HISTORY & SIGNIFICANCE

The Brief History of Chinatown

After 1980s

Enhancement & New Development

1200 buildings were given conservation status. And various upgrading works on the shophouses and regional new development have been carried out in the past few decades.

After Mid 1960s

Displacement

Many of Chinatown’s original residents were moved to new housing estates due to the government’s urban renewal and resettlement schemes.

After 1843

Rapid Physical Development

Chinatown's physical development began in 1843, when parcels of land were leased or granted to the public for building houses and shophouses. Four main areas were successively developed.

1822

Designated as Chinese Kampong

According to Raffles Plan, the area from the “Boat Quay southwest bank of the Singapore River” was designated as a Chinese Kampong.

The Evolution of Kreta Ayer

Jinrickshas: The first specimens of jinrickshas arrived from Shanghai in 1880, and became a distinctive feature of Singapore street scenes very quickly. After only 8 years since its introduction, the number of jinrickshas rose to 1800. Most of the early jinrickshas pullers were immigrants who stayed in densely populated areas like Sago Street and Banda Street.
Coolie: Pagoda Street between the 1850s and the 1880s was probably one of the many ‘stations’ for these slave traders. One of the firms was called Kwong Hup Yuen. In 1901, there were altogether 12 coolie lodging houses along Pagoda Street.

Death house: The chronic sick and the dying also wait out their days in the many ‘death houses’ of Sago Lane, a place which the Cantonese name ominously Street of the Dead. Nearby shops support this industry by selling funeral clothes, appliances, paper models of automobiles and houses.
Tailor shops: There are 26 different types of business occupying the ground floor of shophouses along Pagoda Street, tailor and textile shops predominate. 23 out of the 59 shophouses, more than one-third, are tailor shops.
Night market: Pagoda Street from seven to eleven o’clock at night perpetually attract massive crowds.
Morning market: A 1968 survey showed that there were a total of 1200 hawker stalls throughout a typical day in Chinatown. Most of the stalls were concentrated along Trengganu Street, Sago Street and Banda Street. Housewives and maidservants come as early as possible for the finest and freshest selection.

Significance