Friday, October 3, 2014

Another aerial view of our old estate - 1958.

Recently, the National Archives of Singapore began releasing a large number of documents and photographs that till now have been kept out of reach from the public. I have been spending hours browsing their website for little gems, especially of those relating to our old estate.

Here's one taken by the Royal Air Force 81 Photo Recon Squadron in 1958. Coincidentally, I had recently spent some time with an ex-RAF 81 Sqn member, Mr Al Taylor, who was in Singapore to catch up on old times.

Photo source: National Archives of Singapore.
(click on photo to see a large view)
The photo appears to have been taken above Dairy Farm looking towards the southern end of Bukit Gombak ridge, which was being cleared then for the new Hillview, Popular  and Bamboo Grove private estates.

Most of the places in the photo above would have an article written about it earlier in my blog. So I will not bore you with more descriptions but would like to hear from you instead.

Do drop a line in the comment box below and share with us all your old memories of that place.
(By the way, please select Name/URL and enter your name, instead of selecting 'Anonymous' in the comment box. It would be nice to know who is writing in. Thanks)

Just to pique your curiosity or interest, look for the 2 circular sediment tanks and also the battery tower with the huge model of an Eveready battery.

One last point of interest, Hillview Avenue at that time ended just near the left edge of the photo.



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6 comments:

  1. susan tannOctober 04, 2014

    Is that the same roundabout I see towards the top right?

    ReplyDelete
  2. James TannOctober 04, 2014

    Yes the very same. One of the last roundabouts in Sgp. I really hope that it won't be lost and converted to a traffic signal junction!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chew wah mengOctober 04, 2014

    very nice James,
    I remember hillview road very well. It ended where cycle and carriage used to be. I also remember the drag races held on the same road and we had to stand behind a fence near Kiwi factory to watch. This would be in the 57's?? not too sure.
    Keep up the good work!
    Meng from blk 19

    ReplyDelete
  4. RufusDecember 18, 2014

    Oh yes, still can remember the sediment tanks and the kampong houses at the roundabout before being cleared for HDB flats. PEE was sparkling new in the photo and the tracts of land beside it were pretty barren then.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Paket Umroh MurahDecember 27, 2014

    very nice James,
    I remember hillview road very well.

    ReplyDelete
  6. bluecoolNovember 21, 2015

    I recall there were these sediment tanks in another part of Singapore, but I can't recall exactly where it was located.Anybody can shed any light on this?

    ReplyDelete

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