Singapore: My Memories of a Changing Country part one…
Taking a short break from my writing and guest posts. I hope you enjoy my photos.
When I was a little girl I lived in Singapore with my parents. My dad had just been posted there from Korea (Korean War), and we joined him there from England. He hadn’t seen me since shortly after my birth and by the time we met up again, I was almost three.
Apparently, when he met us off the plane and I immediately shot up inside my mother’s skirt to hide from him when he approached us, yelling, ‘tell that man to go away!’ Poor Dad.
Singapore was still surrounded by jungle back then and very different from the hugely successful, hi-tech, country it has become. I have memories of it, vague of course, but certain smells for instance can transport me back in seconds.
Our apartment, as I recall, was in a block situated close to the parade ground where the soldiers were drilled daily.
I had a friend who was a little older than me called Janice, and we swam and played together and shared a carefree childhood.
Photo Jane Risdon
Life is strange. Many years ago one of my brothers, who was in the Army, was taking part in a ‘Passing out’ parade in England and our parents were in attendance. One of the officers came across to speak with them. He’d recognised both my parents, and it transpired that he was the father of Janice, my friend from Singapore, and this was the first time my parents had seen him since leaving Singapore in the mid-1950s. The officer was an instructor and had been teaching my brother and his colleagues, and he didn’t have a clue that he was educating the son of a friend from all those years ago. Small world!
We had a live-in nanny, known as an Amah. Her niece lived nearby with her family and she would play with the older children. Most families had an Amah to help the lady of the house with her childcare.
I spent most days with my Amah, when I wasn’t out playing with Janice, and would often be found squatting on the floor in her room sharing a meal of fish and rice with her. At age three I was able to use chopsticks and speak a few words of Mandarin and Cantonese.
I wish I’d learned the languages properly. Many years later I lived and worked in Singapore alongside my husband when we were in the international music business. At that time we were working with a Chinese singer/actress we managed. She taught us some Mandarin and Cantonese too.
Not only did she record in English, Mandarin. and Cantonese, she also perform live in these languages. A versatile artist she was just as at home singing Chinese Opera, and Rock, as well as R&B/Pop in concert and also in musicals.
I’m sure there were festivals and places of interest to see and enjoy when my parents lived in Singapore, I have no such memories because I was too young. However, having spent several years in Singapore working with our artists, my husband and I enjoyed seeing many festivals. We had a lovely time being shown around the city and taking part in many events, including being VIP guests at a New Year celebration held by The Lions Club of Singapore on New Year’s Eve.
On one day off we took a traditional junk and sailed around the islands, stopping off at Kusu Island to see the terrapins.
Singapore has changed beyond all belief. It now boasts one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.
The areas where we could play as children were few, but we had a play area on the hockey, cricket, football field.
The British families had a great life, I think. I know they had an amazing social life and I can still remember the beautiful evening and cocktail dresses my mother wore. Some years later when she and my father were no longer moving around with the army, I wore them for ‘dressing up.’
Day dresses, evening dresses for women, and men’s day and evening suits, as well as clothes for children, could be made to order, on the street, by tailors sitting crossed-legged inside small businesses. An item could be ordered in the morning and would be ready for a fitting or collection later that day! These were beautifully made and from the best materials such as cotton, linen, silk, and taffeta.
The photo below is of a local brewery, well-known for making Tiger Beer.
I hope you enjoyed seeing a few of my photos from the 1950s and the early 2000s. Next time I will share some more from Singapore, and some from Taiwan too.
Stay safe and well.
All Photos (c) Jane Risdon 2022 All Rights Reserved.
Categories: Blog
Jane Risdon 
Jane, this is my favorite of your blog posts. Your family stories are fascinating! Thank you.
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Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed them. I try not to add too much info as it can get boring to many I am sure. I shall find some more photos asap. I loved your pictures of New England. also, about your Nan. I wonder what it is about a Nan in our lives being so important. My Nan was wonderful. I decided to be known as Nan and not a Grandmother – seems much softer to me.
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It’s not boring at all. I’m glad your Nan was wonderful, too. Our grandparents are the link to the past and family history, and they’re the ones who give us unconditional love. Nan is a soft name!
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My grandparents died long ago. Paternal grandmother died in 1955, Maternal grandfather died in 1955, Paternal grandfather died in 1966, maternal grandmother died 1968. Spent most of our time they were alive living overseas so didn’t see them that much sadly.
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That is sad, Jane. Both of my grandfathers died before I was born.
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Oh, that is sad. What they missed out on as well as you. Life is mean at times.
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Indeed!
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xx
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Fascinating memories, Jane. Imagine the odds of your parents running into Janice’s parents after so many years in another part of the world. It’s fun to look back, even if it’s not my life.
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It is a small world in so many ways, Pete. Now and again we bump into someone and it is unreal. Am sure you have experienced it too. x
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Wonderful memories. Photographs are the only way we can stop time and crystallize moments.
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so true, Rebecca. A lovely way to express it. x
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I enjoyed this visit to a bit of your past!
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I have loads of photos, as everyone has I am sure. Just enjoy looking through them, and I can use so many. I am sure you have lots too. xx
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Yes, I have, tons and tons of them.
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Ever wonder what will happen to them when you are gone? In the tip, I think, as I haven’t any family interest in having them.
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The thought has crossed my mind, yes. Hopefully, my daughter won’t chuck them out.
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I am not sure youngsters are that bothered, possibly all digital now and nothing physical left. Wonder where my 1,000s of digital pics will end up?
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I have the feeling that physical photos will outlast digital photos because technology changes so rapidly the digital photos will no longer be accessible.
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Liz, that is true although I find that colour photos are fading. Also, I lost thousands of photos from the last Google update. Not alone either, reading so many complaints.
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I back up my photos on an external hard drive. I don’t trust could storage–although I know hard drives fail, too.
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Yes, I have mine in several places including hard drives, but they still seem to disappear. Gremlins. x
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I know just what you mean about gremlins!
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They are in everything lol
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*cloud
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Yes and to that. One Drive lost a lot during this.
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When I was forced into getting Windows10, One Drive wreaked such havic with my computer I turned it off.
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I can understand that. They really ought to be held accountable when their products lose or wreck things. LOL right!
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You’re right. Accountability and Microsoft are two words that don’t go together.
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So like many other businesses these days.
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Isn’t that the truth . . .
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Amen to that. x
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I enjoyed this virtual tour through the past of Singapore! Thanks for sharing the lovely photos and memories.
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Amy, thanks so much. A few more to come as soon as I get my act together. How are you?
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