Chronicles of Old Singapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Conservationist Tony O’Dempsey aka Uncle Tony talks about the history of the conservation movement in Singapore and how the Nature Society of Singapore adopted a moderate science-based approach – ‘wisdom and pleasant speech’ – to engage the government. Today, as new housing projects target our diminishing forests at the Gillman Barracks, Maju and Sunset Way, this dialogue will be more relevant than ever.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/_vjE_suS99E Part 2 | https://youtu.be/klLBlvczE3M 00:00 Beginning of Conservation04:26 Nature Society of Singapore08:15 People’s Relationship with Forests11:28 Wisdom & Pleasant Speech15:26 People’s Role in Conservation19:48 Gillman Barracks25:19 Nature & Heritage31:30 New BookWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Winston Wong talks about the Gillman Barracks not as a standalone British base, but as part of the massive Pasir Panjang-Ayer Rajah Military Complex. It was a transit camp for the School of Combat Engineers, which moved out in a few years. As we discuss the likely environmental and historical impact of the HDB’s plan to redevelop Gillman around nature, Winston is concerned that it would be difficult to strike a balance between heritage, nature and development. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/41X1lZL5CBM Part 2 | https://youtu.be/RtRWXt9orDY00:00 The Buildings Today07:09 R&D11:47 Ayer Rajah Military Complex13:37 The Mudslide14:47 Notorious Reputation16:10 Transit Camp20:10 The HDB Plans24:18 The Footprint Issue29:14 Combat Engineers’ HeritageWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Sukhdev Singh Gill joined the Singapore Police Force in 1969. He remembers his father, who was a jaga (watchman) for various employers, and the formidable Sikh jagas in the old days. He talks about key Sikh temples in Singapore and how important they were for the Sikh groups.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/yrwMp7NRj0Y Part 2 | https://youtu.be/Vowo8sDLBmk Part 3 | https://youtu.be/p-uLp9hkWBg Part 4 | https://youtu.be/QOjXxK6UxtI00:00 Introduction00:58 Joining the Police Force03:19 My Parents08:27 The Sikhs as Jagas11:48 The Kaurs18:08 Outdoors21:17 Sikh Temples28:30 Economic Role of Temples32:25 My TrilogySukhdev’s books:Boh cheng hoo: a Sikh boy in Hokkien ganglandhttps://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/search/card?id=d9a97a7b-3534-5db2-9281-f87020349847&entityType=FormatGroupBang cheng hoo: a Sikh man in SG police forcehttps://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/search/card?id=620f135a-c12b-5ded-9b00-d747bb46962a&entityType=FormatGroupGong cheng hoo: a Sikh elder in Sulawesi & SG politicshttps://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/search/card?id=8a184efd-f699-595e-8896-64910dc74851&entityType=FormatGroupWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Upon graduating from SJI in 1964, Matthew Lui joined the newly formed Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) as a harbour pilot. Close to the dawn of Singapore’s independence, he was among a pioneer group of local pilots being trained to take over from the departing British pilots. As a young cadet and later as a certified pilot, he sailed on Dutch and other ships to ports around the world.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/10ykZ-kUKME Part 2 | https://youtu.be/tm7BLGRysIE Part 3 | https://youtu.be/cmg1KDdGzic00:00 My Certificate09:03 Harbour Pilot20:52 Being Observant23:15 British Pilots26:21 The Cadet32:09 World JourneysWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. The qiaopi (remittance letters) came to light in the Teochew hit film Dear You. Local Teochew Jeffrey Eng shows us his large collection, except these were in finger-sized envelopes. Jeff talks about the messages and remittances that linked three generations of the Engs with their home village in Chaozhou. The letters capture major changes in the histories of Singapore and China from the 1930s to the 2000s.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/WdXYrCIj3UI Part 2 | https://youtu.be/H95nfHI9yrM Part 3 | https://youtu.be/89Vj7nBG3s400:00 Introduction02:02 Dear You06:50 Grandfather was an Immigrant09:46 My Qiaopi15:20 Remittances23:38 Father’s (& My) Remittances36:04 Home Village40:37 Grandfather was a ShopkeeperWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

欢迎来到旧新加坡记事录。德信药行于2025年获认定为传统的旧行业。周启仕医师回顾了新加坡中医与食疗的历史及发展历程，并探讨了在中医如何配合健康SG（Healthier SG）政策，助力民众养生保健及疾病预防。Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Teck Soon Medical Hall was recognised as a heritage business in 2025. Physician Chow Khai Shui traces the history and development of TCM and food therapy in Singapore. He talks about how Chinese medicine can contribute to wellness and prevention of illness under the Healthier SG policy. 第一集 Part 1 | https://youtu.be/-nwkrk8MB2U 第二集 Part 2 | https://youtu.be/syQpSdWZbpE00:00 西药 Western Medicine07:14 持续教育 Professional Development10:48 中医名家 Famous TCM Masters15:53 药用动物 Medicinal Animals19:16 健康SG Healthier SG23:27 传统的旧行业Heritage BusinessTeck Soon Medical Hall: https://tecksoonsg.com/ Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Conservationist Tony O’Dempsey aka Uncle Tony talks about the history of forests in Singapore through the 19th and 20th centuries. Through a number of self-made maps, he shows how they fared against successive plantation crops like gambier, tapioca and rubber and the impetus for creating forest reserves. In the mid-20th century, another wave of change and destruction began as the Garden City took shape. