Monday, May 21, 2012
Apr 21 2009

The search for Singapore’s first public drinking fountain

Posted by yesterday.sg

Editor’s note:

Yesterday.sg always strives to engage readers to take interest in our heritage and culture. With Heritage TV, we hope our readers would offer personal insights and tell stories of their own through videos. So to our pleasant surprise, we received this delightful video in our inbox this week. Inspired by our very own HTV, Yvonne Chng and her daughters embarked on a hunt for Singapore’s first public drinking fountain. Intensive research paid off as they discovered the whereabouts of this mysterious drinking fountain…

From her blog: http://oursingaporestories.blogspot.com

We were having lunch at the Nova Cafe at the National Museum last Sunday when I remembered reading somewhere that Singapore’s first public drinking fountain could be found on the grounds of the museum.

We have been to the museum many times but never encountered any old drinking fountains so I wasn’t hopeful, but anyway no harm trying.  True enough, the fountain was not to be found… but we did eventually locate it and it was not anywhere near the National Museum.

Inspired by Heritage TV, I recorded our quest for the fountain on film.  So watch our little documentary if you want to find out where Singapore’s first public drinking fountain is!

Posted by yesterday.sg • under Blogging, Folklore, National History, Personal, Public Sculptures
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
(10) Comments • Permalink

10 Responses

  1. nostalgic bear Said,

    A very interesting clip with lots of research and done by three girls … most impressive. Hope to see more such videos. Congrats!!!!

    Posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 9:54 am

  2. JV Said,

    *I would lv to see the Gemmill Fountain!*

    Posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 5:38 pm

  3. py Said,

    I will be keen. Good work for the video!

    Posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 8:05 pm

  4. Janet Ellen Shen Said,

    I have drank from Gemmill fountain, my boys also get to drink from there around late 90s. Back then the marbles are quite weather an chip off. It was located near the entrance of the National Museum. It not long before the National library was demolished. I hope they will restore it again, may be in the building? Thanks for the excellent work and the video presentation.

    Posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 11:02 pm

  5. Yvonne Said,

    Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the video. More Gemmill trivia for you: Ann Siang Hill was known as Gemmill Hill (because it was owned by John Gemmill) before it was sold to Chia Ann Siang in 1894 and renamed Ann Siang Hill.

    Posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 11:48 pm

  6. Yvonne Said,

    Oops, my football-crazy brother just told me that “Gemmill” as in Archie Gemmill the footballer who scored a spectacular goal in the 1978 World Cup is pronounced with a hard g (as in “golf”) and not with a soft g (as in “giant”).

    Posted on April 23rd, 2009 at 6:28 pm

  7. Icemoon Said,

    This is way cool man!

    Yvonne, care to reveal your next adventure with your daughers? :P

    Posted on April 24th, 2009 at 12:48 am

  8. Kit Said,

    Thanks for the video. It is inspiring for many to find out more about our heritage. I hope that in the near future the National Museum will exhibit the Gemmill Foundation.

    Posted on April 26th, 2009 at 3:09 pm

  9. Darren Said,

    Hi All,
    The Search for Gemmill Fountain is over!

    Gemmill Fountain is back in National Museum Of Singapore from today(29 Jan 2010)
    located at the outdoor Terrace of National Museum Of Singapore

    Posted on January 29th, 2010 at 12:12 pm

  10. ティファニー ペンダント Said,

    Hi All, The Search for Gemmill Fountain is over! Gemmill Fountain is back in National Museum Of Singapore from today(29 Jan 2010) located at the outdoor Terrace of National Museum Of Singapore

    Posted on December 15th, 2010 at 5:01 pm

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