Singapore - The Lion City, 1957
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 พ.ย. 2009
- A visit to Singapore in 1957. To purchase a clean DVD or digital download of this film for personal home use or educational use only contact us at questions@archivesfarms.com. To license footage from this film for commercial use visit: www.travelfilmarchive.com
My grandmother who came to Singapore in the late 30s is still alive and well.
What a wonderful trip down memory lane for me. I lived in Singapore from the beginning of 1958, and can recall the places shown as if it were only yesterday. We had a house up Pasir Panjang Hill and another we rented near the McRitchie Reservoir. Back then Lornie Road was not that busy and we used to go out of the bottom of the garden and across into the grounds of the reservoir for wonderful walks, seeing all sorts of wildlife, and almost nobody there, apart from people collecting crickets. I used to go into the kampong near to where we lived in Pasir Panjang often, and in effect was able to run wild. Pitcher plants grew wild in the hill to the back of us and we had a nutmeg and banana tree in the garden. I went to sleep every night listening to the nightjar and the people next door playing Mahjong. will never forget it.
Beautiful description
Yah, I was a local peranakan kid in the end 50s/early 60s spending a few days each school break with my cousin in Pasir Panjang/Clementi Road junction area. Memories...
Eric Yeo wow you guys are old how old Are you guys?
@@Eid_Mubarak We're in our 60s now.
Eric Yeo okay well I’m 22
thanks whomever posted this. such nostalgia. My father appears in the 13th minute playing his clarinet twice in the minute. so proud:)
Cool
Wow 8 year old comment
Ancient
G ww
wow
2020 anyone?
+1
iLLa Crow corona quarantine
When China was quarantined, the world was so clean and peaceful.
2018
Here
Simply wonderful. I went there near the end of 1959 to work as an RAF serviceman for two and a half years. It was a priceless privilege without comparison. My best friends remain still the Chinese friends made in those days. Thank you for posting this delightful reminder of those wonderful happy days. I have enjoyed several visits since those days and hope to do so again, and again and again!
This is the country I grew up. These are the memories of my Singapore that will remain with me for the rest of my old age. Oh, how I miss those days. Just only pure true Singaporeans about!
I was born in Singapore 1960 - this brought back a flood of wonderful memories. A great film & a wonderful place - still is!
@if singapore she said she was born in 1960. At that time Singapore was under British. So...
Priceless video. Thank you. 🙏👌👍
Oh most of them are still there, just have new buildings around them.
I had no idea how Singapore was once looked like till I found this lovely documentary. It comes with so much old memories that were worth recollecting our distant past.
WONDERFUL..!! I was there from 1971 to 1997 with my wife and 3 children....I was with United College of S E Asia on Dover Road...
Great to see such film. Brian Green
Please Come Again Sir💐
Mr. Green? Did you teach woodwork? If so, I was one of your students
is it me or does the past looked so much more entertaining then the present? haha
Looking back at how Singapore was in the past always fascinates me.
no I also feel sg was better back then especially if you had enough money
sih1688
This is before most of that.
Agree...
I think the best thing to do on a holiday is go back in time and be a tourist there
What you nuts?? You want to be under colonial rule..
A lovely glimpse of old Singapore. I remember many things from my childhood in the 60's that now do not exist. I like the old style English narrator too. The English has changed. Sounds different today.
Jawa Deepak English changes constantly, with words being added to dictionaries every year, and people using different dialects and accents wherever you go. Not sure what you think people are speaking, if it's not English.
Yes, I agreed. Nowadays Singaporean don't use proper grammar.
Singaporean don't speak English... They speak Singlish...
@@iwinlee Singlish hanggok kau, English always e not proper line.