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/_vjE_suS99E Part 2 | https://youtu.be/klLBlvczE3M00:00 Introduction01:15 Interest in Forests06:06 SG Primeval09:32 Mid-19th Century16:17 Gambier, Gambier Everywhere21:46 Late-19th Century35:47 Forest Reserves40:00 Coconut & Tapioca42:16 Early 20th century46:43 Secondary Forests55:52 21st CenturyWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Older Singaporeans are generally keen to share their nostalgia for the past, but less so on controversial topics. This was what I found when I started researching the great fire at Bukit Ho Swee. The memory of public housing there will always been tied hand in glove with the widespread rumours of arson. In this podcast, I talk about what the rumours say about Singaporeans' relationship with their pasts. I also discuss how community groups and researchers can use oral history to document the shared memories of our heritage. 00:00 Introduction02:24 Subjectivity as a Strength06:19 Nostalgia vs. Silence09:00 Whose Memories?12:28 Rumours of Arson14:05 Maggie Chong16:05 Heartless Beasts18:53 Tay Ah Chuan21:17 Undying Rumours23:32 Community Oral Histories24:59 Possibilities28:01 3 Tips for Oral History31:14 ConclusionWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Winston Wong remembers Gillman Barracks in the early 1970s. Trained in bomb disposal, he moved with the School of Combat Engineers from Blakang Mati (which was becoming Sentosa) to the former British camp. Near the camp was the village of Heap Guan San, whose residents had worked as gardeners and cooks for the British forces. There was also the Bourne School where the forces' children had studied.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/41X1lZL5CBM Part 2 | https://youtu.be/RtRWXt9orDY00:00 Introduction02:50 Leaving Blakang Mati06:17 Pulau Brani10:12 Gillman Today17:39 Heap Guan San Village22:16 School of Combat Engineers25:18 Forested Areas28:13 Block 9 & Regal Cinema29:59 Bourne School33:01 Environmental ImpactWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Frederick Puah, owner of British Hainan Restaurant at Kallang Way, talks about his Hainanese roots. His father was a cook for a British family and later a sailor, while his mother was a strong woman who ran the household while he was away.Full episodes:Part 1 | https://youtu.be/RFOhmO4ZTQ8Part 2 | https://youtu.be/V-qqatZ9eoIPart 3 | https://youtu.be/UVFN7CEuDik00:00 Introduction02:48 Father was a Cook05:32 Oxtail Stew07:53 Sailing13:59 Kampong Loyang16:25 Mother was StrictBritish Hainan: https://british-hainan.com/ Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. In Part 2 of the walkthrough, ChanPeew Wan takes us through the famous H.M. Terror and Beaulieu House, as well as the Asian School (which became Naval Base School) and the shops before Sembawang Gate. He remembers the drunken British servicemen falling into drains but also the massive change to the Asian community when they were relocated from the base to the JTC flats at 14 Mile, Sembawang. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/RY4-YQ-sUfk Part 2 | https://youtu.be/MQ22A-iCHW000:00 Terror Barracks & Sultan Cinema04:40 Water Tower & Old Medical Quarters08:54 Asian School10:34 Wah Hin & Cold Storage16:33 ANZUK & the American Forces18:22 Beaulieu House 22:29 Sembawang Village23:46 Drinking Culture28:40 JTC Flats31:24 Parenting & Loss of Community

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Former naval architect Lee Kok Leong talks about his love for the twakows of his childhood along the Singapore River. These wooden boats, called lighters in English, were vital to Singapore’s trade, carrying cargo over the last mile of water. Kok Leong remembers the masters who built these remarkable boats, the tough men who worked on them, and how the industry folded when loose cargo was replaced by the standardised box called the container in the '70s.https://youtu.be/R9tUS3PP5FU00:00 Introduction01:09 Boats of My Childhood06:03 Tua-kor10:09 Origins of Twakow14:10 The Lightermen21:01 Last Mile of Water25:28 Workhorses of the Economy29:05 The Builders32:37 Sea Coolies39:32 Cargo & Covers43:55 Lighter Business44:59 Container Revolution50:18 Twakow as Heritage53:29 Current ProjectsLee Kok Leong李国樑:新加坡河的船事, https://navalants.blogspot.com/2016/05/blog-post_6.html驳船苦力走过斑驳岁月 Kuli working on lighters, https://navalants.blogspot.com/2017/05/kuli-working-on-lighters.html 新加坡的木船时代, https://navalants.blogspot.com/2021/10/blog-post.html 拥抱新中潮汕情的古老臂弯：粤东第一大港樟林港, https://navalants.blogspot.com/2019/09/blog-post_6.html广东妈姐, https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/book-detail?cmsuuid=3a55f548-7bb7-43e2-adb2-d7140b6d4327Toh Lam Huat, Peng Lee Er & Lim Jen Erh, Kindred Waters – Stories of the Jinjiang Coolie Community in Singapore (江河情缘),https://singapore.kinokuniya.com/Kindred_Waters:_Stories_of_The_Jinjiang_Coolie_Community_In_Singapore/bw/9789815319880Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

