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Started the trail from Tiong Bahru MRT station.

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Another unique design feature of Tiong Bahru’s flats is the use of brick work on some of the balconies. These fair-faced (unpainted) facing bricks are laid out in pleasing patterns of darker and lighter bricks. Can be found blocks 57, 82 and 76.

Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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See Hood Kee (1793–1847) was the most important Hokkien Peranakan leader at that time, and the wealthiest Hokkien leader in Singapore. Many roads in Tiong Bahru are named after members of See’s family and other notable Chinese businessmen.

Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Architect Alfred G. Church was entrusted with the design of Tiong Bahru between 1936 and 1941. His pre-war designs were a modified form of a style called Streamline Moderne, which was a late development of the Art Deco movement. Inspired largely by technology and the speed of modern travel, buildings were designed to look like automobiles, trains, ocean liners and aeroplanes, complete with the sweeping, streamlined and aerodynamic lines that were so characteristic of these forms of transport

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The design of these post-war flats in Tiong Bahru was done by SIT’s Senior Architect Lincoln Page and Robert FN Kan, the first locally-born person to be appointed assistant architect and town planner in SIT. Page and Kan favoured the International Style of design which was inspired by mechanical simplicity and structure. One important characteristic of the International Style is the use of boxes to carve out the interior space of the building. Lines are clean and simple, giving the building a modern yet functional look.

The International Style emerged in the 1920s as a reaction against historicism (a theory that each period of history has its own unique beliefs and values and can only be understood in its historical context) and the ostentatious decorative aspects of the Art Deco movement.

Page and Kan avoided a completely boxed design for these blocks by infusing the external staircases with luscious curved landings and round portholes, reminiscent of the older flats in the estate.

Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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These distinctive curved ‘horse-shoe’ shaped flats at Moh Guan Terrace and Guan Chuan Street were built between 1939 and 1940. Block 78 is the largest block of flats in Tiong Bahru and is unique for two reasons.

First, this single block of flats actually straddles both Moh Guan Terrace and Guan Chuan Street; and second, the section on Guan Chuan Street features a purpose-built air raid shelter, the first to be included in a public housing project.

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Along Tiong Bahru Road

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https://www.roots.gov.sg/places/places-landing/trails/tiong-bahru-heritage-trail

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Download Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Booklet
Tiong Bahru Road today stretches for more than three kilometres from Redhill MRT at its western end to Outram Road on its eastern end. For most Singaporeans, Tiong Bahru is a small, charming and chic housing estate awash with good eateries and eclectic little shops. But there is much more to Tiong Bahru than meets the eye, as this heritage trail shows.

The first appearance of Tiong Bahru Road on a map was in 1913. Before that, the road had been named Burial Ground Road as it led from Outram Road into an area surrounded by numerous Chinese burial grounds. People were probably using the name Tiong Bahru long before it appeared in published sources, going by the etymological roots of the term. 'Tiong Bahru' combines two words: 'Tiong' (冢), meaning 'grave' in the Hokkien dialect, and the Malay word 'bahru' (also spelt 'baru'), which means 'new'. Tiong Bahru was hence used by locals to refer to a 'new' cemetery as opposed to the old cemetery at the site of the present Singapore General Hospital.

Before the early 20th century, the area around the present Tiong Bahru was largely undeveloped. Most of the land along the length of Tiong Bahru Road was used as farmland or cemeteries. After the turn of the century, some enterprising businessmen began to build houses and shophouses along the road, with one cluster at the junction of Tiong Bahru and Henderson Roads, and a second cluster at what is now Tiong Bahru estate.

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Tiong Bahru Road today stretches for more than three kilometres from Redhill MRT at its western end to Outram Road on its eastern end. For most Singaporeans, Tiong Bahru is a small, charming and chic housing estate awash with good eateries and eclectic little shops.

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Link to Resource Guide
https://www.roots.gov.sg/-/media/Roots/Files/tiong-bahru-heritage-trail/tiong-bahru-ht-booklet-updated19July2022.ashx?la=en

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Not covered in this trail:
03 Grave of Tan Tock Seng
04 The Outram Precinct

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... which is the "borderline" of Tiong Bahru

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Ended the trail at Havelock MRT station