Old skool narrator had to speak in certain way cuz the old recorders were cui. Now people can speak naturly
This video brings back nostalgic memories. A travel back in time to a colonial outpost, Britisher visitors wearing ties and colourful dresses. The BOAC flight passes over an old Singapore coast line that barely exists now! The flim shows busy markets, hawkers using old style balances, a Chinese funeral, Buddhist temple, gardens and monkeys. The Van Kleef Aquarium that fascinated me for it was there I saw a real,live shark! The Race Course,Chinese Lion Dance and Dragons. It displays the multi culture of old Singapore, Indians Sikhs,Chinese,Malay, Britishers dancing and the quaint Chinese Opera. A veritable time capsule. Even the old Airport with the Maharaja icon of Air India, KLM and Malaysia Airways!
Singapore in all her rustic splendour many years ago - people were hardworking, friendly and fun-loving. I was a kampong kid where I had many friends of different races. We played together, ate together and bathed together. We were not rich but we were happy and life was not hectic nor threatening. We lived from day to day and always hoped for a better tomorrow. We lived in attap houses and sometimes in quarters accorded to us by employers if our parents worked for them. The skyline was totally different with much greenery around and the air was much cooler and healthier than it is today. Oh, how I miss the life in Singapore of yesteryear; a period in our history that only those who lived then would know. And like the song titled "River of No Return", she is gone, gone forever to be lost in the stormy sea. Yes, I can still hear it calling - "No Return! No Return!"
Lim I Khiw Hi...I have a question about Singapore. Maybe you can clarify. I heard that the Kallang River (or maybe some other river in Sinagpore) was very polluted and smelly in the 1960s. Pigs were soaking in the water to cool them selves in the hot summer. Then came Lew Kuan Yew, who get rid of all the pigs and closed down all the small butcher shops that sold fly infested meat. He came up with plans to clean all the rivers. How far is this true? How bad were the rivers in Singapore in those days?
Yes the rivers were filthy and the stench was horrendous. All waste human and animal had ended up there for years prior. When the plans for Boat Quay came about, one thing was clear they had to clean it. They spent years doing that.
hello Bostonite1985, send me an email to ronho@cpak.com.sg and I will give you facts and stories on river clean up.
I can remember as a child in the late 1950s passing over that white bridge you see at 5:04 and it was not only really smelly but the water was green! There were many hundreds of families living on the water on sampans with no sanitation systems. I hated going over that bridge.
Did YoU JuST AsSUMe it's GeNDER??????
Malaya (now Malaysia n Singapore)..so nostalgic😐😌✌🇲🇾🇸🇬
People malays over in singapore
Sea view hotel, it’s a legend even for me. Place was truly a luxurious seaside resort until land reclamation took that away. It’s just a memory today, one largely forgotten.
Very sad. The original Adelphi Hotel also closed. =(
cool =) thanks for sharing how my motherland looks like in the 1957 so beautiful and another charm
I really love the old taste of Singapore, especially those beautiful architectural buildings. Too bad, most of them are no longer here :-(
Absolutely amazing film! I am a Singaporaholic, and have been going there annually for several years. I love the place, the people, the city, the food. The city today does note even remotely resemble what this film shows! Perhaps with the exception of the satay vendors. And how those people/men could physically function wearing a suit and tie in that unimaginably oppressive heat. Just wonderful!
Thank you so much for this! My Dad was based at Changi Naval base (aged 22 🥰). I was born at Changi Hospital in 1958 - we were living in Brockhampton Gardens, Serangoon, then. Both my parents died recently and I so wish I had spotted this whilst they were still alive! ❤️❤️
I love it. Brings back sweet memories of my hometown. Life was simple then, and we always had time for friends and relatives and relate to one another face to face!!!
I think people were less complicated then.
Wonderful memory’s of my childhood years living in Singapore and what was then Malaya, ultimately Malaysia. (1951-1971) I flew into and out of the airport in the clip ( Paya Lebar) on the same type of airliners that appear in the clip. Many thanks for posting this.
Very interesting. However, this is only one small part of Singapore at that time, the part that the British and other westerners were exposed to. A far larger part of Singapore at that time really was just rural area, kampong, which was very different from the clean, built up places featured in the video.
