Photos from ex-residents (18) - Tay Kay Swee

Tay Kay Swee was in Princess Elizabeth Estate School from 1954-1957.
(See previous blog article here.)
He shares with us the following photos from his school days and of his scout days at PEES.

The Inter-school Table Tennis Champions for 1956.
(Tay Kay Swee is 2nd from left. Beng Seng far right
& Leong Li Lian front left )

Scout Badges 

Photos from ex-residents (17) - Talentime at PEE CC.

Chew Wah Meng shared this photo and comments about the annual talentime contest held at PEECC in those days.

An old picture of Princess Elizabeth Estate.

The talentime photo shows the estate band boys (Hogan’s and Moss boys ?)

We used to have annual talentime in those days.

You can see Ronald Lim (the CC organiser) on the left of the picture.

The dancers were not from PEE but relatives of mine from other part of Singapore.

They were not part of the talentime, but supporting act during the break.

Hope the photo will start some memories jogging amongst your readers.
I’m pretty sure they’ll remember the talentime shows over the years....

The mysterious hidden lake of Bukit Gombak

Following my earlier posting of a video clip of the stream flowing from Bukit Gombak, my friend SK Yum sent me some pictures he took while exploring Bukit Gombak with his children a year ago.

He was surprised to find a lake at the top of the hill. The lake is the source where the stream flows endlessly till this day.

Here are the pictures he took of the stream and lake.
Read on further to learn some surprising facts about this lake.

My sincere thanks to Yum Shoen Keng for providing the personal photos above.

Though the lake has been there for as long as most Bukit Gombak town residents have lived there, the lake was only formed in the late 1970s.
This was when the government closed all the granite quarries in Singapore, (except for Gali Batu) and restricted quarrying offshore to Pulau Ubin.

The lake was formed when water started to fill the pit that was the old SENG CHEW Granite Quarry at Jalan Perang. It continues to fill till this day.

The stream that flows out from this lake acts as an overflow vent to drain excess water should the lake fill to the brim, which happens during intense rainfall. Otherwise, the lake is constantly fed by the natural Gombak springs.

Though not officially restricted as an out-of-bounds area, the lake is cordoned off due to the danger of sudden drop offs. NParks does not encourage visitors there as it is undeveloped with hidden dangers.

The old Jalan Perang Taoist Temple.
In the olden days, there used to be several shrines and one major Taoist temple along Jalan Perang.
The Jalan Perang Taoist temple was noted by residents near and far for its effective talismans given out at this temple.  This Taoist temple also had waters springing from Bukit Gombak which were eagerly collected by worshippers for its 'magical' or spiritual qualities. This temple and all the minor shrines at Jalan Perang were demolished during the construction of Bukit Gombak New Town.

Sorry I am not able to elaborate more on the Taoist temple
(I am not taoist and depended on hearsay for info on it).




Related links:
The old Gombak Nature Trail photos
Streams at Bukit Gombak
Bukit Gombak Nature Trail article

Photos from ex-residents (16) - SK Yum

Last known traces of Johora Singaporensis crabs.

Following my last post on the endangered crabs that used to be found abundantly in our old estate, my friend SK, whom I previously mentioned, sent me some photographs. These photos were taken on the very occasion I mentioned about him taking his children to visit the old PEE site and searching for crabs and fishes.

These amazing pictures show the old large drain next to the old Bukit Gombak Community Centre beside the HBD Hillview Estate.
It is about the only thing that still exist now of the old HDB estate. It still drains the water from the grounds and from the run-off from Bukit Gombak when it rains.

With the building of the 2 new condominium complexes, The Hillier and Hillview Peak, this last refuge of the Johora Singaporensis crabs will soon also pass into history.

The old Bukit Gombak Community Centre.
The large drain behind the CC channelled run-off water from Bukit Gombak hill.

SK Yum's children exploring the old drain searching for shrimps and crabs.

The last refuge of the crabs.

In the far background, the hoardings where The Hillier will be built. Sigh.

Related links:
A lot of crabs
PEES school drain - More photos by SKYum

Photos from ex-residents (15) - Masturah Khatoon

Masturah Khatoon used to lived at Blk 24 Elizabeth Drive (7 storey block).
She has sent a photo taken sometime between 1970-1975?

It was of the birthday party of Aidah Jaffar with all her friends and neighbours attending.
Do  send in your comments if you are in the photo or if you can identify anyone else there.

Birthday girl, Aidah, is the younger sister of our estate footballer, Aziz Jaffar.

1. Masturah Khatoon
2. Sofia Khatoon
3. Khadijah Khatoon
4. Hari Devi Ramasamy
5. Tamil Selvi Ramasamy
6. Maria Sani
7. Yati Sani
8. Nor Aisha sani
9. Sangeetha
10. Sushila
11. Nor Aisha Abdul Samad
12. Norsheda Abdul Samad
13. Zubaidah
14. Azmi
15. Ita (nickname)
16. Dada (nickname)
17. Zainab Sabtu
18. Zarina Ghani
19. Zubaidah Yusof
20. ?
21. ?
22. ?
23. Sakti J. Mane
24. Birthday Girl, Aidah Jaffar

Photos from ex-residents (14) - Amir Ahmad

Amir has sent an old photo taken at the old Princess Elizabeth Estate Community Centre Kindergarten.
This was in 1969 when the PEECC had its annual Sports Day.
Amir Ahmad is the 3rd boy from the left.

Thanks Amir. If any of you have more photos, we would be only to glad to share it here on the blog.

Photos from ex-residents (12) - Yum Shoen Keng

S. K. Yum used to live at Blk 20, Princess Anne Hill, unit #120B.
He was in Princess Elizabeth Estate School in the 1970s.

Though he continues to reside in the Hillview area, he still reminisces about his days in the old primary school. He takes his children there now for walks and occasionally visits the old school building. The building that was our old primary school is now the United Medicare Nursing Centre.

Here are some photos SK Yum took of the old school building whilst it was under renovation last year.
Former students of P.E.E.S. will remember fondly these scenes.

The school caretaker's quarters. There were 2 units housing the families working for the school.
Many will recall the vegetable gardens planted around it.
In my own days in the 1960s, it was always flooded with mud flowing from the construction of Bamboo Grove Park.

The old school store replaced by a new structure.
The old store housed the school sports equipment and also the scouts den.

The drain which ran under the bridge leading to the school field.
Remember catching fish and crabs from this stream?

The new  Nursing Home has built a new elevator at the far end of the school building.

Related links:
New use for an old school

Photos from ex-residents (11) - More from Eddie Tan

Besides looking for his classmates, Eddie Tan is also trying to find some of his former neighbours.
Eddie lived at Blk 19 on the 3rd floor, unit #113B.

The photo shows a young malay girl standing on the left.

Her name is Esah whose family was our neighbor before the Ongs moved in.

Her parents are Hashim & Fatima who moved out to live at the artisan quarters. 

Wonder if anyone here knows them?

Rajan was my very best friend who lived next door.

We would always hang out & play together & 

I remember his mum makes the best homemade Putu Mayam, 

which I had a helping hand in pressing the dough out of a special mould.

Hopefully someone can recognise him & God willing, we may meet up again after  50 years.

Photos from ex-residents (10) - Grace Seah

Grace Seah left Princess Elizabeth estate when she was only 9 years old but still remembers vividly her years spent there. Especially of her years growing up with her friends from P.E.E School and with her neighbours.  Grace now lives in Perth, Australia. These pictures are from  her.

The Dance Group photo was taken on 31 May 1968 at the annual primary school sports day held at the
football field bounded by the 3 rows of low rise houses.
I am 4th from the left (front row) and Grace Chua is the first girl seated from the left.
The teacher /dance instructor was Miss Cherry Tan.

This pic of Rosanna Ong (left) and me was taken at the green park just in front of my block 19. 

I remember there was a beautiful Flame of the Forest tree
 and I think we were probably standing right below it.
Rosanna Ong used to be our neighbour and we used to climb over to each other's homes via the balcony.

My brother Eddie & me on our balcony.  My parents would place a "bangku" just next to the dividing wall between my neighbour, the Ongs. that we could climb over to each other homes easily.  Many happy times were spent interacting with our neighbours in this manner.  Our balcony was also our "garden".  My parents would plant herbs and other flowering plants in pots in our balcony.   

My neighbours and grandma playing cheekee in our dining room.  

There was a big table in our dining room which doubled up as the dining table. 

It was made of solid timber and we used the same linoleum floor covering as the table "cloth" 

The Ong sisters, Eddie & me under the lovely Flame of the Forest tree. I will never forget that tree with its vibrant red flowers and recall always feeling a cool breeze emanating from the tree whenever it was a hot day.  It was pure and unadulerated "airconditioning" back then.  The Lee sisters used to lay a tikar mat on the grass on lazy afternoons and I often joined them there to play with Claire.

Photos from ex-residents (9) - Eddie Tan

Eddie Tan used to live at #113B (Blk 19) at Princess Elizabeth Estate.
Eddie sent me his 1965 class photo when he was in Primary 3A.

He is hoping to make contact with as many former classmates as he can via this blog.
If anyone can recall being with Eddie from 1963 to 1968 at Princess Elizabeth Estate School, please do send in a comment.

Primary 3A of 1965.
(Click on the picture for a larger detailed view)

Seated L-R: Kwok Li Choo, Eddie Gan Chong Lek, Goh Peng Sum, Form Teacher Ms Tan Hong Eng, See Yang Chee, Eddie Tan, Song?

Centre L-R: Foo Sek Sen, Chew Ah Lan, Azizah, Grace Oh,  Poh Chew Yong, Lim Song Boon, Chan Yoke Meng, Lee Suh Yang, Deborah Phua, Lim? Kim Cheng,  Chua Sok Wee, Esther Wee, Lee Yuh Mei, Lim Nyuk Foong, Ho Kok Wah

Back L-R: Thia Boon Hwa, Tay Boon Kok, Leong?, Abdul Fattah, Leong Wing Soon, Chong Tian Seng, ?, Sarawan, Sim Khee Lian, Loh Kim Chong, Ranjit Singh, Hashim, ?, Ong Ee Tong, Choo Chuan Huat, Andrew, Mokhtar Ali

36 pupils identified (3 partial), 2 unidentified.

Reunited via this blog: 8 
Eddie Tan
Deborah Phua
Choo Chuan Huat
Lee Yuh Mei
Esther Wee
Sim Khee Lian
Mark Tay Boon Kok
Amy Poh Chew Yong.

On a happy note, a previous photo sent in by Brenda Low of Ms Pat Ortega's 1961 class managed to round up 20 of the 30 classmates! This is fantastic. I believe that they are trying to organise a reunion next January. Just hope they don't forget to invite me too!


Tip: if you are sending in a comment below, select "NAME/URL" instead of Anonymous when prompted. 
Then type in your name so that the comment will be attributed to you instead of Anonymous.

Photos from ex-residents (8) - Peter Chan

My friend Peter Chan, who had previously sent me some of his photos of Hillview, has just sent me what I think is one of the best aerial views of the Hillview/Upper Bukit Timah area.

This was probably taken in the early 1960s and reinforces some of the things I described in my earlier blogs. Click on the picture for a larger view to see the details.

Princess Elizabeth Estate is at the bottom right corner. The estate football pitch is clearly seen.

In front of P.E.E. is the Malayan Guttas company with its Casaurina trees. Part of Hume Industries is behind the Malayan Guttas factory.

In the centre, on the left of Malayan Guttas is the National Carbon (Union Carbide) plant.
Click the photo for a detailed view and you can see the tower at National Carbon where they had a huge battery on the top of the tower. The tower is beside Hillview Road, just before the railway girder bridge.

The 3rd factory on the left is the Hong Kong Rope Manufacturing Company. This was replaced by the Castrol company after the rope factory closed in the late 60s.

Upper Bukit Timah Road cuts across the picture in the middle, running parallel to the KTM railway line.

Beyond Upper Bukit Timah Road on the extreme left is Gammon Malaya, a company producing concrete pipes. The white patch on the right of Gammon is the road junction of Dairy Farm Road.
This led to both Dairy Farm (top left) and the Dairy Farm Quarry (behind the junction).

The housing development on the right is Fuyong Estate, where I lived after moving out from Princess Elizabeth Estate. My house was the 4th semi-detached unit in the front row from the left. There was a large malay kampong behind Fuyong Estate on the upper slope of Bukit Timah hill.

The Salvation Army Lee Kuo Chuan Home is between Dairy Farm and Fuyong Estate. You can see its beautifully manicured terraced lawn.

The quarry on the extreme right is the Singapore Granite Quarry. Today this has been converted into the Singapore Quarry Nature Park.

My grateful thanks to Peter for the above photograph.


Related link: Hillview from Bukit Timah Hill

Photos from ex-residents (8) - Teo Joo Hong

These are pictures of the graduating kindergarten class of Princess Elizabeth Estate Community Centre taken in 1970.  They were on an outing to Haw Par Villa.

Teo Joo Hong is the fifth boy on the right from the front.

Photos from ex-residents (7) - Teo Joo Hong

This is a group photo of the teaching staff from Princess Elizabeth Estate School in 1976. (1979?)
Photo was contributed by Teo Joo Hong who lived at Blk 19 (Unit #115) from 1970 to 1980.
Joo Hong graduated from Pri. 6A in 1976.

Princess Elizabeth Estate School, teaching staff.

Related posts: Class of 1979

                       Princess Elizabeth Estate School

Photos from ex-residents (6) - Subash Chandran

This is a contribution from Subash Chandran, who was in PEE School from 1959 to 1964.

Many of you will remember the signboard at the corner of the small garden.
This was long before they painted the school name on the side wall at a much later period.
You can see parts of Bukit Gombak before it was developed. (background left).
Click on the picture for an enlarged view.

Photos from ex-residents (5) - Anne Duncan

This morning when I opened my email, it felt like I won the lottery!

An email from Anne Duncan in Australia came with a whole bunch of vintage photos that will always be treasured, especially by me. Why? They were photos of me! I would never have seen these pictures if not for this blog. Thank you Anne.

Here they are:-

Picture taken outside PEES gate beside the school fence.
L-R: (front) June Moss, Stephenie Tann, Anne Moss, Betty Lee
(back) Me, Junior Moss, Ian Hogan

This photo would have been taken around 1960.
L-R: Me, Ian Hogan, Gerrard Moss (Junior)
Ian was younger than me but I was always bullied by him!

The 4 Princesses - Anne, Betty, Steph & June

The Kindergarten at the old Community Centre. (Blk 16 shophouse)

On the left, Ian Moss & Glen Hogan.
(If you recognise any of these children, do email me.)

Anne & June in front of my house (#126, right)
They lived at the unit above me (#126A).
In the background, PEE School and the hill where Bamboo Grove Park
and Popular Estates would later be built.

PEES Sports Day 1960 at the school field.
Sportsmaster Mr Venugoplan standing on the left (in white).
Anne waiting for her turn in the relay race standing beside Miss Pat Ortega.

Anne also sent another copy of this picture, of which a similar pose can be found in an earlier article.
This is the group photo of parents and teachers taken at Princess Elizabeth Estate School with Mr M. Ponnusamy, the 1st Principal of PEES (centre, in white).

There's a bunch of other photos as well and I will be using these in some articles that I will be writing soon. Check back again soon for these!

Photos from ex-residents (4)

I received 2 photographs from an ex-resident who wishes to remain anonymous.
The photos were taken almost a generation apart. Some of the children in the 2nd photo have parents featured in the 1st photo!

If you can identify any of them, please send me a email.
(I hope my friend Lowy can be of assistance here as she seems very good at identifying the ex-residents.)

Photo of staff of National Carbon (Union Carbide) and friends having a celebration at a house at Princess Elizabeth Estate. Taken around 1953.

L-R: 1. Lee. 2 Maxie,  3. Bongsu (Mrs Joseph Lee),  4.unknown(back), 5 Yap ___?, 6 Goh Tong Liang, 7 Goh Tong Siew, 8. Hogan, 9 Agnes Goh, 10. unknown (behind), 11 Koh Keng Kwee, 12 unknown, 13 Mrs Leong Wah Tim, 14 Leong Wah Tim, 15 Peter Leong, 16 Joseph Lee.
(Click on photo for enlarged view)

Photo of a children's party taken around 1960.

L-R: Stephanie (looking right), Leong Chee Hong, Betty Lee, Anne Moss, June Moss.