place), 1950

raffles place, 1950-foundilyPhoto Credit: Foundily

13. Capitol Theatre, undated

Photo Credit: Simon Mcdonald

14. Capitol Theatre, 1950-1960

Photo Credit: Simon Mcdonald

15. Cathay Cinema, 1956

Cathay Cinema, 1956. Singas.co.ukPhoto Credit: Singas.co.uk

16. Chulia Street, 1960s

Photo Credit: Simon Mcdonald

17. Lido Cinema and Shaw House, 1960s

Photo Credit: Remember Singapore

18. Day and night market at Jalan Kayu, 1960s

Singapore - Day and night market at Jala Kayu in the 1960s. www.Esther Kofod.comPhoto Credit: Esther Kofod

19. Household in Chinatown, 1960

“Upper levels of a shophouse in the Chinatown area. Men engage in conversation on one level while children have a meal a level below them. An urn for religious worship hangs outside the window. A wooden box (right) based on the pulley method is used to haul food bought from street hawkers to the upper floors.”

– Simon Mcdonald

 

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

20. Changi Village, 1962

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

21. Bussorah St, 1965

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

22. Albert St, 1966

Photo Credit: Foundily

Photo Credit: kknews.cc

23. Serangoon Road, 1966

Photo Credit: Foundily

24. Sembawang, 1967

Photo Credit: Foundily

25. Orchard Road, 1969

Photo Credit: Simon Mcdonald

26. C K Tang Department Store at Orchard Road, 1960s

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

27. Fortune-teller in Chinatown, 1960s

Photo Credit: nowhere.per.sg

28. Eu Tong Sen Street, 1970s

Eu Tong Sen, 1970s. National Archive Singapore

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

29. Chinatown, 1970s

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

30. Lau Pa Sat, 1970s

The 145-year old Telok Ayer Market – one of Singapore’s historic landmarks – is to be preserved and renovated. But the Shenton Way part of it, which has no historic value, is being demolished. To Singaporeans, this market is known as ‘Lau Pa Sat’ or Old Market. – Singapore Press Holdings (SPH)

Photo Credit: National Archives Singapore

31. Singapore Airlines at Paya Lebar Airport, 1970s

Singapore Airlines at Paya Lebar Airport 1960s. Photo by derektait on FlickrPhoto Credit: Derek Tait

32. Public toilet at Clarke Quay, 1970s

nullPhoto Credit: National Archive Singapore

33. Chartered Bank (Fullerton), 1970

Photo Credit: Foundily

34. Change Alley at Raffles Place, 1970

Change Alley 'Keep Singapore Clean and Pollution Free'Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

35. Fish monger, 1972

Fish Monger, 1972. Jean-Claude Latombe

Photo Credit: Jean-Claude Latombe

36. Street of Singapore, 1972

Street of Singapore, 1972. Jean-Claude LatombePhoto Credit: Jean-Claude Latombe

37. Singapore River, 1972

Singapore River, 1972. Jean-Claude LatombePhoto Credit: Jean-Claude Latombe

38. Singapore River, 1980

Singapore River, 1980. Remember SingaporePhoto Credit: Remember Singapore

39. Chinatown Market, 1983

This was also the year street hawkers were told to move out.

Chinatown Market, 1983. Nostalgic Singapore

Photo Credit: Nostalgic Singapore

40. Admirable Samsui women, undated

According to the uploader, the samsui women in the picture were involved in the construction of a HDB.

 

samsui women building HDB buildings-Simon McdonaldPhoto Credit: Simon Mcdonald

41. Tanjong Pagar railway station, undated

Tanjong pagar railway station, undated. Simon McdonaldPhoto Credit: Simon Mcdonald

42. Tanjong Pagar Police Station, undated

Tanjong Pagar Police Station, undated. National Archive Singapore

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

43. Overseas Union Bank (OUB) godowns, undated

Photo Credit: National Archive Singapore

44. Chartered Bank at Raffles Place, Battery Road, undated

Photo Credit: Ray Tyers’ Singapore Then & Now

45. Satay Club at Beach Road, undated

Photo Credit: Simon Mcdonald

46. Old Ponggol Seafood Restaurant, undated

Photo Credit: National Library Board

47. Charcoal Traders, undated

Photo Credit: Simon Mcdonald

48. Cathay Cinema, undated

Cathay It's always fair weatherPhoto Credit: National Archive Singapore

49. Clifford Pier at Collyer Quay, undated

Photo Credit: Simon Mcdonald

50. Singapore River, undated

Singapore River, undated. Singas.co.ukPhoto Credit: Singas.co.uk

51. Singapore River, undated

men transporting burlap sacks on boatPhoto Credit: Simon Mcdonald

52. The junction of Circular Road with North Bridge Road, undated

Junction of Circular Road with North Bridge Road, undated. Singas.co.uk

Photo Credit: Singas.co.uk

53. Junction of Race Course Lane and Serangoon Road, undated

Serangoon Road. 211 is at junction of Race Course Lane and Serangoon Road-singas.co.ukPhoto Credit: Singas.co.uk

54. Tampines Road and Upper Serangoon Road Junction, undated

Photo Credit: 4.bp_.blogspot.com

55. Bras Basah Road, undated

Photo Credit: Singas.co.uk

56. Vegetable farm, undated

Vegetable Farm, undated. Singas.co.uk

Photo Credit: Singas.co.uk

57. Celebration of Chinese New Year, undated

null

Photo Credit: Nostalgic Singapore

58. Chinatown Market, undated

Chinatown Market, undated. Singas.co.uk

Photo Credit: Singas.co.uk

59. New Bridge Road, undated

street filled with cars and buses, and ovaltine billboardsPhoto Credit: nowhere.per.sg

60. Bugis Street, undated

nullPhoto Credit: nowhere.per.sg

61. Bugis Street eatery, undated

Photo Credit: nowhere.per.sg

62. Drive-in movie theatre at Jurong, undated

Photo Credit: nowhere.per.sg

63. Plaza Singapura, undated

Photo Credit: Capitaland Malls

64. Masjid Sultan Mosque, undated

Located along Muscat Street and North Bridge Road at Kampong Glam precinct in Singapore. Designated a national monument in 1975. 

Masjid Sultan Mosque, undated. Singas.co.uk

Photo Credit: Singas.co.uk

65. Queen St, undated

Photo Credit: nowhere.per.sg

66. Empress Place, undated

Photo Credit: nowhere.per.sg

Wow you made it here! 🙂 These old photos of Singapore illustrate our nation’s amazing transition into what we are today. We hope you share these nostalgic memories with your family and friends!

If you have any old photos of Singapore that you’d like to share with us, please drop us your photo at monica@senicaphotos.com!

Reader’s Contribution

虎豹别墅, Haw Par Villa, 1962/1963

Photo: Richard Pang

Post edited by Maddy, 18 February 2020.