Singapore,the most fascinating country in the world, I did severl years in RAF service, later NZ Naval Service after which I visited Singapore every two or three years. Heaven to me, Lee Kuan Yew put the place 'on the map' prior ro which it was something of a shambles, with very rich and incredibly poor during the 60's it was slowly changed under the PAP, Look at the country now, perhaps one of the richest in the world ,great educational centre, and my regular visits ovee the past sixtty years has only seen even more improvements.Terry Offord
I do have seen the filthy side of old Singapore. Poverty,slums and no electricity or piped water in rural areas. We used kerosene lanterns till a private company supplied electric power from a nearby flim theater! It provided low power and dim bulbs,especially when night show was on! Singapore then had open toilets where the sewage was physically collected and disposed off by very poor, I'll clad Chinese coolies. I recall one such worker, who smelled horribly and could barely read or write or even speak Malay. I do recollect the rich fauna and flora, most of it native. The jungle was always waiting nearby with quick growing Lallang elephant grass, frogs, birds,snakes, iguanas,monkeys and wild pigs. I read somewhere, tigers once used to live in Singapore till they were exterminated. The island got its name"Singa-pore" or Lion City from the tiger, which must have crossed the narrow straits from Johore! The small vegetable farms with poultry, pigs, ponds with Carp fish and hard working farmers,mostly women working in their fields,even at night in the moonlight. That is now all history. I used to fear the Chinese New Year celebrations when incessant fireworks were set off, creating mountains of rubbish and thick suffocating smoke. As children we hunted around looking for smouldering stubs or unexploded crackers to play with.
Simply awesome documentary of my home my Singapore. Thank you for preserving this film on Singapore. Its a beautiful beautiful country...
it's very sad to know that all these are gone now.. people seem to be much carefree and happier in the past...
Because they are all smiling for the camera
Go to Singapore. The spirit of this video still lives.
I am still here! Was posted to Singapore in 1957 and stayed 3 years. Great then. Spoiled now.
@@davidnelson702 Singapore is a soulless commercial place.
OMG thank you so much. I always wanted to see more of the old singapore film. Thank you so much.
After so many years, S'pore still remains a place of crossroads in the region. Some footage are quite spectacular.Always wondered how the Padang scene and City Hall looked like during its heyday and here it is. There's a book depicting photos of old buildings then and it was certainly more beautiful. As independent Singapore matures as a nation, it should restore more of the recreational factor which the Brits advocated then.Nice vid of the old Singapore charms. School kids should be shown this.
I am born in 1965, the year Singapore became independent, my family and I remember we had little and live a tough life, the kampung I lived in at Chua Ch Kang Road was not well developed. Road was just muddy tracks.I’m amazed they could capture such scenic places of Singapore which I never get to experience growing up.I have lived to see the transformation of Singapore.
Love this film. Thanks so much for uploading it. It brings back memories of the good-O-days.
Thank You sir for posting this such a historical treasure . I'm a Malaysian born in 1971 in East Malaysia's Sarawak but this video of Singapore looks every bit the same like the rest of Malaysia then and now and also my hometown of Kuching where I grew up .
Look at those rich people especially the Chinese " TOW-KAY " . Even if compared to 2014 standards , they are still rich .
Terima Kaseh , Kawan . Kalau ada filem macham ini lagi , kasi main dalam ini computer ! Saya suka mau tengok !
You're welcomed , Viper RKO!
Thank you for sharing this amazing old documentary film of 🇸🇬 singapura
As a young Singaporean, I am really thankful for the contributions that our founding fathers and leaders have done for our country. I believe the younger generation should have a stronger sense of national pride as well as nationhood in order for them to strive to progress forward as one people and one nation. (:
derekcsy90*2020 how young u now 🙂
During those younger times, we have nationhood. Now with more than 40% foreigners permanently anchored here, Singapore citizens had turned their nationhood to LanParhood.