In Part 2, Reynold Godwin Pereira recounts one of the most iconic moments in Uncle Choo’s coaching career – winning the Malaysia Cup in 1977. We reflect on how Singapore could build upon Uncle Choo's larger-than-life legacy by giving local coaches more opportunities and support to develop football from the grassroots, as Belgium did with its Golden Generation in the 2000s. Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Mathew Lui takes us back to post-war Chinatown: his father ran a silk business in South Bridge Road and his family lived upstairs above the shop. He attended a number of Catholic schools, including the historic St. Joseph’s Institution at Bras Basah Road in the early 1960s. He had an unforgettable time and his 1964 cohort organised a homecoming in 2012. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/10ykZ-kUKME Part 2 | https://youtu.be/tm7BLGRysIE Part 3 | https://youtu.be/cmg1KDdGzic00:00 Introduction01:52 In a Nutshell03:20 Father’s Silk Business13:47 Catholic Schools16:24 South Bridge Road22:15 Life in a Shophouse28:23 My Family31:49 SJI Class39:35 1964 Homecoming43:58 Historic SJIWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. We continue to celebrate John’s 80th birthday by tracing his family history. He married a Punjabi woman called Vanessa and moved into one of the new JTC flats in Sembawang when the Naval Base closed down. Their son Crispian grew up amidst the football in the area, playing in a team called the ‘No Future Club’. That is far removed from the name today, as John has joined Crispian in Texas, a world away from the old Naval Base and 1960s Singapore.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/uxu6AG0EujE Part 2 | https://youtu.be/73HH1hl3-7000:00 Punjabi Wife & Mother Vanessa05:46 JTC Flats in Sembawang11:59 No Future Club Football Club19:28 3 Old Clubs22:38 Naval Base Strikes28:19 Vanessa & John29:45 Police Force36:28 Discipline in Sembawang Shipyard41:30 Football Team45:11 Life in the USWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

欢迎来到旧新加坡记事录。周启仕是一位注册中医师，也是创办于1963年的德信药行的经营者。他讲述了新加坡中医的发展历程，并介绍了各种药材汤品与茶饮—这些有助于人们强身健体、预防疾病的食疗方式。Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Chow Khai Shui is a registered TCM physician and owner of Teck Soon Medical Hall established in 1963. He talks about the history of TCM in Singapore and different types of herbal soups and teas – food therapies that help people maintain wellness and prevent illness. 第一集 Part 1 | https://youtu.be/-nwkrk8MB2U 第二集 Part 2 | https://youtu.be/syQpSdWZbpE00:00 介绍 Introduction00:34 德信药行的历史 Teck Soon’s History06:36 中药的发展 Growth of TCM12:49 食疗 Food Therapy23:09 养肝排毒汤 Liver Nourishing Soup26:02 参芪麦冬山楂茶 Shenqi Hawthorn Tea29:03 无花果美颜汤 Snow Fungus and Figs Soup32:00 补血养肝茶 Blood Nourishing Liver Tea33:20 灵芝 Ganoderma35:15 虎乳菌 Tiger Milk MushroomTeck Soon Medical Hall: https://tecksoonsg.com/ Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. John Ng turns 80 today. He was a policeman in the Naval Base and then in Sembawang Shipyard after the British left; his mother was also a searcher in the Naval Base. He tells me stories of the old Medical quarters where he lived, the creative ways he and his friends learned to make money as kids, the endemic gambling inside the base, and the secret garden behind his house. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/uxu6AG0EujE Part 2 | https://youtu.be/73HH1hl3-7000:00 Introduction01:48 Moving to Dallas03:55 Naval Police to Sembawang Shipyard09:45 My Mother, a Searcher18:36 Old Admiralty Quarters & Water Tower27:20 Boys’ Brigade32:40 People of Water Tower44:11 Making Money 49:45 Favourite Pastime56:57 The End of Gambling

Might be better to view the video version here: https://youtu.be/RY4-YQ-sUfkWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. So much of the historic Singapore Naval Base has been lost so former Navalite Wan Chan Peew takes us on a walkthrough to document its old places and activities. We started with the gates, then the roads where Asians like him lived, and the docks and other places of work inside the naval dockyard.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/RY4-YQ-sUfk Part 2 | https://youtu.be/MQ22A-iCHW000:00 Introduction02:18 Remembering Naval Base05:11 The Gates12:13 Dockyard (Myngs) Gate & Disused Gates19:01 Nelson House21:26 Canberra, Madras & Delhi Roads26:37 Jalan Kedai28:51 Asian Hospital30:41 The Dockyard35:17 Naval Base Cinema40:34 The Docks44:54 Premier DockWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Woon Yew Thong remembers old Jurong Road before it was urbanised and leaving the Jurong Crescent Road quarters in 1974. He left behind his Reader’s Digest collection and a warm community of neighbours and friends. In recent years, he found many of them on social media while documenting memories of the Jurong Radio Transmitting Station on his website.