My thanks to Bill Johnston for
these photos. Bill also submitted photos from his time as a
teacher at Pasir Panjang Junior
School |
The junction of Circular
Road with North Bridge Road, a couple of hundred yards south of the
bridge over Singapore River. |
Fitzpatrick's was the
'other' supermarket in Orchard Road, much further up than Cold Storage,
next to Champion Motors (the VW dealers). You could park right outside
AND drive off up or down Orchard Road afterwards! |
Two views of the wide,
deep monsoon drain on the other side of Orchard Road - one comparatively
empty, the other after a typical rainstorm. |
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A typical means of
transport for local workers! |
Raffles Place, Christmas 1968, with the original Robinsons geared up for the festive season. |
The Lido Cinema at the junction of Orchard and Scotts Road. The present Lido, at the top of the atrium of another shopping centre,
is reached by a number of vertiginous escalators - all made by Schindler, as I noticed when I came out of the auditorium with a hushed audience after seeing Schindler's List! |
Collyer Quay during the evening rush hour. The inevitable VW Beetle and a Mercedes, but in those days
nearly all other cars were British. |
The grubby entrance to Change Alley from Collyer Quay. Nowadays the Alley, though still bearing the
name, is a disappointing air-conditioned thoroughfare with smart shops and offices lining the sides. |
Looking down Orchard Road towards CK Tang (on the left), taken from Liat Towers, the stubby block which housed Donald Moore Galleries
after it moved from its original premises in Clemenceau Avenue. It's amazing that there are no high-rise buildings along the length of this part of Orchard Road; compare it with today! Orchard Road was two-way traffic in the 1960s, something present-day Singapore children find hard to believe - as, also, that policemen wore short trousers
then! |
The beginning of Scotts Road, taken from the same viewpoint. Today it is all high-rise blocks on both sides. |
From Liat Towers looking up Orchard Road towards Tanglin. The Thai Embassy, on the right in spacious grounds, is still there and
looks exactly the same. The site must be worth billions of dollars! The wide monsoon drains are all underground now. |
Bukit Timah Road would often flood, especially when the monsoon
rains coincided with the tide coming up from the sea. Enterprising Singaporeans would offer to 'push out' vehicles that became stationary in the floodwater, making sure they pushed your exhaust pipe beneath it, ensuring a handsome tip from grateful motorists! |
The bank notes we used back in the 1960s |
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My daughter demonstrating the state-of-the-art child safety seat of the 60s in Singapore! Made of
wicker, it simply hooked over the bench seat in the front of my Standard Vanguard without straps, anchors or anything else! Maybe some of the others who look at this web site will remember something similar. |
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Some photos relating to the Half Way House Restaurant and Nite Club, Bukit Timah. My thanks for these photos to Dan Foo, whose father Mr Foo Fong Wah, owned the Half Way House from the '50s to the 70's. |
From Left: Donald’s younger brother, Donald, my youngest brother and eldest brother |
A late 60’s or early 70’s 60’s photo of the Halfway house front |
Mr. Foo behind the Halfway house bar counter |
A young Mr. Foo behind the bar counter |
Mr. Foo with 2 British patron taking over the bar, circa 50’s |
Old photo of Halfway house front entry. Mr Foo was a keen American car collector ( Chevy) |
Inside Halfway House hosting an Australian family ( Mr. Foo at far left, next to Mr. Singh. I am on my father’s right and the girl
in the black dress with the back to the camera went on to become Miss Malaysia with her sister on her left) |
Donald’s Wedding (Mr & Mrs Foo are on first row left side and I (Dan Foo)am on back row left) |