I went to Singapore and It was very nice and friendly and so clean,and such behaved people with the laws that have have, to keep people in line and the Merlion sure is a beautiful work of art half Lion half fish or mermaid
I was born in 1947 and lived at Kampong Bedok. in 1957, from Siglap to Changi and beyond to Loyang, Pasir Ris, and Ponggol along the coast were all fishing villages. In addition, inland in Ponggol, what is now Sengkang were pig farms. Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh were all farms - so was much of Chua Chu Kang, Jurong, Bukit Batok and Lim Chu Kang. This film is a promotional film to attract tourists and visitors. At that time, the percentage of Singaporeans who had the means to travel outside Singapore was less than 10%. So before you throw bricks at the Government who since 1959 had been transforming Singapore, do your homework first. Memories are always treasurable. I, too, treasure my memories of old Bedok, Siglap, Katong and I miss my beachfront at Bedok. Land reclamation took it away. But we have been progressing since 1950s. Don't let political bias shut your eyes from real progress made.
***** Hi...I have a question about Singapore. Maybe you can clarify. I heard that the Kallang River (or maybe some other river in Sinagpore) was very polluted and smelly in the 1960s. Pigs were soaking in the water to cool them selves in the hot summer. Then came Lew Kuan Yew, who get rid of all the pigs and closed down all the small butcher shops that sold fly infested meat. He came up with plans to clean all the rivers. How far is this true? How bad were the rivers in Singapore in those days?
Bostonite1985 yes thats true by the way their government find a solution for that polluted river !
in 1980, a ten year target was given to clean up both Singapore River and Kallang River. The mouths of both rivers met at what is now Kallang Basin and Marina Bay. By 1990, the rivers were clean enough for people to swim. What we did was to divert all household water and waste into sewerage channels, move all industrial activities away from the river, and only allowed rain water to go into the rivers. By 2010, we had built a barrage/dam at the mouth of Marina Bay to control the water level and Marina Bay and Kallang Basin are now part of our downtown reservoir. Singapore is now Asia's leader in fresh water management.
*****
great story !! i hope Manila have a time to be like Singapore !! but right now they cleaning up Pasig river !!
Ronald Ho
How are you old fellow? We never did seen eyes to eyes when we were in the same trade in Lower Delta Road way back in the 70s.
Thanks for posting this priceless piece of history which is worth preserving. Highly recommended for younger Singaporeans to watch it so they can know how Singapore was like in those days and compare to the present.
This FISHING VILLAGE looked suspiciously modern and developed for its time. Definitely much better condition than most countries in Asia or even the world.
I have visited twice in the last 25 yrs and had been disappointed that every where was very modern, it has moved with time but I feel lost the character and history of the country,call me nostalgic! I loved the film
Hello, Diane,
How are you doing today?
Having lived in Singapore in the mid 90s & visiting regularly since then, I sorta 'miss' the 'old' Singapore although I must admit I appreciated its modern comforts!
What comforts?
24/7 traffic jams
Noisy
People acting as robots
Expensive housing
And the Singaporean seem not appreciated by there own government.
Elderly people without government support
Etc
Etc
The infrastructure of Singapore in 1957 looks very advanced.
This is fantabulous stuff. It is really wonderful that this film has been so carefully preserved. THANK you for uploading.
Love Singapore a lot since my university days and once visit NUS in 1984! Went there several times and have witnessed its progress!
Beautiful look at SG before it became over modernized
Simply a work of art, I never knew someone would post about my own Country, but, you made my dreams come true.
Love this. Thanks for posting this up. So rare!
My mother was born in 1957 in Singapore, so it's amazing to see what it was like back then. She used to tell me how it was when she was growing up, now I can actually see in technicolour! It's amazing this was just 29 years before I was born, and it's been almost 27 years since I was born, also in Singapore. It seems to have changed so much more from 1957-1986 than 1986-2013, but it has changed a lot since then too.
Beautiful place, wonderful people.
I love how at 14:29 she's eating satay at a hawker centre in a ballgown and he in suit and tie.
*class*
Only a Westerner would wear such impractical clothing to go out in the equatorial heat and humidity.
@@HillTrekkerSarge Mad dogs and Englishmen lol :)
I was born in 1954 in the east coast area of Siglap. Loved it then! My fav aunt appears in 6 min 22-24 sec slot. And again with her best fren Betty. (Her shots are from the back n side.)