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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See Boon Tiong (1807–1888) was born in Malacca and lived in Singapore between 1825 and 1848. He was a wealthy merchant, tapioca planter and a close friend of the Scottish trader Alexander Laurie Johnston (1783–1850), after whom the former Johnston’s Pier was named. He was also involved in mining in Pahang, Trengganu, Kelantan, Patani and Singora. See is best remembered as one of the principal founders of the Keng Teck Huay, a Hokkien Peranakan association established at Telok Ayer Street in 1831.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Tan Chay Yan (1871–1916) was a rubber industry pioneer. Born in Malacca, he was the eldest son of Tan Teck Guan, and a grandson of Tan Tock Seng. Tan’s family was wealthy, owning large tracts of land, and operating trading companies and plantations growing mostly tapioca. After completing his secondary education at the Malacca High School, Tan went to England to further his studies and there met Henry Nicholas Ridley (1855–1856), who later became Director of the Botanic Gardens in Singapore and a champion of the Malayan rubber industry. With encouragement from his friend Dr Lim Boon Keng (1869–1957), Tan obtained nine rubber seedlings from Ridley in 1895 and planted them on a 43-acre site at Bukit Lintang near Malacca – this was the first Malayan rubber plantation. Tan was also active in public affairs, serving as a member of the Malacca Municipal Council and as a committee member of the Singapore Straits Chinese British Association. The original Chay Yan Street has been replaced by the construction of Seng Poh Road Market and the current location of Chay Yan Street was designated in the 1950s.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Koh Eng Hoon (1823–1880) was a Malacca-born merchant, the son of Koh Kee Oot and grandson of Koh Teck Hin. The Koh family had settled in Malacca for almost two centuries. Koh Eng Hoon came to Singapore in 1840, aged 17, in search of new opportunities and started work as a shop assistant at Boustead & Company. He was later promoted to cashier but after five years with the firm, he left to establish his own company, the Benefit Society. He had large dealings with the Bugis traders and also acted as a commission agent. When he died in 1880, he left behind many properties in Singapore and Malacca. Unfortunately, his sons, San Tee and San Chun, were less capable than their father and by 1891, Chop Soon Bee, the company he founded, was bankrupt.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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See Eng Watt (1826–1884) was a Malacca-born merchant, second son of See Hood Kee. He was admitted to his father’s partnership of Boon Tiong and Co in 1846. The younger See founded Eng Wat, Moh Guan & Bros Co in 1859 with ships plying between Singapore and Xiamen. He was a Chinese pioneer in the shipping line. He was also one of the founders of a Chinese free school known as Chui Eng Si E in Amoy Street. A Hokkien community leader, he died in 1884.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Seah Eu Chin (1805–1883) was a China-born Teochew businessman who came to Singa- pore in 1823. He established a mercantile business and owned a large gambier plantation that stretched from Irwell Bank Road (off River Valley Road) to Bukit Timah Road and Thomson Road. A member of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and a Justice of the Peace, Seah founded the Ngee Ann Kongsi along with 30 other community leaders in 1830. Seah was one of the wealthiest Chinese merchants of his time.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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So Guan Chuan was a member of the first committee of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce formed in February 1837. He was also a founding member of the Keng Teck Huay, and he contributed generously to the building funds for the construction of the Thian Hock Keng Temple in Telok Ayer Street and even served as the Temple’s general manager in the 1840s.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Lee Keng Kiat (1851–1917) was born in Ma- lacca and was the son of Lee Quee Lim. He was educated in Penang and came to Singapore after graduation to work, joining the Straits Steamship Co as a sub-Manager. He contributed much to the Straits-born Chinese community. Lee Keng Kiat had two sons: Lee Chin Tuan and Lee Chin Huk. Lee established a steamship business in the 1870s but it went bust in the 1890s. He was a cousin of Lee Choon Guan.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Kim Cheng Street was formerly named Kim Ching Street, in honour of Tan Kim Ching (1829–1892). Tan was the eldest son of pioneering businessman, Tan Tock Seng. Born with a keen business mind which was sharpened by working with his father, Tan started Chop Chin Seng which dealt with rice. He owned rice mills as far as Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and Siam (Thailand). Tan was also instrumental in establishing the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company, and moved into shipping as well. After his father died, he inherited the mantle as leader of Singapore’s Chinese community. In 1865, he was made Justice of the Peace, and in 1888, became a Municipal Commissioner. He co-founded the Tan Si Chong Su Temple at Magazine Road with Tan Beng Swee in 1878.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Low Kim Pong (1837–1909) was born in Fujian, China and came to Singapore in 1858. He started a small medical shop, Chop Ban San and later Chop Hock Nam, which eventually became one of the largest Chinese medical halls. He also dealt in private banking. Committed to social services, he was a member of the Chinese Advisory Board, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Society of Arts. Among other things, Low helped establish the Siong Lim Temple (now a national monument) in Kim Keat Road in 1902.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Tan Kim Tian was a Baba from Malacca. He started life as a comprador or local intermediary in the European firm of Paterson Simons & Company, and later went into business on his own, establishing Tan Kim Tian and Son Steam- ship Company, the first local Chinese shipping company to build and buy steamships. Capitalising on the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Tan and his son, Beng Wan, set up the company in 1871 and made a fortune.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Lim Liak (alias Lim Leack) was a tin miner, tapioca planter and ship owner in the 1850s. Lim Liak Street was named in 1941 on completion of the Tiong Bahru housing estate. The street did not originally appear on the master plan for Tiong Bahru. Lim was the proprietor of Leack, Chin Seng and Co and Chop Hiap Chin. He came from China to Malaya in 1825. He started his business in tin-mining and later moved to Singapore and started his shipping business. A public spirited man, he was much respected in the Chinese community. He died at the age of 71.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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See Moh Guan (d. 1879) was born in Malacca and was the fourth son of See Hood Kee. He was in the pepper and gambier business. In 1879, he assumed chairmanship of the Tiong Bahru Heng San Teng temple, taking over from his father who had passed away that year. Moh Guan Terrace is named after him.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Lim Peng Nguan (1833–1879) was one of the earliest gambier and pepper planters in Singapore. He married Teo Choon Lian, daughter of a famous businessman and community leader, Teo Lee. His son, Lim Nee Soon (1879-1936) became one of the most important rubber and pineapple tycoons in Singapore as well as a major philanthropist.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Khoo Tiong Poh (1830–1892) was a Hokkien merchant who came to Singapore aged 22 from China. His first business venture was Chop Tiong Ho. In 1874, he set up Bun Hin & Co and went into the shipping business and was also engaged in the ship chandlery business under Ann Bee & Co. In 1888, he obtained a Manchu title conferred by the Emperor of China as an expression of political and economic affiliation.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Tan Seng Poh (1830–1879) was a Teochew merchant who was born in Perak. His father, Tan Ah Hun, was from Zhaonan and became the wealthy Kapitan China of Perak. His eldest and second sisters married Seah Eu Chin with whom he had close business ties. Tan later became the head of an opium farm and part of the Great Opium Syndicate alongside tycoons Cheang Hong Lim (1841–1893) and Tan Yeok Nee (1827–1902)). He was made a Justice of the Peace and Honorary Magistrate in 1872. He lived in a huge mansion he built in what is now Loke Yew Street.

