The Holy Rock of Batu Lapan.

Exactly a year ago, I posted an article about the Keramat Habib Syed Ismail that was located opposite the Ford Motors factory at Upper Bukit Timah Road. (link here)

In it, I lamented the fact that I didn't have the foresight to take photos of that place then, even though I was an avid photographer at that time when the keramat existed. For a whole year since, I've searched and asked around to no avail.

Then a few days ago, on one of my facebook groups, a reader posted a 1906 photo and asked if anyone knew what it was?  I jumped out of my seat when I saw that photo.
Here was the picture that was posted in that facebook group.

This was 'The Holy Rock" that was located beside the waterfall at the old Singapore Quarry, a stone's throw away from the surau (prayer hall) at Kampong Merpati. This tiny kampong was located between the KTM railway track and the 8th milestone Upper Bukit Timah Road (known colloquially as Batu Lapan)
This was where the muslim mystic Habib Syed Ismail lived in the early 20th century and where he had a large following due to his religious 'enlightenment'.
When he died, he was entombed there and a keramat built to honour him. This was the Keramat Habib Syed Ismail.

As mentioned in my previous blog about the keramat, Habib Syed Ismail was venerated as a holy saint, even in his time.  It became legend that Habib Syed Ismail would go to his 'holy rock" to meditate and communicate with the spiritual world.  (Please note that there is absolutely no mention of who that person in the photo is)

The keramat became a place of pilgrimage for many, including many Chinese and Indians, seeking answers, supplications or favours. As a result of the posting on facebook, I was led to other details and managed to obtain old newspaper articles with regards to the keramat.

This is from the Straits Times of 25 Dec 1938 when an article regarding the old caretaker of the keramat Habib Syed Ismail was published. It had 2 pictures showing the keramat and are the only pictures of the place that I have seen till now.

The tomb of Habib Syed Ismail.

The Keramat Habib Syed Ismail at Batu Lapan.
The surau or prayer hall is beside the keramat.

I wonder if the small village was named Kampong Merpati (Dove Village)
due to the large flocks of pigeon as seen in the 1938 photo.
A part of the quarry can be seen in the background.
The KTM rail track would be between the kramat and the quarry.

The 1938 newspaper article was on the old caretaker of the keramat.
He claimed to be 142 years old and born in the year 1796 on April 4th. It was also mentioned that he saw Sir Stamford Raffles. The caretaker was named Mr S. Fareed. He had outlived all 11 of his wives.

Keramat caretaker, S Fareed.

* The keramat Habib Syed Ismail was demolished in the 1980s due to land acquisition and Habib Syed ismail was re-interred at the Choa Chu Kang Muslim cemetery.

Bukit Batok Hill (3)

Here are some vintage views of Bukit Batok hill taken around 1963 to 1968.

Back then, the 'greening' of Singapore had not yet taken place and the views from the hill top were magnificent. Today, with the development of the Bukit Batok Nature Park around the hill, the views are obscured by trees.

Source: National Heritage Board PICAS Photo database. Taken in 1963.

Photo taken in 1968.

View of the Singapore Granite Quarry located on Bukit Timah across the Upper Bukit Timah valley.
The buildings in the foreground are of the Ford Motors factory.

View from the summit towards the city. Photo 1968.

The view from the same angle today (2012)

The Poh Hin Granite Quarry that worked the hillside of Bukit Batok in 1963.
Today the disused quarry has been converted to the Bukit Batok Nature Park.

Related links:
Bukit Batok Hill (1)
Bukit Batok Hill (2)
Bukit Batok Nature Park
Personal Historic Pixs at Bukit Batok

Aerial View of Hillview 1950s

This is an aerial view of the Hillview Avenue area taken in the late 1950s.
Click on the photo to get a larger detailed view.
I have labelled a few prominent landmarks as follows:

A -   Princess Elizabeth Estate
B -   Hong Kong Rope Manufacturing Co
C -   National Carbon Co (renamed Union Carbide Co in 1957)
D -   Malayan Guttas Co
E -   Central Oil Refinery Co.
F -   Kiwi Polish Co Pty Ltd
G -  Malayan Spinning Mills
H-   Hume Industries
H1- Hume Industries Manager's Quarters (Hume Heights)
J -   Ford Motor Co.
K -  Gammon Malaya Ltd
L -  Dairy Farm
M - Dairy Farm Granite Quarry (PWD)
N - Salvation Army / Lee Kuo Chuan Home
O - The Chartered Bank
P - Fuyong Estate
Q - Singapore Granite Quarry
X - Bukit Batok Hill
Z - F. E. Zuellig (M) Ltd (see TG Chua's comments below)



Related link: Development of Hillview Avenue

The Haunted House at Hillview

Hillview Avenue has its fair share of notoriety when it comes to the paranormal.
The so called Hillview Mansion was infamous for being haunted.
For years, it was an open secret spoken only in hush hush tones around the neighbourhood.
But it was well known amongst those who had an interest in things of the other dimension.

The Hillview Mansion was located at the highest point of habitation allowed on Bukit Gombak.
Its commanding panoramic view stretched from Bukit Panjang right across to Clementi.
It was also variously called the Green House, or sometimes The Blue House (as it had a blue roof). It would be the dream house of any self respecting multi-millionaire and would probably be the most expensive house in that area of upscale millionaire neighbours.

But alas, the mansion was never completed.
Construction abruptly stopped in mid project and the building was abandoned from then on.

Location of the Hillview Mansion at Jalan Dermawan
Click on map to enlarge.

The land is unoccupied to this day.

The Hillview Mansion was located right at the end of Jalan Dermawan. It would have been the highest house on the hill. Beyond that was the boundary to the restricted ' trespassers will be shot '  Mindef land.

Why was it abandoned after more than half the building was completed?
My favorite rumour is that of the death of the mistress who was to occupy the house.
Seems she died when she 'felled' from the unfinished balcony during an inspection of the construction works. Just google 'Hillview Mansion' and you can read all the conspiracy theories there.

Here are some of the pictures of the abandoned haunted house before its total demolition.

The gates to the abandoned Hillview Mansion
See the magnificent million dollar view in the background.
(Photos from internet)

Banshee cries, wailings, glowing globs and lights have all been reported over the years coming from the site. The plot is securely locked and protected with spikes and barb wire to prevent people from accessing the ground. Why is this so? What is the purpose of such extreme methods to lock people out even till now?

The house remained abandoned since the mid 1980s. It was was finally demolished sometime in the early 2000s, but the land has not been redeveloped since. The site still attract paranormal hunters to this day.

In December 2006, a massive landslide occurred at the very spot where the old house stood.
Gossips of the wrath of the spirits spread like wildfire amongst residents of the nearby estates.
After the land was stabilised following the landslide, it happened almost immediately again in 2007! A greater massive landslide occurred over the very same slope where the house used to stand. This time even damaging the private houses adjacent to the plot of land. It confirmed the hearsay to all the neighbours that the land would never allow anything to be built on it.

Mindef covered the land with tarpaulin and compensated the affected neighbours.
Today the scars of that landslide can still be seen.
The land has since been turfed over.

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD!
If you are one of those paranormal hunters, stop here!
Do not read further, as I am about to reveal a bit of the secret of the Hillview Mansion!

The name 'Hillview Mansion' was attributed to the abandoned dwelling by paranormal followers.
It never had a name at all.

The 'Hillview Mansion' was originally owned by Mr Chua Boon Peng, Chairman of Cycle & Carriage Industries Ltd. The company owned large plots of land in the Hillview area. Land which have been developed into condominium projects namely Meralodge, Merawoods, Montrosa and Hillview Villas which sits on the former car assembly factory site.

The plot at Jalan Dermawan was bought by Chua Boon Peng to build a private home. The Feng Shui was perfect for a home. In the 1970s, he paid a whopping $7m for that plot of land. An amount that was unheard of in those days.

Coincidentally, I worked for Cycle & Carriage in the late 70s, while a cousin was a long time secretary at C&C. To that, I was very familiar with the inside story of why the project had to be  abandoned suddenly. It's a very sad tale.

However, in order not to spoil too much for any paranormal hunters who may be reading this, I will not reveal the reason why the house was abandoned midway through construction.  The mystery should remain a mystery...

For those of you who might be curious to know the story behind the haunting of the mansion, please click here.

Related links:
The burial of the Hillview Mansion
Hillview landslide
Update Oct2019: Why the House was abandoned

Factories around P.E.E. (3) - Ford Motors

Ford Motors set up their factory at Bukit Timah in October 1941.
However, in Feb 1942, just over 3 months later, the Japanese Army invaded Singapore.
Some of the fiercest battles between the invading Japanese and the British Army took place around the Bukit Batok region. Ultimately, the Japanese occupied the Ford factory and used it as their initial campaign headquarters in the Battle for Singapore.

When the British capitulated, it was to this Ford factory headquarters that Lt-Gen. Arthur Percival proceeded to sign the surrender of Singapore over to the Japanese conquerors.

The Ford factory subsequently became a maintenance depot for the Japanese Army until the end of WWII. The factory resumed car assembly operations after the war.

It continued functioning until June 1980 when protectionist tariffs for locally assembled vehicles were lifted by the government. The defunct factory was converted to a heritage museum in 2006 in view of its unique place in Singapore's history. The heritage museum is now called Memories at Old Ford Factory.

The Ford factory in 1941. Bukit Batok hill in the background.

Upper Bukit Timah Road, in front of Ford Motors, in 1960s.

The same Upper Bukit Timah Road in 2012. Portions of the old Ford factory seen just to the left.

Photo Gallery of the Old Ford Factory. Click Here.

Introduction

I write so that the story that lives with me, will live with you as well. When a story is told, it's not forgotten; it becomes something else..the memories of who we were, the hope of what we can become. (Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay)

I used to live at this small quiet estate off Hillview Avenue and it holds lots of memories for me.

A major impetus for starting this blog was that people were starting to forget about the estate.
Whenever I ask my siblings if they remember this or that, they'll say no.
Therefore, I am trying to record as much of my own stories before all my grey cells fade away and nobody remembers the estate we all once so loved.

My ties with Princess Elizabeth Estate :
My parents moved into P.E.E. in 1953.
Lived at 126 Princess Anne Hill Singapore 23.
Born in the fifties and spent my entire childhood there.
I have 4 siblings who were all born at P.E.Estate.
Our first telephone number in 1963 was 65232.
Our first TV set bought in 1964 was a Grundig black & white TV.
Studied at Princess Elizabeth Estate School from 1960 to 1965.
Moved out to Fuyong Estate in 1969 but returned to P.E.E after a few years.
Got married at P.E.E. in the early 80s and moved out to Bukit Batok New Town in 1984.
My parents remained at P.E. Estate till 1994 when they relocated to Bukit Gombak.

I will be placing all my articles and archives on Princess Elizabeth Estate in this blog.
Readers are most welcome to contribute old photos and stories and assist with this historical memorabilia. You can click on the side bar for links to the other posts on Princess Elizabeth Estate.

Thank you for visiting my blog.
Please leave me a comment, especially if you were an ex-PEE resident.

Important Notice: All articles in this blog is copyrighted and belongs to me. All photos that are used are either mine, in public domain or used with permission. There are a very few where the authorship of the photos cannot be determined and I use them under Fair Use privilege. However, if you do claim them, please email to me and I will either credit you or remove them according to your rights. Under no circumstances, without my permission, can any material and photos from this blog be use in any other manner.

For those who may not be too familiar with commenting on blogger.com,
please select the NAME/URL in the "Comment as:" option found under the comment box where you type in your comments. Then enter your NAME. Postings under "Anonymous" will not likely to get posted for comment. My email is jamestann@tann.sg