Final goodbye to BRS (my primary school)

Oh  no! Did you read this article in yesterday’s Straits Times? The day that I had dreaded has finally arrived. They are going to tear down the buildings that once housed my primary school, the Braddell Rise School. According to the report, a new six-storey Assissi Hospice will be built on the site where a few remaining blocks of BRS still stood. 

It’s quite ironic actually. During the 4 years that I spent in BRS, from 1960 to 1963, I actually saw the Mount Alvernia Hospital being built from scratch next door. After BRS moved out, the current Assissi Hospice was built on what was formerly our sports field. And now, our ‘neighbours’ have completed swallowed up what little remains of our beloved BRS. It would be even more ironic if someday, some of us ex-BRS boys and girls were to come back and spend our ‘sunset’ days in this very place.

Still, I am thankful that they had not done this earlier. When I first blogged about my memories of BRS in November 2005, I had speculated that, with the construction of the nearby Lornie Viaduct, they would surely tear down the old buildings soon. Since then I have had the opportunity to visit this place with two of my former classmates; and many former BRS students have also visited the site and shared their comments in my blog. Some have suggested that I write another book, collating memories of former BRS students. I told them I was too busy and it would be too much work. Perhaps that’s one project that we cannot postpone any more.

PS - Here are links to previous posts related to Braddell Rise School.

1) BraddellRise School

2) Myrecollections of Braddell Rise School

3) Returnto Police Catch Nuns

Another one bites the dust – Market Street Car Park

It was reported in the newspapers yesterday that the iconic Market Street Car Park will be demolished soon. According to this Today report, it will be redeveloped into a ‘Grade A office tower’ at a cost of S$1.4 billion. It also says that, built in 1964, this was the first multi-storey public car park to serve the parking needs of the financial district.

Below are two photos of the car park courtesy of Geoffrey Pain. You may not be able to make out the names of the 3 shops on the ground floor in the first photo. They are 海洋 Ocean Garments (OG), Crocodile and The Record Library. On the left is the famous Lau Pa Sat food centre.

Can you identify the street in the second photo?

Here's another photo (circa 1970) from Peter Chan.



Do you have any memories of this Market Street car park?

Another One Bites the Dust

An Old Photo of Capitol Theatre courtesy of (Memories of Singapore)

(This article was first posted on Yesterday.sg on 8 Jul 2006

Ravi Veloo is going to be very disappointed. In 2001, he wrote; “There is now a movement in England to preserve its older cinema halls, some of which are quite beautiful. Fortunately, there is a similar move to conserve the lovely old Capitol Theatre in Singapore, a historical and marvellous building, and one which holds a lot of fond memories for many a Singaporean.”

Last Sunday’s Life Section of the Straits Times carried an article headlined, Capitol Downhill. It went on to describe the derelict state of the 76-year old grand dame of the cinemas in Singapore, saying that it was ‘reeking of urine and its doors rotting. Unless a new owner can be found for it soon, Capitol looks set to join the ranks of Odeon, to be demolished and replaced by a spanking new shopping complex or hotel,.

Blogger Readymade (Farewell to my Capitol) does not believe there will be any takers for this building and fears that the beautiful structure would be torn down soon. “Despite its nostalgic value, a check with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) shows that it is not gazetted as a conservation building.” said the ST report. Or as Readymade so aptly puts it “Nostalgia alone doesn't count for much here.” So he asks us to “take a minute or two to remember the grand old dame of Singapore cinemas”. And this is what I will do.


There are 3 things that I remember about Capitol.


Firstly, the unique ornate design of the cinema hall itself: very high ceiling, stately columns, a pair of maidens on white winged horses and zodiac signs. Watching a movie from the circle seats was really quite an unforgettable experience.

Secondly, I remember the huge shiny curtains and stage. I recall there were a couple of occasions when they had live performance on stage before the actual show began. Unfortunately, I cannot recall other details.

Thirdly, any mention of Capitol Theatre will bring to my mind the unforgettable movie; The Chinese Boxer (龙虎斗), starring Wang Yu (the One-Armed Swordsman) and Lo Lieh. I remember what a thrill it was to watch this trend-setting martial arts movie with my brother, David one afternoon after school. Although the story was a no-brainer; you know, the typical Chinese hero vs Japanese baddie story, and the action was nothing to compare with Bruce Lee’s or Jet Li’s or any of the other kungfu action flicks of today; but it was a totally new experience for us in 1970. Some of the unforgettable scenes include Wang’s character practising his ‘iron fists’ (铁砂掌), and the grand show-down between the two, literally, fuming antagonists in the snow.

I don’t remember any other movie that I have seen in this theatre. Can you?