Singapore: Beginning at Telok Ayer

[Cecil Lee]

Beginning at Telok Ayer

A Malay community inhabited Telok Ayer long before the first immigrants even set foot on Singapore. Fishing was thier livelihood and they made thier homes in kelong-huts on stilts over the water. When the British acquired the island in 1819, they designated Telok Ayer a Chinese area. By 1835, Telok Ayer Street boasted trading houses, emporiums and religious buildings including three of Singpaore's most promininet Chinese temples - Fuk Tak CHi, Wak Hai Cheng Bio and Thian Hock Keng. Ying Fo Fui Kun - the first Hakka clan association and a national monumnet - is also located here.

Telok Ayer Landing Site

Telok Ayer was originally a bay, with a shoreline that came up to Telok Ayer Street. Early immigrants disembared on the sandy beach and gave their thanks for a safe passage at the temple or shrinte before looking for work and shelter. It is here that you would have found hundreds of boats manned by Indian lightermen who plied their trade from the coastline into the Singapore River. By 1900, Telok Ayer was becoming overcrowded. To create more space, the bay was filled in and the area now known as Shenton Way was built.

[Cecil Lee]

CHINATOWN
One of four sub-areas of Chinatown, Telok Ayer was often associated with the hilly residential and club house atmosphere of Ann Siang Hill and the long rows of shophouses and religious buildings along Telok Ayer Street.

It served as the main Chinese commercial district between 1850 and 1870 and was notorious for Chinese slave trade. Telok Ayer Street borded the original shoreline. Many immigrants from China and Malaya landed here. To give thanks for a safe journey, they built temples and settled in nearby shophouses.

After 1879, Telok Ayer Bay was reclaimed with landfill from Mount Wallich. The reclaimed area forms the land on which Cecil Street and Robinson Road, at the heart of the business district, now run.

Telok Ayer was accoreded conservation status on 7 July 1989. Its two- and three-storey shophouse are being restored through the combination efforts of the public and private sectors.

1. Nagore Durgha Shrine

Originally known as Shaul Hamid Durgha, Nagore Durgha Shrine was built by South Indian Chulia Muslimes in 1828 - 1830 on land granded by the British government. A place of worship and a cultural centre for the Tamil Muslims, it was declared a national monumnet in 1974.

2. Thian Hock Keng

Built in 1839-1842 by crafsmen and materials from China. Thian Hock Keng is one of the oldest temples in Singapore. Money to build the temple came from offerings received from devotees including Tan Tock Seng, a well-known philanthropist. THe chief deity, Ma Cho-Po, goddess of seafarrers, was brought from Fukien Province and enshrined here in 1840. The temple was declared a national monument in 1973.

3. Al-Abrar Mosque

Also known as Kuchu Palli (Tamil for "mosque hut"), Al-Abrar Mosque was built in 1850-55. It is simpler in style than the earlier mosques in Singapore and has an Indian Islamic theme. It was declared a national mounment in 1974.

4. Telok Ayer Street

Also known as Gwan Sun Kio (Gwan Sun Street), it once bordered Singapore's original shoreline. Once the most importnat street in Singapore for the numerous commercial, religious and clan association buildings found there.

5. Club Street

Named after the Weekly Entertainment CLub founded in 1891, numerous other clubs and associations were also housed in buildings here. Nos. 33 to 37, with Chinese architectural elemnets, were designed by Frank Brewer, one of the early architect in Singapore in the 1920s and 1930s.

6. Ann Siang Hill

This street was originally known as Scott's Hill after Charles Scott, who cultivated cloves and nutmegs in the area. It was also known as Gemmill's Hill after John Gemmill, a merchant and former auctioneer who presented a marble drinking fountain to the town in 1864. It was renamed after the hill was sold to Chia Ann Siang, a rich Malacca-born landowner. The winding street is flanked by shophouses of Transitional Shophouse style.

7. Erskine Road

How Erskine came to get its name is the subject of debate. Some believe the street was probably named after the Hon. J.J. Erskine, a member of the Penang Council who was listed as a Government Officer owning land in Singapore in 1824. Others say it was named after Samuel Erskine of Howarth Erskine & Co Ltd, a well-known engineering firm of the 1870's. Its corner is framed by No. 37, an Art Deco building built in 1924.
More information of the surrounding landmarks

Quote

On 8/18/2011 8:23:40 AM, Anonymous wrote:
Beginning at Telok Ayer
A Malay community inhabited
Telok Ayer long before the
first immigrants even set foot
on Singapore. Fishing was
thier livelihood and they made
thier homes in kelong-huts on
stilts over the water. When
the British acquired the
island in 1819, they
designated Telok Ayer a
Chinese area. By 1835, Telok
Ayer Street boasted trading
houses, emporiums and
religious buildings including
three of Singpaore's most
promininet Chinese temples -
Fuk Tak CHi, Wak Hai Cheng Bio
and Thian Hock Keng. Ying Fo
Fui Kun - the first Hakka clan
association and a national
monumnet - is also located
here.
Telok Ayer Landing Site
Telok Ayer was originally a
bay, with a shoreline that
came up to Telok Ayer Street.
Early immigrants disembared on
the sandy beach and gave their
thanks for a safe passage at
the temple or shrinte before
looking for work and shelter.
It is here that you would have
found hundreds of boats manned
by Indian lightermen who plied
their trade from the coastline
into the Singapore River. By
1900, Telok Ayer was becoming
overcrowded. To create more
space, the bay was filled in
and the area now known as
Shenton Way was built.

[Cecil Lee]

TheNagore Durgha Shrine

Originally known as Shaul Hamid Durgha, Nagore Durgha Shrine was built by South Indian Chulia Muslimes in 1828 - 1830 on land granded by the British government. A place of worship and a cultural centre for the Tamil Muslims, it was declared a national monumnet in 1974.