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Sit Wah Road is named after well-known local contractor Sit Wah or See Wah (of Chop See Wah fame).

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Tan Yong Siak (1835–1914) was a Teochew merchant and contemporary of Seah Liang Seah (1850-1925). Born in Zhao’an, China, in 1835, he came to Singapore at a young age. He first worked as an apprentice before becoming manager of Chop Ban Seng. In 1863, he founded Chop Yong Hak Seng at 49 Circular Road and Ban Seng Soon at 71 Boat Quay in 1879, both dealing in Siamese rice, rattan and rubber. He was a founding member of The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce. He was a charitable man and a highly-respected arbitrator.

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By Sarawak-born sculptor Lim Nang Seng (1916–1987)

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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In July 1948, Lau Yew Hock, a prominent member of the Tiong Bahru community and Secretary of the Singapore Chinese Importers and Exporters Association, proposed the establishment of a community centre.

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Tiong Bahru Community Centre from 1951–1960

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Tiong Bahru Community Centre from 1951–1960

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In July 1951, a community centre building was established at Eu Chin Street at the cost of $20,000 and was officially opened by Duncan Robertson on 8 July 1951

Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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The original building was gone...

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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The Tiong Bahru Qi Tian Gong (齐天 宫), more popularly known as the Tiong Bahru Monkey God Temple, was founded in 1920 in a small attap hut located within a taro garden just across Eng Hoon Street. It moved to its current location in 1938

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Right opposite the current bird corner. This was the original site of the bird corner.

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The Christmas tree is where the "Hu Lu Temple" was

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Pre-war flats, bounded by Seng Poh road, Moh Guan Terrace, Yong Siak Street, Tiong Poh Road and Tiong Bahru Road

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Pre-war flats, bounded by Seng Poh road, Moh Guan Terrace, Yong Siak Street, Tiong Poh Road and Tiong Bahru Road

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Facing junction of Seng Poh Road and Lim Liak Street

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Facing Seng Poh Street

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with a bridge linking 2 buildings across a road

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The "continuity" is more noticeable from the carpark

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The back... notice the 2 different designs of the back staircase?

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its back... from the carpark

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around the corner

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along the cooridor

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a Christmas tree in the park in front of the horseshoe block (background)

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The park in front of the horseshoe block

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The entire block

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right outside the community centre

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Text Source: NHB Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guidebook

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Blocks 81 and 82 along Tiong Poh Road were known to early residents as ‘aeroplane flats’ because they appeared, from a distance, like the wings of an airplane.