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/GVbfvy0vxR0 Part 2 | https://youtu.be/orYO2hFbtX000:00 Neighbours & Community03:49 Leaving Jurong06:54 Stories of Nantah08:22 Old Jurong Road13:50 Rooftop Neighbour16:00 A Computer Pioneer20:49 People of the Transmitting Station23:52 Reunions26:51 Woon Family Portal33:03 My Battle with CancerJurong Crescent Road – Priceless memories of the 60’shttps://woonfamily.com/jurong-crescent-road/ Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Rey Pereira talks football history from his book, Uncle Choo: Singapore's Greatest Football Coach. He traces the remarkable career of Uncle Choo Seng Quee as player and coach of Singapore and Malaya. We cover the popularity of football from the British colonial days through the Japanese Occupation to the pitches of Farrer Park after the war. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/VzRBQns4gFg Part 2 | https://youtu.be/WnaSCJIN1E400:00 Introduction01:21 My Book on Uncle Choo06:25 Tracing Football History10:45 Choo Seng Quee as a Player18:45 Football in the Colonial Days23:10 The Occupation Years30:29 The Victory Jerseys36:11 Rise of the Coach41:06 Farrer Park Scouting & Coaching50:11 No-nonsense Coach55:06 Uncle Choo’s Tiki TakaRey Pereira, Uncle Choo: Singapore's Greatest Football Coachhttps://epigrambookshop.sg/products/uncle-choo-singapores-greatest-football-coach Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Self-taught guitarist Ronnie Choo and his musically-talented friends made some money playing in rock 'n' roll bands inside the Naval Base in Sembawang. Full episodes:Part 1 | https://youtu.be/-maCgkgStUIPart 2 | https://youtu.be/_Aq1rTEwBCAWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. In the final part of our podcast, LTC (Retd) Mejar Singh Gill gives his thoughts on several questions: how have SAF and SAFTI evolved over the years, is Singapore prepared for war, is the soldier still important in the high-tech 21st century, should women serve, how has the SAF served as a global peacekeeper, and how have regulars contributed to Singapore?Part 1 | https://youtu.be/XcXl6KVlekc Part 2 | https://youtu.be/gW4QIH0UU6I Part 3 | https://youtu.be/oapXReFCjfA00:00 Tactics & Strategies 08:22 Thoughts About the Iranian War11:29 Early SAFTI15:55 MINDEF19:05 Will Singapore Fight?21:11 Soldiering in the New Millennium23:00 NS for Women23:36 Learning from Our History24:21 Peacekeeping 28:27 The SAF RegularsWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Selamat Kadari recalls the elders of Kampong Amber, its religious buildings and an interesting connection with PM Lawrence Wong (listen to find out!). He talks about the name ‘Amber’, what happened during the 1964 race riots and the old Katong where the kampong was located. Finally, we reflect on the reunions Selamat organised as chairman of the group, Our Kampong Amber, and how we may further document its history and memory. 00:00 The Story Behind My Name04:13 The Kampong Elders 08:08 Old Katong12:39 The Lawrence Wong Connection15:45 Mosques & Mee Rebus19:06 Haunted House21:33 Leaving Kampong Amber23:21 The Name Amber26:21 1964 Race Riots28:05 Reunions34:13 Documenting the KampongWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. In Part 2, Pamela Sandanasamy recalls her subsequent trips to the village of Anaikkadu in India, bringing her daughters along. She found the St. Francis Xavier’s High School which her grandfather had built for the village. But most of all, she wanted to find out about her grandfather’s parents. When she finally located their graves, she understood why he had been reluctant to talk about his past. Pamela talks about her future plans to travel to India and write a book about searching for her roots.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/4CEY-EMAUMo Part 2 | https://youtu.be/9wZQStgIX9Q00:00 Warm Welcome07:54 Differences from Singapore13:26 Bringing my Daughters21:06 My Grandfather’s Parents23:39 2019 Trip32:52 St. Francis Xavier’s High School34:59 2024 Trip38:53 The Graves45:41 The Answer I Sought51:37 Writing a BookWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Rajandeeren Kanayan recalls his schooldays at historic Gan Eng Seng, the school of choice for those staying in the port area. He also endured torturous sea journeys to India and sold kueh and newspapers as a youngster. Today, Rajandeeren reflects on how Tanjong Pagar has changed as Singapore has evolved and his close ties to India. The past, no matter how nostalgic, can never be brought back again.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/fnQd1vRvS-Q Part 2 | https://youtu.be/h3zEdSfmoMc00:00 Gan Eng Seng School05:57 School Crest: Onward!12:00 Schooling in the ‘60s15:37 My Father in the Harbour Board & PSA20:32 Torturous Journeys to India24:50 My Ties with India27:06 My Mother in the Household29:18 Hawking Adventures40:06 Back to Tanjong Pagar & Reflections

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Hear LTC (Retd) Mejar Singh Gill recount the neglected history of 1 and 2 SIR. The first especially was formed by David Marshall in 1957 before Singapore became independent. When 1965 arrived, the government launched a crash programme to build new military facilities and recruit Israeli ('Mexican') advisers. There was an unexpected windfall - the British were closing down their bases and there were excellent facilities and camps to take over.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/XcXl6KVlekc Part 2 | https://youtu.be/gW4QIH0UU6I Part 3 | https://youtu.be/oapXReFCjfA00:00 Changes in Training & Officer Training05:40 Books on SAF History08:35 Role of David Marshall 14:39 Contributions of 1 & 2 SIR18:56 Crash Military Programme21:33 Taking over the British Camps28:29 From Internal Security to National Army31:06 Israeli Advisers35:31 My Military AppointmentsWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Jason Boh talks about his schools near the Naval Base. But the British era was coming to an end. The 14th Mile was demolished when the British forces vacated the base and the villagers and base families largely dispersed. Jason reflects on the changes and what still remains. The Sembawang experience forged in him a can-do spirit and a curiosity about the world. He hopes that the old colonial houses will be preserved as a second round of redevelopment sweeps the north of Singapore.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/09uy8ANKTjA Part 2 | https://youtu.be/8qVvwKbAiCg00:00 Canberra & Naval Base Schools08:00 Leaving 14th Mile12:34 The Sembawang Experience17:27 A Multiracial World20:30 The British Pullout25:17 Keep the Colonial Houses32:15 Hainanese of the Naval Base35:17 Changing SembawangWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Abdullah Hussain & Saiful Nizam talk about the people in Seni Gayong – the silat elders as well as female members called Ibu Gayong (‘the mothers of Gayong’). We discuss their accomplishments in researching the history of Silat Gayong, but also new challenges in training the younger generation as well as documenting silat as Malay heritage martial arts.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/-lIX85ayth4 Part 2 | https://youtu.be/STNXrISrJI800:00 Changing Times for Silat06:00 Grading in Perak12:26 Ibu Gayong15:58 Silat Seni Gayong Pasak18:27 Effendy’s Research & Book 20:29 The Crest25:48 Performance on Islanders’ Day27:27 Challenges 33:58 Documenting SilatSilat Seni Gayong Naga Bura, https://www.gayongnagabura.org.sg/Dr Mohamed Effendy Abdul Hamid, Silat Seni Gayong PASAK Singapura: A Historical Legacy. The book is available in the National Library.Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Woon Yew Thong began to research his family history when his father Woon Khai Boon passed away 10 years ago. This centred around the staff quarters at Jurong Crescent Road where they lived (since demolished and expunged). His father worked as a technician at the nearby Jurong Transmitting Station. In the distance was the Chinese-medium Nanyang University, founded in 1956. This expanse of rural Jurong Road is now replaced by the Pioneer MRT station and mall.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/GVbfvy0vxR0 Part 2 | https://youtu.be/orYO2hFbtX000:00 Introduction02:25 My Search for the Past08:31 Staff Quarters 14:39 14½ Mile before Pioneer18:05 Old Nanyang University24:32 The Jurong Transmitting Station28:46 60 Jurong Crescent Road38:19 Layout of the House45:39 Christmas PartiesJurong Crescent Road – Priceless memories of the 60’shttps://woonfamily.com/jurong-crescent-road/ Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Charles Ngui and I ponder about how the contributions of the Light Industries Services can be recognised in the new millennium. Drop us a note if you are interested to help us document and celebrate this rich industrial heritage of Singapore.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/6-u7rymWSKk Part 2 | https://youtu.be/UtyDCpVboNY Part 3 | https://youtu.be/v2eHkDbDJ3Y Part 4 | https://youtu.be/Tz-PjDMHJvk00:00 Teaching the Youngsters05:13 Soft Skills08:59 The OEAA Apprentices11:02 Tool & Die14:03 LIS in Memory & HeritageWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Selamat Kadari remembers his old house on stilts at 117 & 117A Kampong Amber, which was demolished in the 1980s to make way for condos. He led a group of five former neighbours – Shirley Soon, Imma, Bah Bah, and Nelson – in a remarkable effort to map the residents and houses of the kampong. In this Malay-majority settlement were the rich and famous, Peranakan, Sikhs and Chinese, as well as the historic Singapore Chinese Swimming Club, Mandalay House and the Seaview Hotel. 00:00 Introduction02:05 117 & 117A Kampong Amber 07:28 Map of Kampong Amber10:57 Lee Kip Lin & Dick Lee16:30 My Parents22:52 House on Stilts28:43 Daughter Sri32:51 Families & Children 41:29 Incomes & Work48:23 Getting MarriedWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. LTC (Retd) Mejar Singh Gill remembers his callup to National Service in 1967 and signing up as a regular in the Singapore Armed Forces. Historically-minded as always, he traces his journey to the military histories of the Punjab Empire, the colonial armies of the past and the Singapore Naval Base in Sembawang. He talks about the tough training (he took it well), a little-known group of instructors called the Boxers, and meeting other young men from all walks of life.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/XcXl6KVlekc Part 2 | https://youtu.be/gW4QIH0UU6I Part 3 | https://youtu.be/oapXReFCjfA00:00 Introduction02:25 My Last Rank & Command06:47 Sikh Military Traditions12:41 Race in the Colonial Armies18:38 The Military in the Naval Base22:50 National Service Callup in 196730:59 All Walks of Life 35:30 The Boxers40:33 The TrainingWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Pamela Sandanasamy returns to the pod to talk about her roots, her wish to find out about her maternal grandparents and how this took her to India. In 2008, as part of the TV programme Muthal Payanam (First Trip), she travelled to India for the first time. She arrived at the town Pattukottai and the village Anaikkadu in Tamil Nadu. This was where her grandparents came from. There, she met relatives who remembered them.