Living in Tiong Bahru back in the day

Posted by noelbynature under Buildings and Monuments, Heritage Sites and Trails, Lifestyle
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Thanks to efforts like the Tiong Bahru Estate blog, we’ve featured quite a few stories about the local colours and buildings in the estate. But what was it like to live in Tiong Bahru “back in the day”? Peter Chan shares with us his memories of the time is grandfather moved into Tiong Bahru from the late 1930s.

My grandfather moved in from Tras Street to the pre-war SIT flats in late 1937. Incidentally the original house at Tras Street still stands and renamed as the Acclaim House. The Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) flats were built and offered for rent by the British Colonial Government. In 1966 the HDB, in the first acid test for public home-ownership, offered the SIT flats for sale to the existing tenants. I understand there were many criticisms and grouses from the ground and it prompted the speedy intervention of the then Prime Minister. Many took up the government offer for alternative public housing but our family took up the government offer. We paid S$20,000 for our flat.

Find out what it was like to live in Tiong Bahru in Good Morning Yesterday.

Tags: Tiong Bahru Estate