Princess Elizabeth Estate Community Centre - Redux

More than 2 years ago, I wrote a summary of how the community centres started at our old housing estate. From the 1st in 1952, to the 2nd at the shophouse, the 3rd and most familiar one built by People's Association in 1963, and finally, the one at the new Hillview Estate in the 1980s. (article here)

At that time of writing, photographs of the old community centres were extremely difficult to come by. Fortunately, in the past year, the National Archive of Singapore had begun to periodically release old records, maps and documents for public access. This has resulted in more pictures of our old estate being available for viewing.

I have collated some pictures in relation to the old (3rd) community centre for easy viewing here.
If you were in PEE sometime between 1963 to the 1980s, you would have known this building which was the focus of all social events at our estate then.

The first set of pictures is of the laying of the foundation stone by the then Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew on 5th May 1963. This was done during his constituency visit around Singapore in relation to the referendum of merger with the Federation of Malaya.

This is followed by some pictures of the official opening of the community centre by Haji Ya'acob Mohd, the Parliamentary Secretary to the PM's Office, on 11 September 1963.

Finally, a few photos of the 8th Anniversary Celebration of the Community Centre on 24th June 1972. This last set of pictures has special significance for myself as my father and sister are featured in some of them!


1. Laying the foundation Stone - 5th May 1963

On the right of this photo, you can see the mangosteen trees, remnants of what used to be the small  orchard that surrounded 2 badminton courts upon which the new CC was built.
The block in the rear is Blk 17 Prince Charles Rise.

2. Official Opening by Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Ya'acob bin Mohd on 11th Sep 1963.

(Some that I can identify as follows:- Right to Left)
Mr Chua Tong Nee, Quah Baba, Mr Koh Keng Kwee, Mrs Michael Wong, ?, Mrs Kim Swee, Mr Kim Swee, Mr Ya'acob Mohd, Leong Kai Ngin, Dr Rajah, Mr Lee Teck Hup, ? ? ? ? ? ?.

It is interesting to note that during the early years of the community centre, the management and running of the place were all done by unpaid resident volunteers. Only the Organising Secretary, Mr Ronald Lim, who was also a resident of PEE, was employed by the newly established People's Association.


3. The CC 8th Anniversary Celebration Dinner on 24th June 1972.

Mr Lee greeting members of the CC management committee.
Beside Mr Lee is Mr Chor Yeok Eng, MP for Bukit Timah, on his right is Mr Chai Chong Yii, later MP for Bukit Batok and beside Mr Chai is my dad, who was the Management Committee chairman at the time.

The old Princess Elizabeth Estate Community Centre.

If you are able to identify anyone else in the above photos, perhaps your parents, uncles, aunts or even yourself!, please drop me a comment below.


Photo source: National Archive of Singapore.

Amir Ahmad remembers Ms Asiah.

Seeing his old kindergarten teacher, Miss Asiah Anuar in the previous post, ex-pupil Amir Ahmad just had to reminisce about her and sent me his old kindergarten report card.
Amir Ahmad was at the PEECC kindergarten in 1969. Any of his classmates here?

Kindergarten teacher Miss Asiah

The Princess Elizabeth Estate Community Centre (PEECC) was built under the auspices of the People's Association in 1963. Prior to this new building in front of block 17, the previous community centre was  a shophouse at block 16 and was run not by the PA but by the residents' committee themselves on a voluntary basis.

The new PA community centre provided bigger space for recreation and also proper classroom facilities for the new kindergarten. The kindergarten then came under the umbrella of the People's Association as well.

From the beginning at the new PEECC, one of the teachers would stay to become an icon of the kindergarten. Children in the 60s and 70s who went to the kindergarten would know her intimately. This was Miss Asiah.

Miss Asiah lived in the estate with her family and was well known as 'The Kindergarten Teacher'.
So closely connected with the estate and CC that when she got married, her wedding reception was held, where else, but at the community centre too.

Miss Asiah singing at the PEECC Talentime.
She sang Doris Day's Teacher's Pet and came in third place.

 These pictures are from Johar Anuar, the brother of Miss Asiah. They show their family gathered in their old house at blk 18 and another recent photo of Miss Asiah, now in her 70s.

Back row (L-R): Baharudin Anuar, Yusof Rahmat (Asiah's husband), Johar Anuar & Asnah.
Middle row: Joriah, Asiah & Muhamad
Front: Asiah's parents and grandmother holding Maria, her daughter. 

Miss Asiah at a recent family gathering.

Related links: PEE Community Centre
Photo of old shophouse kindergarten (Pre-1963)

The Princess Elizabeth Estate Newsletter.

At the start of Princess Elizabeth Estate's existence in the 50s and 60s, there were no such things as Residents Committees. The Singapore Improvement Trust (S.I.T.) did have an Estates Officer assigned to look after the estate. He was based at the headquarters at Upper Pickering Street and turned up occasionally whenever there were reports of problems like failed electricity, blown street lamps or burst water pipes. His overview were mainly on infrastructure and maintenance.

When it came to social services, residents were left to fend entirely for themselves.
Perhaps because of this hardship, residents of Princess Elizabeth Estate became a shining example of community spirit. Capable residents came forth to assist one another in running the estate.
Central to all these social services was the Princess Elizabeth Estate Community Centre.
(see this link for a history of the community centres)

Remember, these were the Briitsh Colonial days, long before the present government with their People's Association. The original PEECC was non affiliated and was run by officials elected by the residents themselves.
The elected officials managed to obtain a shophouse rented from SIT, initially at No. 8 and later moved to No. 101. Some funding was also obtained from the Department of Social Welfare.

Yet the Community Centre was entirely voluntary. Funds to run the centre were obtained through membership fees! 
Every family was encouraged to join the community centre as a member, though not all did so.
Still, the community centre was not restricted only to members but was open to all.

Thus, the elected management of the Community Centre became the de facto Management Committee for the entire estate. If you had problems, you went to the community centre for resolution.
The CC management committee became petition writers for residents seeking services from the various government departments. The committee liaised with the S.I.T. over all maintenance matters and took up causes for improvements to the estate. They organised the mobile dispensary, the open air cinema entertainment and even 'organised' the early market in front of the CC.

This gotong royong spirit of the PEE Community Centre was in place until the People's Association built a new Community Centre in 1963 and placed 'advisors' in every community centre under the control of the district party MP.

To have a feel of what the early residents went through, read the attached Newsletter of December 1957.   This will give you an idea of how the residents ran the estate themselves.

Please click on the picture to see a larger readable version.

                              

                      
           

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.