LAUNCH OF SINGAPORE: A PICTORIAL HISTORY 1819-2000

— A Millennium Book

Take a pictorial journey into Singapore’s rich and colourful history as we usher in the new millennium. Singapore: A Pictorial History 1819-2000, is an impressive coffee-table book, tracing Singapore’s evolution from a quiet village to a modern global city over the past two centuries. To be placed in the Millennium Time Capsule, the history book is an important millennium marker giving us and future generations an insight into how we have lived, worked and played, and reminding us of our shared heritage.

Commissioned by the Ministry of Information and The Arts and the National Heritage Board, the book includes reproductions of images never before published and is the product of a two-year quest for new and compelling images from sources within and outside Singapore. Mr Lee Yock Suan, Minister for Information and The Arts, will launch the book and time capsule at City Hall Chamber, City Hall Building on 12 November 1999.

Written by well-known local author, Mrs Gretchen Liu, Singapore: A Pictorial History 1819-2000 is intended to be a rich, fascinating and accessible historical chronicle for all Singaporeans. What sets this book apart is its strong visual appeal — over 1,300 images are used. Many rare photographs, posters, drawings, paintings and engravings are featured, drawn from the collections of the National Archives of Singapore; the Singapore History Museum; foreign museums in some European countries, the United States and Japan; and also several private old family albums. The book succeeds in bringing Singapore’s history vividly to life, and takes readers on a fascinating historical journey through our physical, social, urban, economic and architectural landscapes. (Please refer to Annex A for more details).

On 12 November 1999, we will also witness the launch of the Millennium Time Capsule. Undertaken by the Singapore History Museum, the theme of the time capsule is "Singapore at the Turn of the Millennium". Its objective is to celebrate our achievements by leaving a lasting legacy of this millennium for future generations to unveil in 2050. Artefacts that are significant and representative of life in Singapore will be encapsulated in the capsule. When it is opened, future generations would gain an insight into the lifestyles of Singaporeans in the 20^th century.

Singapore: A Pictorial History 1819-2000 will be the first item to be placed within the Millennium Time Capsule. Mr Yeo Cheow Tong, Minister for Communications and Information Technology, will seal the capsule on 31 December 1999 on the grounds of the Singapore History Museum. (Please refer to Annex B for more details on the time capsule.)

The hard-cover Singapore: A Pictorial History 1819-2000 will be available for sale starting from 12 November 1999 at all leading bookstores or from the distributor, APD Singapore (Fax: 7493552 & Tel: 7493551). It is retailed at $59.90 (excluding GST).

ISSUED BY:

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND THE ARTS &

NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD

9 NOVEMBER 1999

Ms Ang Hwee Sim

Publicity Officer

DID: 375 7773

FAX: 375 7860

Ms Genevieve Gasper

Head (Reference)

National Archives of Singapore

DID: 332 7903

FAX: 339 0782

Ms Uma Devi

Head (Historic Sites)

National Archives of Singapore

DID: 332 3235

FAX: 339 0782

- Matters relating to the Millennium Time Capsule

Ms Helen Ng

Public Affairs Executive

Singapore History Museum

DID: 332 3251

FAX: 332 3587

PGR: 9 577 3952

- Ms Merleen Lee

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Singapore: A Pictorial History 1819-2000 was conceived as a rich, fascinating and accessible visual history of Singapore that would draw upon archival materials and private collections to tell the story of transformation from jungle-covered isle to global city state, to a popular audience.

Over 1,300 images were selected for reproduction in the book. These were sourced and assembled over a two-year period. The vast majority is from the National Archives of Singapore and the Singapore History Museum, both of which have had their photographic collections enriched by recent donations and acquisitions. Museums in Europe, Japan and the United States yielded some unusual and very special material. Several private collectors, both in Singapore and abroad, allowed access to rare and precious images while others generously allowed access to old family albums.

The quest for the new and fascinating has unearthed many fresh images reproduced here for the first time alongside classics without which no visual history of Singapore would be complete. What makes them so extraordinary are their unique ties to Singapore, ties to ordinary people and every day affairs as much as to major events and personalities. From this sumptuous treasure trove, Singapore's history is vividly brought to life.

The material is organised chronologically. There are five chapters, each receiving about equal space. The first takes the reader from 1819 to 1869, a neat half century that saw the settlement take root and steadily grow. The second chapter starts with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and ends with the colony's centenary celebrations in 1919. Chapter Three features the years between the two world wars, a shorter period but one which saw substantial physical and social changes. Chapter Four starts with the coming of World War II in 1941 and ends with separation from Malaysia in 1965. Chapter Five attempts to bring the Singapore story up to date, a near impossible task given the extraordinary changes of the last 35 years.

Singapore: A Pictorial History 1819-2000 has been designed to appeal to a wide audience. Readers with little knowledge of Singapore history will find the material accessible and illuminating while those with a deeper knowledge will enjoy the numerous rare and unusual images which have been included.

Following are a list of individuals who have contributed significantly to the book and can be contacted for interviews:

Francis Lee

68 Bodmin Drive

Serangoon Gardens

Tel: 282 8162

Mr Chia Chin Siong

Blk 30A Holland Close

#11-201

Singapore 271030

Tel: 777 9820

Mr Ronnie Lim Eng Lian

147 Thomson Ridge

Singapore 574729

Tel: 454 4195

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The Singapore History Museum (SHM) of National Heritage Board celebrates the Millennium with the sealing of the only official Millennium Time Capsule on 31 December 1999, by Mr Yeo Cheow Tong, Minister for Communications and Information Technology.

The objective of the Millennium Time Capsule is to leave a lasting legacy of this Millennium for future generations to unveil in 2050. The theme of the capsule is "Singapore at the turn of the Millennium". Artifacts that are significant and representative of life in Singapore will be encapsulated in the capsule.

SHM wants to involve Singaporeans actively as part of history in the making in the selection of the artifacts to be encapsulated. From 11 October to 5 November 1999, the "Millennium Ideas Hunt" was launched to solicit ideas from the public on artifacts to be placed in the capsule. The ideas collated were submitted to a panel consisting of National Heritage Board members and journalists from Singapore Press Holdings for the final shortlisting of 50 artifacts.

The 50 artifacts are then displayed in an interpretive exhibition which commands a new perspective of what it means to be Singaporean. The public can view the month-long exhibition at Singapore History Museum from 23 November to 19 December 1999, and vote for what they consider as most significant objects. The votes would be eligible for the grand lucky draw on 31 Dec 99 with the top cash prize of $5,000.

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