Chinatown Historical Street

Chinatown historical Street

Temple Street

 Before Temple Street got its name, it was called Almeida Street after Joachim D’Almeida, son of the legendary Dr Jose D’Almeida. And influential merchant as well as a dctor, the Consul for Portugal, Dr D’Almeida owned the land on which this street was built. The Hokkiens had another name for Temple Street: Gu Chia Chui Hi Hng Au, which mean the street behind the theatre. They were referring to Lai Chun Yuen, the famous Chinese opera theatre on neighbouring Smith Street. Many if the clients who frequented brothels at Temple Street and various parts of Chinatown were also patrons of Lai Chun Yuen. Along with prostitution came other social ills such as crime and opium smoking.

Dr Chen Su Lan, the first locally trained Chinese medical practitioner, lived on Temple Street. He actively campaigned against opium smoking and prostitution, and his efforts improved the lives of a number of poor immigrants. Although Temple Street was less than salubrious, several of its buildings were associated with renowned architect F.W. Brewer. Most well known for his design of the Cathay building and the Chinese Swimming Club. Brewer worked on no fewer then seven residential buildings on Temple Street.

Pagoda Street

Street peddlers once sold their wares all along Pagoda Street. Clustered on both sides of the street next to Sri Mariamman Temple, these itinerant hawkers would squat on the pavement with their goods displayed haphazardly on old bits of newspapers, on pieces of cloth or on top of bags.

Pagoda Street got its name, erroneously, from the entrance tower that frames Sri Mariamman Temple, which is not actually  a pagoda but a gopuram. Most of the shophuses on this street was built after 1842, when the land along pagoda street was granted to the public. By 1862, the street was fully built up. Opium dens and slave traders (coolie traders), including the biggest coolie house, Kwong Hup Yuen, dominated. The two traders fed off each other, quietly encouraged by the colonial authorities. Many coolies, condemned to a hopeless existence, turned to opium for momentary relief from their hardship. All the other end of the spectrum were the Hindu devotees who flocked to Sri Mariamman Temple for prayers. In 1972, Pagoda Street was visited by Queen Elizabeth 11, who was in Singapore for a state visit.