Thank you so much for sharing this lovely video. Hello from Singapore
Those old people are very lucky . Moreever there no tall biilding but people was happy not rich but simple n happy is most important.
ash unknown happy? Don’t think so.. my parent / grandparent used to say how life was hard back than and how we have it good now.
@@desdes6830 That was a different kind of challenge but there were plenty of opportunities for the educated and there sure was lots of leisure time Now, we are enslaved to this world system. It'll be a blessing if we have enough sleep.
Thanks!!
👏🌹🙏 It was so nice to watch the good old days!! All the best!!
🇳🇵Love from Nepal !!!
That's the remarkable Lockheed Constellation they flew in on... beautiful old plane. I remember flying in those when I was a kid traveling the world with my family...
Thanks for this video. It brings back many childhood memories growing up in Singapore
After Singapore Independence in August 1965, the British retreated to Hong Kong where they controlled till July 1997. As was the case with other Commonwealth countries, most vestiges of British rule were eliminated but not Singapore. Even then all signs continued to be English hence most Singaporeans continued their way of thinking based on British inputs. The Privy Council continued to have an influence on court appeals. The British Cambridge GCE exams continued till today. Hence the standard of spoken and written English is higher than all other South East Asian countries.
The Lion City, 1957.. as amazing
I love old Singapore videos
I was born in 1952 I love the old days now days live is so boring
See Singapore was NOT just a fishing village before Independence. It was already a beautiful city.
A Singaporean born in 1956 a year before this footage was made, I think it was meant to promote Singapore to the world for tourism purposes. Anyway these period of time I didn't get to live it as I was still too young to appreciates, not until in the late 60's & early 70's when I was a runaway boy (after I took my PSLE) but it was still not much different as most of the places featured in the footage were still existed at the time but now I think some of it can only be found on postcards what a shame!
I'm here at my hotel in Singapore after an exciting day exploring China town, Kampong Glam and Little India. it's a packed day for sure. This film truly fascinates me! Of course a lot had changed since the 50s, but the uniqueness and charm of Singapore remains, and gets even better with time. Interesting to see Malayan airways being featured, which is of course now split into Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines.
Brorn in Singapore Gleneagles Hospital, my late father married my mum there. Still have family living there. It's a beautiful clean country.
So much character and beauty.
To those that were here before, come back and relive the moments again. The places might have changed quite a lot but I am sure the Singapore experience will not disappoint.
its very lovely to see many people and cultures practiced back then
Lovely video. Thank you
Nostalgic!! Nostalgic stuff!! Great upload!! Thanks...
Wow... This looks pretty swanky for a fishing village...
this was before lky he was still in law skool llearning british law and solar energy...the brits already did a fabulous work here..
+Vizo Linz I love the sarcasm 😅
seriously so many people are being brainwashed. UK built many establishments before they left in 65
Brits already did 90 percent of the upgrading works it seems
Good and balanced comments, ti cross check the truth compare it with British Colonial India where the cities were even richer re: the prevalent resources of cotton and steel which was what oil became to Singapore later.
Pls. excuse my enthusiasm, I see Singapore as a fantastic preview of what India will be in the near future just as my classmate shared that Hong-Kong is the future of China, back 20 yrs. ago in grad. school.
Beautiful future, Singapore is a major investor in the Indian economy and vice versa.
Pavan C. Joshi fuck india
Thanks for sharing
wow!thanks to TH-cam I could watch this amazing old people and stuffs that used to be in Singapore once upon a time......
TH-cam recommendations doing good work.
Love, love my old home town at Katong, tembeling road, good old memories, life was exiting and people were friendly, Malays, Chinese, Indians, we were all one big family
Love the night markets, and i really miss my Singspore, married at 22 and have been living in New Zealand for 52 years, life is good in NZ but Singapore will always be home for me ❤
Tq for this Jem.
Fascinating to see Singapore as it was.. oh, and happy birthday Singapore !
It's for a free trip back to the past! I am from singapore bte :D
Life then was marvellous even with less of everything
God bless all the souls of Singaporeans past.
Thanks for enriching our lives.
Didn't expect it is as clean as today.. :)
During this time the automobile also has this Flip up signal light and the "mata cheng teh kor"...polis wear khaki shorts. How many can remember this unique featues? Thank you for sharing this priceless moment in time.
Best time travel back into singapore simple past 👍👏
It seems that youtube has begun recommending this to everyone... nice :)
wow. breathtaking !
Cool video. Takes one back in time :)
Stuck with the COVID-19 at home and now I just finished looking at a old footage more than 70 years ago....Wow!!
I found this video while doing a group project and I was so surprised that this video is as old as me not to mention I'm only a week thsn it💀
I like it
Its like a old james bond movie
Rajender Rajender yeah
Some of the old timers have told me, how great that city once was.
@transformice countess: I am Singaporean too. I have been to a few places around the world, and NOWHERE is more beautiful to me than Singapore.
wow, thanks for sharing,....
I teared up on how far we have come.
Thanks Mr Lee for making Singapore to a better place.
One of my grand aunty was a beautiful stewardess during this time.
how i wish singapore was like this.
Stayed in YMCA there for several times once I visited there. Met different people.
Dear Admin VideoTravelfilmarcive good to see you..thank for All Videos..very interesting for Education and Travelers to Singapore.
Warm regard,
Lubis.
Classic! In 1957 I was still in my past life lol. Am Born in 80s ...
How i wished time will b rewinded to 1958. It's so free n easy n stressless life.Every thing seems so simple n easy to manage. How time flies, still flying b4 we know that have to the end of the road. Life is short, death is certain.
12:35 Kelab Dondang Sayang,.. classic laah
It's still as amazing as ever.
i remember watching this in some museum before
i think it was old ford factory
singapore duit dollar tp dikuasai oleh cina
I notice people from yesteryears were so full of grace and gentle, especially the ladies. Now modern Singaporeans are running a rat's race, highly stressed and walk around with stone cold faces.
correct
Say No To Pap......
Back then can they buy private ownership and land?
100%
Yes, a rat race. I visited Singapore many times in the 2000's. I witnessed two fights between locals on the MRT and when I accidentally dialled a wrong phone number (and apologised) the guy called me back in a terrible rage threatening to call the police. Lots of stressed, paranoid people and lots of resentment against expats, or 'foreign talent' as the expat community is referred to. All of Singapore has been completely rebuilt and a lot of the places that were once interesting have now gone. Places like Raffles are just overpriced tourist traps these days. If you want to visit an authentic colonial hotel go the E&O Hotel in Penang. I understand that the cost of living is extremely high and that people have to work all the time to survive, but I haven't been to Singapore for a long time and have absolutely no desire to return.
Looking at this video clip, I don’t think Singapore was a poor country. I think it’s a thriving city port when we went solo.
Right, Singapore's amazing Chinese people made it what it now has become, thanks to Lee Kuan Yew. I must say however,that much modernism has spoiled the FOOD, no longer amazing hawkers dishes,except Maxwell Market, and sadly, No more Satay Babi in front of the much altered Cathay Cinema as it was when I first went to Spore in1956. Singapore is some what sterile nowadays but people are better educated, the country is cleaner and the river is swimmable. Sadly how ever, much of its previous glamour has been lost in a sort of homogenous, westernised manner,especially I found that the food especially has lost MUCH of its flavor due to Fat/Oil Free and all manner of stupid Eureopean fads and the quest for 'Healthy food' which lacks flavor. My last visit two years ago I was able to eat REAL Malaysian/Chinese food in Geylang Serai and Joo Chiat Road areas but most other restaurants were Fat free,cooking on Gas rather than charcoal etc. My last visit two years go as I am too old to travel but II have known Singapore and her people since 1956 and it is STILL my favorite country. Terry Offord
@@terryofford4977 - totally agree. Progress is a double edged sword. The old charm of Singapore is lost forever.
1957, the newly formed Malaysia becomes a member of the British Commonwealth declared by Queen Elizabeth the Second.
Good old Paya Lebar airport. Took 3 days to fly from London in 1957!!!!