Great World Revisited – by Peter Chan

Under normal circumstances I like to blog about events, places and people because “I have seen it, been there and done it”. This is the way I feel about “reality memory”. However memories can be supplemented by hand-me down stories and like most stories the level of depth and accuracy can often be compromised when personal sentiments are involved.

Jasmine Lim did a study of the Japanese Occupation of Singapore for her 2002 Masters in Japanese Studies at the National University of Singapore. The thesis confirms many of the stories told to me by my elders about the Great World; before WWII and post-war. There is also a 1946 publication by the Malayan Law Journal called “The Double-Tenth Trial: War Crimes Court” which was held at the Victoria Memorial Hall in March 1946. It provides insights into the world of entertainment during the Occupation. In some ways one can always say that many of the activities we know today could be termed, Japanese “inventions”.

Photo 1: Aerial reconnaissance over Singapore by “E group” of the Royal Air Force. Photo courtesy from Peter Stubbs Collection

Great World Amusement Park reopened on Dec 4, 1942 and it was synonymous with “casinos”. Why shut for almost 10 months? Great World became Great World POW Camp immediately after the fall of Singapore. The British and their Allies continued to believe that this place housed POWs so there were many air-recon over Singapore. Beside Great World, there were also the River Valley POW Camp - now called Valley Point – Sime Road, Kranji, Pulau Damar Laut (now Jurong Island) and Changi.

There were many gambling dens and a variety of gamings such as Fan-tan and Blackjack. The Japanese Occupation introduced getai performances, literally translates as “singing stage”. Singers stood on the stage crooning a mixture of Chinese and Japanese songs to an audience. Shina no Yoru was one popular song mentioned by my late father. Another feature was the re-opening of the cabaret which did prove a challenge to the Japanese military authorities. On the one hand re-opening meant that life was returning to normalcy under the Japanese but it was considered morally decadent western lifestyle.

July 12, 1942 was a great day for the cabaret in Great World Amusement Park. It re-opened with a new name and far significant changes from its original days. It was now called “Great East Asia Cabaret”. Visiting a cabaret became the pleasure of Japanese officers and their collaborators who sought the company of “Taxi Girls”. I was informed there were no “Taxi Girls” before WWII. It was a decent place for the very rich Chinese towkays. At the cabaret, men bid for women to dance and accompany them for a sum of money. In the words of my elderly uncle, it was “jolly jolly” time for the Japanese officers.

Photo 2: The cabaret at Great World (c 1945). The blue text indicates its original position and the red text the present.

** Next Instalment: Great World Returns

Related posts:

1) James Seah Remembers the Great World 1

2) James Seah Remembers the Great World 2

3) Great New World