Family Travelogue: The Statues of Sir Stamford Raffles, founding of Singapore, at North bank of the Singapore River

continued from the south bank of the Singapore River

From South bank of the mouth of the Singapore River, we passed Elgin Bridge to get to the North Bank. I have mentioned earlier a brief history about Elgin Bridge

Elgin Bridge with the crest of the Singapore Municipal Commission

The crest of the Singapore Municipal Commission

Elgin Bridge was the first bridge across the Singapore River, a wooden one called Presentment Bridge was constructed at this location in 1823. Its narrowness limited the number of people who could use it and a ferry service existed to facilitate the crossing. By the 1840's the road was constructed and bridge divided it into North Bridge Road and South Bridge Road.

At the turn of the century, more business was done on the south of the bridge and hence South Bridge Road known as PO (big town in Fujian) and North Bridge Road as SIO PO (small town). The bridge underwent reconstruction three times and the present Elgin bridge, named after a former Viceroy of India, was built in 1925.

view from the Elgin bridge, Singapore River and the Business district at the South bank

view from Elgin bridge, North bank of the mouth of Singapore River

South Bridge Rd

view from the Elgin bridge, Singapore River and the Business district and the Boat Quay Restaurants at the South bank.

view from the Elgin bridge, Singapore River and the Boat Quay Restaurants at the South bank

Mouth of Singapore River

Elgin Bridge, Singapore

across the North Boat Quay, Singapore

North boat quay, Singapore

view of the South boat quay linked by the Elgin bridge to the North boat quay along the Singapore River

Parliament House, Singapore

from the Elgin bridge is the new site of the Parliament House, Singapore. The Parliament was moved to this building in 1999 from the building occupied by the Arts House, adjacent to this building.

Parliament House, Singapore

CBD and the Boat Quay Restaurants along the mouth of Singapore River

North Boat Quay, Singapore

Parliament House, Singapore

Mouth of Singapore River

white statue of Sir Stamford Raffles at the north bank of Singapore River.

The place above is said to be the landing site of Sir Raffles Stamford on his first visit in Singapore on 28 January 1819.

In the early 19th century, the British and the Dutch competed to control the highly profitable sea trade routes.
The Dutch had control of the trade in the Malay Archipelago due to their ports in the strategic locations.

To break the Dutch monopoly, the Governor of Bencoolen in Sumatra, Sir Raffles Stamford, searched for a more strategically located trading centre.

On 29 January 1819, while Sir Raffles was sailing to St John's island with William Farquhar, he spotted a narrow strip of beach in the south of Singapore (mouth of Singapore River). When he learnt from the Orang Lauts or sea people that there was no presence of Dutch, the went back the next day to set up the trading settlement in Singapore.

The British found Singapore a suitable trading place:

1. Strategically located in the heart of Malay Archipelago
2. No presence of Dutch
3. Natural Harbour
4. Sufficient supply of drinking water and
5. Safe from stormy weather

***Reference: Sec 1 HistoryTextbook

Plaque at the landing site of Sir Raffles Stamford in Singapore in 1819

white statue of Sir Stamford Raffles at North Boat Quay, Singapore

This white marble statue is often photographed. The statue is a copy of the original black statue, at present situated in front of the Clock Towerl, few meters from this landing site.

Boat Quay, 1950's.

National Museum of Singapore Collection, Courtesy of National Heritage Board

Sir Stamford Raffles reserved the North bank of the Singapore River for government buildings, while the south bank was designated for warehouses and other commercial developments.

In the early 1820's, Sir Raffles launched Singapore's first land reclamation project, turning the river's swampy south bank into an embankment on which shophouses and godowns could be built. It became known as Boat Quay.

Traditional cargo boats called tongkang or twakok ferried goods to and from quayside warehouses until the 1980's, when the Singapore River was thoroughly cleaned up.

In the 1990's, Boat Quay's traditional shophouses were restored as modern shops and riverside eateries.

The Arts House (formerly the Old Parliament House), Singapore

The building of The Arts House was formerly the Old Parliament House, Singapore. Latter needed larger chamber and better facilities for educational programmes, moved to the adjacent building.

This building housed the Parliament from 1965 to 1999. Built in 1827, it is the oldest government building in Singapore

view of the Anderson bridge and the Marina Bay Sands Sky Park

black statue of Sir Stamford Raffles in front of the Clock Tower, Singapore

Victoria Theatre and Victoria Memorial Hall are two buildings joined by a clock tower with a common corridor. It serves as the performing arts center in the civic district of Singapore.

Victoria Theatre was known as the Town Hall in 1862. Originally, it was a theatre on the ground floor and government offices on the second floor. It housed also the Singapore Library till 1876. In 1893, the government offices moved out to a larger place.

In memory of the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, Victoria Memorial Hall was built in the same year.

After the completion of the Memorial Hall, the Town Hall was renovated following the architectural design of the Memorial Hall and was renamed to Victoria theatre

In 1906, the clock tower was built connecting the Town Hall (Victoria Theatre) and the Victoria Memorial Hall. The tower was built on an axial line with the Anderson bridge nearby.

The memorial hall was used as a hospital for victims of bombing raids by the Japanese forces during the World War II, before the colony

view of the Anderson bridge and the Marina Bay Sands Sky Park

black statue of Sir Stamford Raffles in front of the Clock Tower, Singapore

Memorial tablet for Sir Stamford Raffles, the founding of Singapore

A statue of Stamford Raffle by T. Wooher was moved from the Padang to the front of the Memorial Hall on 6 February 1919 to commemorate the 100th year founding of Singapore. The statue is with a semicircular colonnade and a pool.

Victoria Theatre and the Victoria Memorial Hall joined by the Clock tower at the North bank of the Singapore River

***Ref: NHB, Wikipedia

View from the Cavenagh bridge is the Anderson Bridge spans across the mouth of Singapore River

Next post about the historical Fullerton building, Marina Bay and Merlion Park

See also:

South bank and the boat quay restaurants
Mouth of Singapore River
Other Places of Interest in Singapore

Related posts: