Old Singapore Quiz (1)

Posted by vickoo under Heritage Sites and Trails
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This is the first one of Victor Koo’s “Old Singapore Quiz” series.

I am starting my very own “no-prizes old-Singapore” quiz series of which this is the first one.

Below are photos of two very similar-looking structures. Both are still standing today somewhere in Singapore. You will probably be more familiar with the one on the left as it is situated in a very central location. The one on the right is in a more obscure location; so much so that you may not even notice it when you are in its vicinity. (I am not joking, I saw it only on my umpteenth visit to its location. And yet I am often described by some people as being the very observant type. Haha.)

There, I hope you have enough clues to work with. Now please attempt the quiz questions below the photos. Have fun guessing. (I better confess first that I do not know all the answers to my own questions.)

Update on 18 Sep 2008 - answers to the quiz:

I guess most of the questions for this quiz were quite easy for the majority of you. Most who answered got the answers correct. Ordinary Guy gave the most comprehensive answers here.

In fact, if you know what to search for, you can find most answers (not just for this quiz) by doing a search on the Internet. More likely than not, what you want to know has already been documented by some website or blogged by someone before.

Actually, when I took the photos of these two structures, I did not know that Singapore Paranormal Investigators (SPI) already has the mystery solved here.

You can also read more about the Labrador Obelisk at the Infopedia website here.

1. What is the generic name for this type of structure?

Obelisk - A tall 4-sided shaft of stone usually tapered and monolithic that rises to a pyramidial top.

2. What are the names given to the structures?

Left photo - The Dalhousie Obelisk.

Right photo - The Labrador Obelisk. (May not be the official name.)

3. Where are they located?

Left photo - Empress Place in the vicinity of ACM, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.

Right photo - Labrador Park, near the machine gun pillbox.

4. What are their significance, i.e. what do they commemorate, what do they stand for and why are they erected?

Left photo: To commemorate the second visit of the Marquis of Dalhousie in February 1850. He was Governor General of British India and his visit to Singapore was for the purpose of “liberating commerce from all restraints”.

Right photo: According to SPI who consulted a historian, the Labrador Obelisk used to be the marker of the most southern tip of Asia continent. However, according to the Infopedia site, the white obelisk marked the Western Harbour limit. So who is really right?

5. When were they erected? Were they built around the same time?

Left photo: Erected in 1850.

Right photo: In the 18th Century. (Exact date unknown.)

Hence they were not built around the same time.

6. Were they designed/built by the same person?

Probably not.

7. Who is (are) the designer(s)/builder(s)?

Left photo: Designed by John Turnbull Thomson. Built by prominent merchants and traders.

Right photo: Not known.

Below is a photo of the plaque found at the Dalhousie Obelisk. (The Labrador Obelisk does not have any accompanying plaque.)

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