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/4CEY-EMAUMo Part 2 | https://youtu.be/9wZQStgIX9Q00:00 Introduction02:55 My Roots07:52 My Grandfather 12:39 My Grandmother15:40 First Trip & TV Show24:58 Getting to Pattukottai & Anaikkadu30:35 Immigration to Singapore36:42 The Economy45:16 My RelativesWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. The master-apprentice system was a fixture in many trades in Old Singapore. In the 1960s, it was transitioning as the Economic Development Board’s Light Industries Services was employing sifus to train its recruits in manufacturing.So young Charles Ngui found himself with two masters – Kok Seng and Lee Cheng Kok. As the eager student met his willing sifu, this became one of the main reasons for Singapore's rapid industrialisation in the 1970s.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/6-u7rymWSKk Part 2 | https://youtu.be/UtyDCpVboNY Part 3 | https://youtu.be/v2eHkDbDJ3Y Part 4 | https://youtu.be/Tz-PjDMHJvk00:00 Master Craftsman Kok Seng07:09 His Background12:21 Taking the Initiative 15:39 Master-Apprentice System in Transition22:58 The Old System & Its Tensions27:14 Master Lee Cheng Kok31:49 The Cantonese35:08 Unwilling Sifu41:15 Culture of ChangeWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Jason Boh grew up in a Hainanese family residing in the Medical quarters of the Naval Base. His father was a fitter while his mother was a domestic servant for British families. It was a vibrant, diverse world from ‘Medical’ and the Canberra Asian quarters to the Sembawang Village also called the 14th Mile. Jason’s brother left for Portsmouth when the British forces pulled out, while young Jason played football with Indian boys and picked up Tamil. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/09uy8ANKTjA Part 2 | https://youtu.be/8qVvwKbAiCg00:00 Introduction01:28 The Medical Quarters11:15 Father, a Fitter 14:00 Brother Migrated to UK19:21 Mother, a Domestic Servant26:33 How Parents Met30:50 14th Mile Then & Now39:12 Nelson Bar43:36 Indian Friends & Speaking TamilWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Irene Hoe reminisces about old Dhoby Ghaut and Bras Basah Road where she grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s – bookstores, friends from various ethnic groups and memories – what she calls the ‘Real Singapore’.Ep1 | https://youtu.be/W0Y01qmL3xE Ep2 | https://youtu.be/H21GWCp7GZEEp3 | https://youtu.be/szhMslptfqQ00:00 Mixed Neighbourhood09:50 Rex Bookstore13:49 Second-hand Bookstores18:30 Memories & Lost Heritage21:54 The Real SingaporeWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh Kah Seng, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. P.N. Balji recalls the rich cultural life of the Naval Base – the Malayalam plays that his father performed in and celebrations of Onan, the harvest festival. His mother Narayani was very protective of her son and his father’s love of language rubbed off on Balji’s long career in journalism. Balji also talks about his schooldays, the villages of Chong and Sembawang outside the Naval Base and the question of integration with recent migrants from India.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/D4EgSkOEK9A Part 2 | https://youtu.be/vmtT1HTdvPA00:00 Journalism & My Love of Words08:08 My Mother, Narayani11:56 Malayalees of the Naval Base 16:32 Malayalam Plays23:17 The British Legacy24:57 Schooldays28:54 Chong Pang & Sembawang Villages34:25 CECA, Recent Migrants & IntegrationThe Reluctant Editor, https://epigrambookshop.sg/products/the-reluctant-editor-1Transition: The Story of PN Balji, https://epigrambookshop.sg/products/transition-the-story-of-pn-balji Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I document people’s memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Rajandeeren Kanayan traces his roots in the old Tanjong Pagar, from his grandparents arriving from India to his father working in the Singapore Harbour Board and then the Port of Singapore Authority. He himself grew up in Queen’s Crescent, Blair Plain and Silat Integrated School after the war. What filled his early years was a sense of adventure, initiative and independence common to many of his generation. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/fnQd1vRvS-Q Part 2 | https://youtu.be/h3zEdSfmoMc00:00 Introduction03:15 My Grandparents from India to Singapore10:36 My Parents 15:13 Silat Walk to Queen’s Crescent19:48 Blair Plain23:35 Being Out27:29 A Sense of Adventure33:41 Silat School Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

欢迎来到旧新加坡记事录。 黄信勇医师记得当年装修房屋、耕种土地都是靠双手完成的。在70年代，他的家人被迫从波东巴西搬到大巴窑2巷的政府组屋。他和他的兄弟姐妹——他们都接受过华文教育——开始工作谋生。他后来成为美玲街的一名中医，至今仍在行医，同时还教气功。他说，贫穷的出身也有它的好处。Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Physician Wong San Yong remembers how renovating the house and farming the land was done by hand. In the 1970s, his family was evicted from Potong Pasir to a HDB flat in Toa Payoh Lorong 2. He and his siblings – all Chinese-educated – began to work and make a living. He became a TCM physician in Mei Ling Street, which he continues to do today as well as to teach qigong. Growing up poor, he says, has its advantages.第一集 Part 1 | https://youtu.be/ysLrqNGIDHE 第二集 Part 2 | https://youtu.be/lRxGvzz5YvI00:00 装修房屋，耕种土地 Repairing Our House, Farming the Land05:21 波东巴西的池塘、房屋和商店 Ponds, Houses & Shops of Potong Pasir12:15 搬迁至大巴窑 Eviction & Move to Toa Payoh20:03 受过中文教育的人谋生 Making a Living for the Chinese-educated23:30 中医 TCM Physician33:49 教气功 Teaching Qigong37:52 波东巴西已面目全非 Potong Pasir is Unrecognisable40:50 对波东巴西的反思 Reflections on Potong Pasir健民医药中心 Gian Min Medical Centre https://share.google/HuYQBOc3qXglgLh7s Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I am Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Abdullah Hussain & Saiful Nizam from the Silat Seni Gayong Naga Bura join me to trace the origins of pencak silat in the Malay world. They talk about how different styles were developed by masters called gurus, passed down by oral tradition and brought to Singapore by migrants. One particular style, the Seni Gayong, emerged on the now-forgotten island of Pulau Sudong during the Japanese Occupation. Abdullah and Hussain recall the demanding training they went through under their gurus.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/-lIX85ayth4 Part 2 | https://youtu.be/STNXrISrJI800:00 Introduction01:42 Our Silat Stories09:29 Origins of Silat19:20 Gurus & Communities26:28 The Pulau Sudong Story31:59 Gurus of Seni Gayong37:10 The British Connection40:27 Training & DisciplineSilat Seni Gayong Naga Bura, https://www.gayongnagabura.org.sg/Dr Mohamed Effendy Abdul Hamid, Silat Seni Gayong PASAK Singapura: A Historical Legacy. The book is available in the National Library.Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. I reflect on my oral history work spanning 20 years, beginning with leprosy survivors in 2005 and victims of the 1961 Bukit Ho Swee fire to recent interviews with shopkeepers of Chinatown and TCM physicians. Looking at two very different interviews with leprosy survivors, I discuss how ordinary people offer additional voices to the Singapore Story and new ways of writing history from below.00:00 Introduction00:57 Voice of the Singapore Story02:41 3 Questions03:05 Rise of Oral History05:53 Early Projects09:00 Recent Projects10:50 The Leprosy Interviews12:29 The New Silra Home14:44 Joseph Tan18:52 Lim Ah Hin22:39 ConclusionWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Jamari Ahmari recalls taking the initiative to learn from his instructors at Sembawang Shipyard. He graduated top of his class and became an estimator, contributing to the shipyard’s commercial growth. Once, though, he ran afoul of the company’s strict ‘no long hair’ policy. He married Jamidah from Jalan Pasir Ria, ran an engineering consultancy for two years and continues to work today. He reflects on the three things that shaped his life: family, work and his heritage as a Boyanese. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/WUuy2BrXGps Part 2 | https://youtu.be/YO6X7r-EgGs00:00 His Instructors at Sembawang Shipyard02:56 The Estimator10:10 Management of Sembawang Shipyard15:56 Pros & Cons of Sailing19:35 Getting Married23:08 Long Hair27:46 My Engineering Design Business30:16 Achievements35:24 My Boyanese HeritageWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Charles Ngui remembers the 'espionage' in industrial services in the 1970s. The EDB's Light Industries Services made prototypes and did reverse engineering for its clients. Singapore did not need money to industrialise, but industrial expertise. He later joined the National Engineering Services, a government-owned company, as a marketing officer. He talks about its struggles and why it eventually failed.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/6-u7rymWSKk Part 2 | https://youtu.be/UtyDCpVboNY Part 3 | https://youtu.be/v2eHkDbDJ3Y Part 4 | https://youtu.be/Tz-PjDMHJvk00:00 Why Light Industry was Crucial06:43 Returned Scholars11:43 Prototypes & Production16:13 Working with local & foreign companies22:27 Reverse Engineering27:12 Clients & Cases35:59 National Engineering Services42:03 Closure of NESWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Veteran editor P.N. Balji traces his memories to the Naval Base and specifically Delhi Road where his family lived. His younger brother was Sivaji, former national coach of Singapore football. Balji tells the story of his father Poravankara Narayanan Nair as a stowaway from Kerala and how he dropped his caste name ‘Nair’ in Singapore. Poravankara Narayanan was involved in the (1956?) Naval Base strike against the Admiralty and when the British forces left, used his gratuity to buy a house in Sembawang Hills Estate.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/D4EgSkOEK9A Part 2 | https://youtu.be/vmtT1HTdvPA00:00 Introduction01:25 ‘I will take the memories to my grave’06:23 Blk 9 Room 8 Delhi Road08:08 P.N. Sivaji & the Malaysia Cup18:23 My Father, Poravankara Narayanan Nair23:05 My Caste Name28:38 The British Pullout & Father’s Gratuity 31:46 Naval Base Strike34:41 Importance of MalayalamThe Reluctant Editor, https://epigrambookshop.sg/products/the-reluctant-editor-1Transition: The Story of PN Balji, https://epigrambookshop.sg/products/transition-the-story-of-pn-balji Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Pamela Sandanasamy relates how the British military withdrawal in the late 1960s and 1970s divided her paternal and maternal relatives, taking them away from Singapore to Britain, India and Malaysia. We also discuss how the Sembawang community, including working adults in the 20s to 40s, can do to celebrate their lives in and around the Naval Base.