| History of Singapore |
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The establishment of a British trading post in Singapore in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles led to its founding as a British colony in 1824. This event has generally been understood to mark the founding of colonial Singapore, [1] a break from its status as a port in ancient times during the Srivijaya and Majapahit eras, and later, as part of the Sultanate of Malacca and the Johor Sultanate.
A significant port and settlement, known as Temasek, later renamed Singapura, existed on the island of Singapore in the 14th century. Vietnamese records indicate possible diplomatic relationship between Temasek and Vietnam in the 13th century, [2] and Chinese documents describe settlements there in the 14th century. [3] It was likely a vassal state of both the Majapahit Empire and the Siamese at different times in the 14th century. [4] Around the end of the 14th century, its ruler Parameswara was attacked by either the Majapahit or the Siamese, forcing him to move on to Melaka where he founded the Sultanate of Malacca, [5] Archaeological evidence suggests that the main settlement on present-day Fort Canning was abandoned around this time, although a small-scale trading settlement continued in Singapore for some time afterwards. [6] Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the Malay archipelago was gradually taken over by the European colonial powers, beginning with the Portuguese conquest of the Malacca Sultanate in 1511. In 1613, the Portuguese burnt down a trading settlement at the mouth of the Singapore River, after which Singapore lapsed into insignificance in the history of the region for two hundred years. [7]
The early dominance of the Portuguese was challenged during the 17th century by the Dutch, who came to control most of the region's ports. The Dutch established a monopoly over trade within the archipelago, particularly in spices, then the region's most important product. Other colonial powers, including the British, were limited to a relatively minor presence in that period.[ citation needed ]
Singapore's name comes from 'Singa Pura' which means Lion City in Sanskrit and 'Singam oor' which means city of lions in Tamil. According to the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals), a Sumatran prince called Sang Nila Utama landed on Temasek [8] (Singapore's old name) and saw a Lion which is called 'Singa' in Malay. Thus he gave the island a new name, 'Singapura'. [9]
In 1818, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles was appointed Lieutenant Governor of the British colony at Bencoolen. Raffles believed that the British should find a way to challenge the dominance of the Dutch in the area. The trade route between China and British India passed through the Malacca Strait, and with the growing trade with China, that route would become increasingly important. However, the Dutch had tight control over the trade in the region and intended to enforce the exclusive rights of its company ships to trade, and that trade should be conducted at its entrepot Batavia. British trading ships were heavily taxed at Dutch ports, stifling British trade in the region. [10] [11]
Raffles reasoned that the way to challenge the Dutch was to establish a new port in the region. Existing British ports were not in a strategic enough position to becoming major trading centres. Penang was too far north of the southern narrow part of Straits of Malacca controlled by the Dutch, whereas Bencoolen faced the Indian Ocean near the Sunda Strait, a much less important area as it is too far away from the main trading route. [12] Many other possible sites were either controlled by the Dutch, or had other problems.
In 1818, Raffles managed to convince Lord Hastings, the then governor-general of India and his superior in the British East India Company, to fund an expedition to establish a new British base in the region, but with the proviso that it should not antagonise the Dutch. [11] Raffles then searched for several weeks. He found several islands that seemed promising, but were either already occupied by the Dutch, or lacked a suitable harbour.
Eventually Raffles settled on the island of Singapore, because of its position at the southern tip of the Malay peninsula, near the Straits of Malacca, and its excellent natural harbor, fresh water supplies, and timber for repairing ships. Most importantly, it was unoccupied by the Dutch. [11]
Raffles' expedition arrived in Singapore on 29 January 1819 (although they landed on Saint John's Island the previous day). [13] He found a Malay settlement at the mouth of the Singapore River, headed by Temenggong Abdul Rahman for the Sultan of Johor. The Temenggong had originally moved to Singapore from Johor in 1811 with a group of Malays, and when Raffles arrived, there were an estimated 150 people governed by the Temenggong, most of them Malays, with around 30 Chinese. [14] Although the island was nominally ruled by Johor, the political situation was precarious for the Sultan of Johor at the time. The incumbent Sultan of Johor, Tengku Abdul Rahman, was controlled by the Dutch and the Bugis, and would never agree to a British base in Singapore. However, Abdul Rahman was Sultan only because his older brother, Tengku Hussein, also known as Tengku Long, had been away in Pahang getting married when their father died. Hussein was then living in exile in the Riau Islands. [15]
With the Temenggong's help, Raffles smuggled Tengku Hussein to Singapore. He offered to recognize Hussein as the rightful Sultan of Johor, and provide him with a yearly payment; in return, Hussein would grant the British East India Company the right to establish a trading post on Singapore. [11] In the agreement, Sultan Hussein would receive a yearly sum of 5,000 Spanish dollars, with the Temenggong receiving a yearly sum of 3,000 Spanish dollars. [16] This agreement was ratified with the Treaty of Singapore signed on 6 February 1819. [17] [18] This is recognised as the official founding of modern Singapore [19] and also the beginning as a British settlement. [20]
The Singapore government has organised different commemorative activities to mark major anniversaries of Singapore's modern foundation. The last one was in 2019 for the bicentennial.
To coordinate and organise activities to commemorate the 200th anniversary, the government established the Bicentennial Office in late 2017, more than a year earlier. [21] When 2019 came, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong held a ceremony to launch the year-long commemoration on 28 January, the day when Sir Raffles landed in Singapore for the first time. [22] [23] The government and more than 200 organisations, along with 3,800 volunteers, jointly coordinated and prepared various commemorative events. [23] [24] These included concerts, light festivals, historical exhibitions, and many more. [25] [26] [27] Commemorative stamps and banknotes were also specifically designed and issued. [28] [29] The government also handed out special bicentennial social and tax benefits to those in need. [30]
The year 1969 saw the 150th anniversary of the foundation of modern Singapore and the fourth year of independence from Malaysia. At that time, the Singaporean government had already been arranging and organising different celebrations for a year. [31]
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  Princess Alexandra in Singapore (1969) |
The then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew decided to deliver a speech on 6 February to start the year-long series of celebrations, [32] corresponding to the date when the Treaty of Singapore was signed. The government did not only issue commemorative stamps [33] and gold coins [34] but also notably invited the British royal family to attend commemorative events. [35] Princess Alexandra accepted the invitation to visit Singapore on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. [35] During the seven-day visit, Princess Alexandra attended the Singapore National Day Parade and interacted with Singaporeans in addition to participating in commemorative events for the sesquicentennial. [35]
Moreover, there were different exhibitions, concerts, sports competitions, and other programmes to celebrate the 150th anniversary. [36] [31]
The colonial government formed two special committees a year prior to the centennial to come up with ideas for the occasion. [37] One of the committees, the Centenary Memorial Committee, decided to set up a fund for higher education and building a local university. The fund then led to the establishment of Raffles College, [38] which would ultimately become today's National University of Singapore. [38]
The anniversary was designated as a public holiday and named "Centenary Day". [39] In the morning, Governor Arthur Young unveiled a new commemoration plaque on the plinth of the existing bronze Statue of Raffles to kick off the celebration, [37] recognising the role that Sir Raffles had played in the foundation of modern Singapore. [40] Commemorative events on Centenary Day included a thanksgiving service at St Andrew's Cathedral, boat races, parades, and others. [37] Festivities were held and enjoyed by every major ethnic group in Singapore, including Arab, Tamil, Muslim, Eurasian, and Jewish communities. [37]
Cavenagh Bridge was opened in 1869 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the modern foundation of Singapore. [41] It was named after the last Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1859-1867, Sir William O. Cavenagh. [41]
The bridge is the oldest surviving suspension bridge across the Singapore River. [42] In August 2019, the bicentennial year, the government designated the bridge a national monument. [43]
In Singapore, there have been debates and different opinions about 6 February 1819 and its meaning and whether it should be celebrated or commemorated at all. [44]
For some, the historical event represents the start of colonisation, and therefore, unethical and repressive. [45] Commemoration amounts to glorification of oppression. [45]
Others have more positive views about the colonial rule. They think the British laid the good foundations for Singapore’s future development, such as making it as a free port [45] and providing Singapore with good education and legal systems. [46]
Raffles returned to British Bencoolen (Sumatra) the day after the signing of the treaty, leaving Major William Farquhar as the Resident and Commandant of the new settlement, [16] supported initially by some artillery and a single regiment of Indian soldiers. Establishing a trading port from scratch was in itself a daunting prospect, but Farquhar's administration was, in addition, practically unfunded, as Raffles did not wish his superiors to view Singapore as a liability. In addition, it was forbidden from earning revenue by imposing port duties, Raffles having decided from the outset that Singapore would be a free port. [11]
In spite of these difficulties, the new colony rapidly proved to be a spectacular success. As news of the free port spread across the archipelago, Bugis, Peranakan Chinese, and Arab traders flocked to the island, seeking to circumvent the Dutch trading restrictions. During the first year of operation, $400,000 (Spanish dollars) worth of trade passed through Singapore. It has been estimated that when Raffles arrived in 1819, the total population of the whole of Singapore was around a thousand, mostly of various local tribes. [48] By 1821, the island's population had increased to around five thousand, and the trade volume was $8 million. By 1825, the population had passed the ten thousand mark, with a trade volume of $22 million. (By comparison, the trade volume for the long-established port of Penang was $8.5 million during the same year.) [11]
Raffles returned to Singapore in 1822. Although Farquhar had successfully led the settlement through its difficult early years, Raffles was critical of many of the decisions he had made. For instance, in order to generate much-needed revenue for the government, Farquhar had resorted to selling licenses for gambling and the sale of opium, which Raffles saw as social evils. Raffles was also appalled by the slave trade tolerated by Farquhar. [49] Raffles arranged for the dismissal of Farquhar, who was replaced by John Crawfurd. Raffles took over the administration himself, and set about drafting a set of new policies for the settlement. [50]
Raffles banned slavery, closed all gambling dens, prohibited the carrying of weapons, and imposed heavy taxation to discourage what he considered vices such as drunkenness and opium smoking. [50] Raffles, dismayed at the disarray of the colony, also arranged to organise Singapore into functional and ethnic subdivisions under the drafted Raffles Plan of Singapore. [11] Today, the remnants of this organisation like the Raffles Town Plan can be found in the ethnic neighbourhoods, within public housing estates or various places across Singapore.
Further agreements of the Malay chiefs would gradually erode their influence and control over Singapore. In December 1822, the Malay chiefs' claim to Singapore's revenue was changed to a monthly payment. On 7 June 1823, Raffles arranged for another agreement with the Sultan and Temenggong to buy out their judicial power and rights to the lands except for the areas reserved for the Sultan and Temenggong. [50] They would give up their rights to numerous functions on the island, including the collection of port taxes, in return for lifelong monthly payments of $1500 and $800 respectively. [51] This agreement brought the island squarely under British law, with the proviso that it would take into account Malay customs, traditions and religious practices, "where they shall not be contrary to reason, justice or humanity." [50]
A further treaty, the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance, was arranged by the second Resident John Crawfurd with the Malay chiefs and signed on 2 August 1824 to replace the Singapore Treaty. Singapore, including its nearby islands, was officially fully ceded to the East India Company, and in return, the chiefs would have their debts cancelled and receive an allowance for life, with each given an additional lump sum of 20,000 Spanish dollars. [52]
After installing John Crawfurd, an efficient and frugal administrator, as the new governor, Raffles departed for Britain in October 1823. [53] He would never return to Singapore. Most of his personal possessions were lost after his ship, the Fame, caught fire and sank, and he died only a few years later, in 1826, at the age of 44. [54]
The status of Singapore as a British possession was cemented by the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, which divided the Malay archipelago between the two colonial powers. The area north of the Straits of Malacca, including Penang, Malacca, and Singapore, was designated as the British sphere of influence, while the area south of the Straits was assigned to the Dutch. [55]
This division had far-reaching consequences for the region: modern-day Malaysia and Singapore correspond to the British area established in the treaty, and modern-day Indonesia to the Dutch. In 1826, Singapore was grouped together with Penang and Malacca into a single administrative unit, the Straits Settlements, under the British East India Company. [55]
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under British Raj control in 1858 and then under direct British control as a Crown colony on 1 April 1867. In 1946, following the end of the Second World War and the Japanese occupation, the colony was dissolved as part of Britain's reorganisation of its Southeast Asian dependencies in the area.
Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles was a British colonial official who served as the Lieutenant-Governor of the Dutch East Indies between 1811 and 1816, and Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen between 1818 and 1824. He is best known mainly for his founding of modern Malaysia and Singapore.
Malay Singaporeans are a local ethnic group in Singapore. Recognised as the indigenous people of the country, the group is defined as Singaporean who is of Malay ethnicity or, whose ancestry originates from the Malay world. Local Malay Singaporeans constitute 15% of the country's citizens, making them the second largest ethnic group in Singapore after Chinese Singaporeans.
The Johor Sultanate was founded by Malaccan Sultan Mahmud Shah's son, Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II in 1528. Johor was part of the Malaccan Sultanate before the Portuguese conquered Malacca's capital in 1511. At its height, the sultanate controlled modern-day Johor, Pahang, Terengganu, and territories stretching from the river Klang to the Linggi and Tanjung Tuan, Muar, Batu Pahat, Singapore, Pulau Tinggi and other islands off the east coast of the Malay peninsula, the Karimun islands, the islands of Bintan, Bulang, Lingga and Bunguran, and Bengkalis, Kampar and Siak in Sumatra. During the colonial era, the mainland part was administered by the British, and the insular part by the Dutch, thus breaking up the sultanate into Johor and Riau. In 1946, the British section became part of the Malayan Union. Two years later, it joined the Federation of Malaya and subsequently, the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. In 1949, the Dutch section became part of Indonesia.
William Farquhar was a Scottish colonial administrator employed by the East India Company, who served as the sixth Resident of Malacca between 1813 and 1818, and the first Resident of Singapore between 1819 and 1823.
Fort Canning Hill, formerly Government Hill, Singapore Hill and Bukit Larangan, is a small hill, about 48 metres (157 ft) high, in the southeast portion of the island city-state of Singapore, within the Central Area that forms Singapore's central business district. It is named after Viscount Charles John Canning, the first Viceroy of India. Although small in physical size, it has a long history intertwined with that of the city-state due to its location as the highest elevation within walking distance to the city's civic district, within the Downtown Core. It is also a popular location for exhibitions, concerts and outdoor recreation.
The term "British Malaya" loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British hegemony or control between the late 18th and the mid-20th century. Unlike the term "British India", which excludes the Indian princely states, British Malaya is often used to refer to the Federated and the Unfederated Malay States, which were British protectorates with their own local rulers, as well as the Straits Settlements, which were under the sovereignty and direct rule of the British Crown, after a period of control by the East India Company.
Sultan Sultan Ali Iskandar Shah I ibni almarhum Sultan Ahmad Hussein Muazzam Shah I was the 19th Sultan of Johor, who succeeded his father, Sultan Hussein after the latter died of natural cause in 1835. Over the next twenty years, Sultan Ali's claims to the office of Sultan of Johor were only recognised by some merchants and a few Malays. Like his father, Sultan Ali's was much of a puppet monarch and played a minimal role in the administrative affairs of the state, which came under the charge of the Temenggong and the British. In 1855, Sultan Ali ceded the sovereignty rights of Johor to Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim, in exchange for a formal recognition as the "Sultan of Johor" by the British and a monthly allowance. Following the secession of Johor, Sultan Ali was granted administrative charge over Muar until his death in 1877, and in most administrative matters, was often styled as the "Sultan of Muar".
The history of the modern state of Singapore dates back to its founding in the early 19th century; however, evidence suggests that a significant trading settlement existed on the island in the 14th century. The last ruler of the Kingdom of Singapura, Parameswara, was expelled by the Majapahit or the Siamese before he founded Malacca. Singapore then came under the Malacca Sultanate and subsequently the Johor Sultanate. In 1819, British statesman Stamford Raffles negotiated a treaty whereby Johor will allow the British to locate a trading port on the island, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Crown colony of Singapore in 1867. Important reasons for the rise of Singapore were its nodal position at the tip of the Malay Peninsula flanked by the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the presence of a natural sheltered harbour, as well as its status as a free port.
The early history of Singapore refers to its pre-colonial era before 1819, when the British East India Company led by Stamford Raffles established a trading settlement on the island and set in motion the history of modern Singapore.
Sultan Hussein Mua'zzam Shah ibni Mahmud Shah Alam was the 18th ruler of Johor-Riau. He signed two treaties with Britain which culminated in the founding of modern Singapore; during which he was nominally given recognition by the British as the Sultan of Johor and Singapore in 1819 and the Sultan of Johor in 1824.
Tun Habib Abdul Majid bin Tun Ali bin Tun Muhammad was the 19th Bendahara of the Johor Sultanate during the late 17th century. The Johor Sultanate under Sultan Mahmud Shah II saw a gradual decline of royal authority during Tun Habib's tenure as the Bendahara of Johor. Internal challenges within the Sultanate faced by Tun Habib consolidated his power as the Bendahara, in which case the Bendahara monopolised legitimate authority over the Johor Sultanate by the 1690s. After his death, Tun Habib's descendants spanned throughout the Johor Sultanate and established ruling houses in Riau-Lingga, Johor, Pahang and Terengganu.
Events from the year 1819 in Singapore.
The Kingdom of Singapura was an Indianised Malay Hindu-Buddhist kingdom thought to have been established during the early history of Singapore upon its main island Pulau Ujong, then also known as Temasek, from 1299 until its fall in 1398. Conventional view marks c. 1299 as the founding year of the kingdom by Sang Nila Utama, whose father is Sang Sapurba, a semi-divine figure who according to legend is the ancestor of several Malay monarchs in the Malay World. The historicity of this kingdom based on the account given in the Malay Annals is uncertain, and many historians only consider its last ruler Parameswara a historically attested figure. Archaeological evidence from Fort Canning Hill and the nearby banks of the Singapore River has nevertheless demonstrated the existence of a thriving settlement and a trade port in the 14th century.
Mahmud Ri’ayat Shah Zilu’llah fil’Alam Khalifat ul-Muminin ibni al-Marhum Sultan ‘Abdu’l Jalil Shah was the 15th Sultan of Johor and Johor's dependencies who reigned from 1770 to 1811.
Sri Paduka Dato' Bendahara Sri Maharaja Tun Ali ibni Almarhum Dato' Bendahara Paduka Raja Tun Koris was the 23rd and the last Bendahara of Johor Sultanate, and the fourth Raja Bendahara of the Pahang Kingdom who reigned from 1806 to 1857.
The Istana Lama was a palace once located at Telok Blangah in Singapore. It was first built for Temenggong Abdul Rahman in 1824. It had since been demolished in 1954.
Dato Temenggong Daeng Abdul Rahman bin Tun Daeng Abdul Hamid was the Temenggong of Johor during the Bendahara dynasty. He was best known of being instrumental in the Treaty of Singapore with the British East India Company in 1819.
Raja Temenggong Tun Daeng Ibrahim bin Temenggong Daeng Abdul Rahman was the Temenggong of Johor and later the de facto Maharaja of Johor from 1855 to 1862.
6 Feb 1819: The Singapore Treaty is signed between Raffles, the Sultan and the Temenggong, with commanders from the accompanying seven ships witnessing the event... The Union Jack is officially raised. This date is recognised as the official founding of Singapore.
On 6 February 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles, Temenggong Abdur Rahman and Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor signed a treaty that gave the British East India Company (EIC) the right to set up a trading post in Singapore. In exchange, Sultan Hussein received a yearly sum of 5,000 Spanish dollars while the Temenggong received 3,000 Spanish dollars. It was also on this day that the British flag was formally hoisted on Singapore, marking the birth of Singapore as a British settlement.
Hence I am glad that for the Bicentennial, over 200 groups and organisations are holding commemorative events.
Alongside North East District Mayor Desmond Choo, Mr Heng also launched a set of 10 stamps commemorating the Bicentennial by SingPost at the roadshow. The 10 stamps depict key milestones of Singapore's 700-year journey from the arrival of the British to independence before ending with a vision of Singapore's future.
National celebrations came under the Ministry of Culture (MC) during the early years. Thus, MC drove the plans to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the founding of Singapore in 1969, on a grand scale and work began in early 1968 following a Cabinet directive. Key programmes included the issue of gold and silver commemorative coins; a series of commemorative stamps depicting key achievements and historical highlights; a commemorative book on the political, economic and social history of Singapore spanning the period 1819-1969; exhibitions; concerts; and other organised activities. Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (PM LKY) chaired the first meeting to discuss the contents of the commemorative book. A Central Steering Committee with representatives drawn from key ministries and agencies under the chairmanship of Permanent Secretary MC, oversaw the planning and organising of the activities. File contents cover these activities, the ideas that were generated as well as minutes of meetings and letters of invitation to organisations (public and private) to participate actively with their own programmes.
The 150th anniversary of the founding of Singapore series in 1969 was the first time that stamps were issued in 12-by-12 centimetre miniature sheets, and featured different designs for each of the six values. To commemorate the milestones in Singapore's modern history, Eng and Han Kuan Cheng, who were colleagues at Radio Television Singapura, used a semi-abstract graphic style to depict the country's industrialisation (15 cents), entry into the United Nations (30 cents), merger with Malaysia (75 cents), self-government in 1959 ($1), the Japanese Occupation ($5) and the landing of Sir Stamford Raffles ($10).
This is the first commemorative gold coin commissioned by the Board of Commissioners of Currency and minted by the Singapore Mint in 1969 to mark the 150th anniversary of Singapore's founding by Sir Stamford Raffles.
Fifty years ago in 1969, Singapore marked its 150th anniversary in a high-profile manner too and in a link of special interest to the Royal Over-Seas League, Vice-Patron HRH Princess Alexandra was invited by the Singapore Government to represent HM the Queen to attend the commemoration activities. It was noted by the then-British High Commissioner, Sir Arthur de la Mare, that then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew wanted to give the visit 'all possible trappings', including 'as many guns as it [was] possible to fire', and to 'take the opportunity to make manifest [Singapore's] connection with Britain'. Such was the warmth and enthusiasm Singapore had towards the British back then! Princess Alexandra's visit to Singapore lasted for seven days, during which she interacted with everyday Singaporeans, officiated the opening of a reservoir, and most notably attended Singapore's National Day Parade as the principal guest. Throughout the visit, she was warmly received by Singaporeans.
The Centenary Day saw celebrations held by each major ethnic group, such as the Arab, Tamil, Muslim, Eurasian and Jewish communities...The Centenary Memorial Committee proposed the formation of a Centenary Day Committee to look into celebrations on the event day...Official celebrations began with the arrival of Governor Arthur Young at Victoria Memorial Hall at 7.30 am...After addressing the crowds, Young unveiled a commemoration tablet on the plinth of the newly relocated statue of Raffles...This was followed by the reading of addresses and congratulatory messages from the various ethnic and business communities in Singapore and abroad, and a choral service of thanksgiving at St Andrew's Cathedral...After the unveiling ceremony, sea sports held at the Singapore harbour commenced. Spectators thronged to Johnston's Pier to catch a view of the boat races, which featured vessels bedecked with flags and decorations. A procession of over 8,000 schoolchildren carrying flags and banners walked along the main roads towards the Serangoon Road Race Course where the festivities continued.
Raffles College was set up in 1928 at 469 Bukit Timah Road as a college for higher education in the arts and sciences. Its formation was the result of a scheme to commemorate the centenary of the founding of Singapore by Stamford Raffles (Sir). In 1949, Raffles College merged with King Edward VII College of Medicine to form the University of Malaya, which became known as the University of Singapore in 1962, and then the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1980 after merging with Nanyang University.
Centenary Day took place on 6 February 1919 and marked Singapore's hundredth year as a colonial port-settlement. It was celebrated as a public holiday filled with official festivities and fanfare.
A tablet was placed at its plinth to recognise the role that Raffles had played in the founding of modern Singapore. The plaque reads: "1819–1919. This tablet to the memory of Sir Stamford Raffles, to whose foresight and genius Singapore owes its existence and prosperity, was unveiled on February 6th, 1919, the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Settlement."
Completed in 1869 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Singapore, the bridge is named after William Orfeur Cavenagh, who was the last governor of the Straits Settlements (1859–1867) before Singapore became a crown colony.
Cavenagh Bridge is the oldest surviving suspension bridge across the Singapore River.
In August 2019, it was announced that Cavenagh Bridge, Elgin Bridge, and Anderson Bridge would be collectively gazetted as a National Monument.
"Colonialism did bring trade, laws and infrastructure – for the prosperity of the British. For many of our forebears, it also marked poverty, pain and humiliation," columnist Tee Zhuo wrote recently in the Straits Times. "Few nations would fondly remember, much less glorify a former oppressor," he added...While art student Goh Hui Ying has heard elders criticise Raffles as a "legal pirate", she reflects a prevailing view that by creating a free port – without duties or taxes, midway between India and China – Raffles laid the foundation for what is now one of the richest cities in the world...."Colonialism was always inherently, fundamentally, structurally unethical and corrupt, even in its supposedly most 'enlightened' manifestations," Hannigan told Al Jazeera. "A proper inspection of Raffles's record in Southeast Asia makes it plain that any claims made for his own enlightenment and benignity are shaky, to say the least."
Some have highlighted the positive impact that the British left on Singapore's education and legal systems, and the way in which our colonial past has helped foster our amicable relations with Britain in the present.
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