Pictures of Old Ford Factory

Old ford Factory building.

Entering the museum.

The building was announced as a national monument on 15th Feb 2006 by the Preservation of Monuments Board.

Replicas of grenades used during the Malayan campaign.

Replica of a pistol used by the Japanese army.

A cloth cap and a bayonet which can be attach to the rifle used by Japanese soldiers.

At the “Surrender Table”. Lieutenant-General Yamashita (seated at the centre) thumped his fist on the table demanding the unconditional surrender of Singapore.

The “Surrender Chamber”.

Lieutenant-General A.E. Percival (GOC of Malaya) signing the surrender.

At 6.20pm on the 15th Feb 1942 (Chinese New Year), Singapore fell to the Japanese.

Fear was skillfully used by the Japanese military forces as well as the Japanese Kempetai to weed out anti-Japanese elements and to maintain order among the allied prisoners and the civilian population. Beheading was one of the means to instill fear and secure compliance. The head of beheaded persons would be propped up on a stake and put up at public places for all to see. Such will be the punishment for anyone who oppose Japanese rule.

The purge known as “Sook Ching”.

A Japanese soldier plunging his rifle bayonet into the body of the person to ensure nobody is alive.

 A birth certificate issued during the Japanese Occupation shown on the left. On the right is the reissued birth certificate under the Colony of Singapore in 1949.

 Food ration coupons which entitled the holder to collect a stipulated quantity of essential foodstuffs like rice and sugar etc. Civilians were encouraged to grow their own crops such as tapioca which was the common diet diet during Japanese rule.

Cinema ticket. Presumably attended by the wealthy and influential during the Occupation.

Banana notes, lottery tickets, cheque book, from Ban Hin Lee Bank.

Textbooks used during the Japanese.   

Mr Tan Kah Kee and Mr Lee Kong Chian. Two prominent merchants who contributed immensely to fund raising efforts for the China Relief Fund.

Members of Force 136.

Elizabeth Choy (b:1910, d:2006), war heroine of Singapore.

Lim Bo Seng’s diary on display.

Statues of General Yamashita and Percival.

The Japanese surrender party led by General Itagaki Seishiro walking up the steps of City Hall.

General Itagaki signing the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of Field Marshal Count Terauchi Hisaichi.

The Instrument of Surrender signed by General Itagaki and Lord Louis Mountbatten on 12th Sep 1945 formally ended Japanese rule in South East Asia.

The “Talking Map”. Discover more when you are in this section of the gallery.

Development of the Old Ford Factory.

A film presentation in the AV theatre on the Japanese Occupation and the struggles faced by those who survived. Tapioca days is one of the example of the films screened.

Al Huda Mosque

The Al Huda Mosque was built in 1966 by former villagers who lived in that area.

It was build to serve the needs of the Malay-Musilm villagers who practiced Islam as their religion.

The mosque now also stands as one of the last physical reminders of the Malay villages or kampongs that once existed in the Bukit Timah area.

History of the Mosque

In the beginning, the mosque was small and built of a wooden structure to serve the religious needs of the largely Malay-Muslim villagers.

In 1925, the trustees of that time rebuilt a rather large mosque, made of wooden structures and styled with a close resemblance to the traditional mosque of Java as most of them hailed from that country. 

With the help of donations, the new concrete mosque was finally completed in 1966. 

After development, the mosque can now accommodate up to 400 people.

 

Interior of the Mosque

The leader will change into a respectable clothing and stand on the pulpit.

Seniors at the front, the people behind follow, so it's all unformed.

The females are to enter another praying room.

They have many gatherings with the other religions in churches and temples.  For example, they celebrate the Lantern Festival, Christmas and Hari Raya together.

Kampong Tempeh

The Kampong was previously a Malay Kampong called the Kampong Tempeh before the place had been redeveloped.

These kampong houses had been specially catered for the warm-humid and high-rainfall climate of Singapore. 

However, these Kampong houses are going to be demolished to expand the size of the mosque so that it can accommodate the needs of the people. Another part of the land will be made into new developments.

Though Kampong houses would be demolished, this is due to a practical reason, for making way for extension of the mosque that will be beneficial to the Mosque. We are also grateful for being able to see the Kampong houses before they will be demolished.

For more information on the mosque and it's history, kindly refer to www.alhuda.sg.

Old Ford Factory Facts

History 

The Ford Motor Factory began its illustrious history as the first Ford vehicle assembly plant in Southeast Asia in October 1941. The Factory’s modern assembly equipment was used by the Royal Air Force to assemble fighter planes during the Malayan campaign.

It served as the venue for the surrender of Malaya by British General Officer Commanding Malaya, Lt.-Gen. Arthur Ernest Percival, to the Japanese Commander, Gen. Yamashita Tomoyuki. The British surrender marked the beginning of the Japanese Occupation, the darkest period in Singapore’s modern history.

During the Japanese Occupation, the Factory was designated as a Japanese facility. Nissan took over the plant to assemble military trucks and other vehicles for the Japanese occupying forces.

Ford Motor Factory is located at Upper Bukit Timah Road. The historical event that took place there was the signing of the surrender papers which took place on 15th Feb 1942 during World War II. The British surrendered to to the Japanese invading forces which led to a three and a half years of Japanese occupation of Singapore, once known to be the “Gibraltar of the East”, an impregnable fortress.

Currently, the old ford factory has been converted to a museum named 'Memories At Old Ford Factory'. Like its name,  the museum features memories of singapore in the past during the before, during and after the Japanese occupation. Interesting and informative exhibition and displays can be found there :) 

Tapioca days video

This video features and explained the lives of local Malays during the japanese Occupation and has basis on oral accounts of survivors of the Occupation, archived photographs and history footages. The documentary covers quite a wide range of aspects including how the Malay Muslims continued their religious practices, how they cured illnesses using traditional herbs and the development of the Malay language and culture during the period. There are also accounts on Chinese families giving their children to Malay families to ensure their safety. At that time, tapioca was largely available and densely grown on their courtyards. Therefore, the presence of black markets, rise of food prices and food shortages left families with no choice but to survive on tapioca and palm oil. 

Reflections:

1. Have you learnt a lot more about the Japanese Occupation in this trip compared to what you have learnt in class last year? Explain.   

We really learnt a lot about the Japanese occupation, such as having first hand experience at looking at the exhibits. It was also very educational as there were many audiovisual exhibits and many interactive places which were interesting, thus we feel it let us absorb the information better and have more knowledge of the different happenings in the japanese occupation. We feel that this should also be the sabbaticals for the sec two as it would help them in their history lessons and enable them to understand the Japanese occupation more clearly.

2. Do you think that the displays at the Old Ford Factory should be placed in the Singapore History Museum instead? Why?  

Since it was the place where the British surrendered Singapore to the Japanese, it has a historical and geographical significance and we think it is the best location to exhibit the artefacts for the Japanese occupation. This significance would have been removed if it was for example put in the Singapore museum.

Bukit Timah Railway (research findings)

At Bukit Timah Railway

How many people do you think can fit into this station terminal?

The station building could probably fit 30 people in it

Compare the station terminal with the MRT station terminal in operation today

The railway tracks of the old Bukit Timah Railway is found mostly on land while the MRT station terminal in operation today is found mostly underground.

What are the differences?

The old Bukit Timah Railway had only 2 railway tracks while most of the MRT tracks in operation today have more than 2 tracks.

Explain 2 reasons for such differences

1) As Singapore is a small country, we usually face the problem of the amount of useable land. Therefore, such railway tracks are build underground to make way for other infrastructures.

2) Due to the increase in our population size, more tracks are needed to maintain efficiency of public transportation.

Do you think traditional trains should resume operation in Singapore?

No, our group feels that the current MRT system is much more efficient and have a bigger capacity. Additionally, with our current population size, it would be not be a good idea to resume operation of such traditional trains as they travel above ground and would take up a lot of space. Even if they were to be brought back into operation, people would still choose modern trains (MRT) over them, thus it would only be a waste of resources and space.

Should the old Bukit Timah Railway station be redeveloped?

No, it should be preserved the way it is for the younger generations to be able to learn more about Singapore's history. Also, it can become a tourist spot or a school excursion location to enrich the students' knowledge.

NUS Bukit Timah Campus: Research Findings

NUS Bukit Timah Campus - Interview Questions

1. Which building in the campus do you like best? Why?

"Oei Tiong Ham building. There are three flag poles in front of the building and there is a lot of greenery. I work there and I find the ambience very good."

2. Do you find the environment conducive for higher learning?

"The environment is quite conducive for higher learning." 

"Yes, it's conducive."

3. Would you like to study in a place with similar environment as this campus?

"Yes, I would like to study in a similar environment."

"Of course."

4. Do the buildings cause any inconvenience in studying here? Example, no lifts?

"There is convenient access to other places, and there are lifts in the buildings."

"Not really. It's quite okay getting around."

5. Do the buildings cater to the needs of students today? For example, any difficulties in integrating technology in classrooms?

"I find the technology available fine. No difficulty, the wireless is quite good in the classrooms."

6. Do you think the buildings should remain or make way for new buildings with modern design? Why?

"I think the old buildings should remain as they serve a historical purpose and show the heritage of the campus."

Photographs of the NUS Bukit Timah Campus

   Cafeteria - The Summit

   Modern architecture with glass and metal patterns on the sides of the building.

   The NUS Faculty of Law

   (The Faculty of Law is part of the National University of Singapore (NUS), the oldest tertiary institution 

   in Singapore.)

   Old style architecture. 

   Institute of Policy Studies

   (Established in 1988 to promote a greater awareness of policy issues and good governance)

   Old architecture on the left, with red slanted roof and white walls. Modern architecture on the right, 

   with grey and greenish panels on the side of the building.

   CJ KOH Law Library

   (It was renamed as the CJ KOH Law Library on January 1, 2001. Mr CJ Koh had been a 

   philanthropist and a lawyer. Mr C J Koh donated more than 7 million, which includes a $5 million

   pledge for the Law Library building, $2 million to set up the C J Koh Professorship in Law (launched 

   in October 1996), and more.)

    Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

    (The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy was established in 2004)

   Old style architecture, arches and pillars, with the modern addition of glass panels in between. The 

   glass panels close off the interior of the building, allowing it to be air-conditioned.

   

Reflections

After touring the place, would you like to study in a place with similar environment as this campus? Why?

Yes. We feel that such environment, with all the greenery and old buildings will be conducive for our learning, and we are also able to learn and appreciate the historical value of the old buildings. The greenery makes studying there more pleasant and enriching, and even after visiting there for only a few hours, we are able to feel the peacefulness and tranquility in the campus. As such, we would like to study in a place with similar environment as that of the campus, rather than a school that is full of buildings, without any greenery or nature at all. 

Do you think that this campus should be conserved? Why?

We think that this campus should be conserved. The campus went through many changes throughout the years and it has a lot of historical value. The architecture of the older buildings is unique and uncommon in Singapore, where we have more modern buildings now. Hence, we feel that it is necessary to conserve this campus as it is a rare place that existed before world war 2. It is also a good place for Singaporeans to understand more about our past through the architecture.

What would you consider if you have to make a decision on whether to conserve or remove an old building?

- assessment of the history of the building (historical value of the building)

- check the structural stability of the building 

- whether the need for upgrading is urgent or necessary/ are the inconveniences brought by the old building too much for its users.

- if the uses/benefits of the new building is relatively greater than that of the old building and provide more for the people.