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/IV5Z1_YmBK4 Part 2 | https://youtu.be/tInleB6qsl000:00 Farewells from the British Pullout 07:52 My Parents Stayed16:42 Nostalgia for the Naval Base23:43 Memory Groups on Facebook27:26 JTC Sembawang31:54 What the Sembawang Community Can Do34:16 Working Young AdultsWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

欢迎来到旧新加坡记事录。黄信勇医师讲述了他的父母从广东移民到波东巴西，成为菜农。他回忆起五岁时就在农场工作，以及水灾经常冲毁家中菜地的情景。性格内向的他起初并不了解华校的学生运动，也不了解正在动员波东巴西农民的乡村住民联合会。Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Physician Wong San Yong relates how his parents migrated from Guangdong to become vegetable farmers in Potong Pasir. He talks about working on the farm when he was five years old and the frequent floods that swept away his family’s vegetables. An introvert, he initially did not know about the student movement in Chinese schools or the rural association that was mobilising the farmers of Potong Pasir.第一集 Part 1 | https://youtu.be/ysLrqNGIDHE 第二集 Part 2 | https://youtu.be/lRxGvzz5YvI00:00 介绍 Introduction01:22 我的父母来自中国 My Parents from China08:07 波东巴西的农民 Farmers of Potong Pasir12:25 我们的屋子 Our House 16:17 旱灾与水灾Droughts & Floods 19:55 孩子们在农场工作 Children Working on the Farm23:11 小学的日子 Primary School Days30:35 新民学校 Shin Min School 41:01 华校的学生运动 Chinese Student Movement45:32 乡村住民联合会 Rural Dwellers Associations49:12 为什么波东巴西容易发生水灾 Why Potong Pasir was Flood-Prone 健民医药中心 Gian Min Medical Centre https://share.google/HuYQBOc3qXglgLh7s Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Leng Ng Tai talks about his ongoing efforts to document the stories of ex-engineering apprentices like him for the Founders’ Memorial as well as those of other older Singaporeans who contributed to the development of Singapore. And along with other members of the Old Engineering Apprentices Association, he is mentoring engineering students from the Singapore Polytechnic. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/GDGLS2sZuJw Part 2 | https://youtu.be/P8ayDbs_HuA Part 3 | https://youtu.be/xtr_BgVOBuc00:00 The Founders’ Memorial06:17 Senior Engagement Programme12:59 Staying Fit 15:13 Mentoring Polytechnic StudentsWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Jamidah Surbardy remembers fondly her childhood and community in Pasir Ria and Pasir Panjang. Three things marked the changes that eventually took her away from Pasir Panjang – getting married at the age of 21, working in the crystals factory of Australian firm Hy-Q International and relocating to HDB flats after the landlord sold the land. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/NP0XnXGpKkg Part 2 | https://youtu.be/Ji58cC_bu1M00:00 Childhood03:11 The Surau07:03 Hy-Q International17:48 Retrenchment23:58 Solemnisation & Wedding26:20 Pain at Leaving31:37 Family & ChildrenWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Charles Ngui talks about the work of the Light Industries Services, in creating prototypes for local and foreign companies and doing reverse engineering with these clients. He also recounts the efforts of the National Engineering Services, a government-owned company where he was a marketing officer, and why it eventually failed. Part 1 | https://youtu.be/6-u7rymWSKk Part 2 | https://youtu.be/UtyDCpVboNY Part 3 | https://youtu.be/v2eHkDbDJ3Y Part 4 | https://youtu.be/Tz-PjDMHJvk00:00 Why Light Industry was Crucial06:43 Returned Scholars11:43 Prototypes & Production16:13 Working with local & foreign companies22:27 Reverse Engineering27:12 Clients & Cases35:59 National Engineering Services42:03 Closure of NESWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Gloria Kwok recounts her special relationship with her grandmother Sum Yin Yong in the later years till she passed away. If Sago Lane played a key role as a community hospice for the people of Chinatown during the colonial period, Gloria is proud that her grandmother worked for many years in one of the death houses on the street.Part 1 | https://youtu.be/PSDWCwFQ5-g Part 2 | https://youtu.be/-KoBOxSM8-0 00:00 Life on the Five-Foot-Way02:22 Granny & I: Later Years13:06 Urban Renewal at Sago Lane19:21 My Parents’ Attachment to Chinatown23:44 Speaking about Sago Lane28:10 Keeping Sago Lane in Memory31:34 Poon Yue Association35:09 The SAGE ProgrammeWelcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city. Do like the video and subscribe for future episodes. This will help the channel a lot.Write to [email protected] if you have any of these stories:• Old places or kampongs.• Communities – their way of life & culture.• Childhood & schools.• Work or business.YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG Spotify | https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loh-ks Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/61551786759344 Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofOldSingapore