Where was the colonial pre-war Hillview Estate?

Seems like a strange question here on this blog, but I am very sure most of you will not know there was a pre-war Hillview Estate until you have read this article.

Not the HDB-built estate of the 1980s at Hillview Avenue which was also commonly known as Hillview Estate. This was built long after the war.
Is it the private estate centered around Jalan Zamrud and Jalan Intan? Again no, that's called Popular Estate. Princess Elizabeth Estate was also located off Hillview Avenue but it was not the Hillview Estate that was named as such. So where was Hillview Estate?

'Hillview Estate' pre-dated both Princess Elizabeth Estate as well as Hillview Avenue itself.
Hillview Avenue, as we know it, did not exist at that time. That area was all rubber plantations then.
In fact, this Hillview Estate was a pre-war development. I have been searching for this place for a very long time and even though I had a rough idea of where it was, I was also mistaken till recently.

As some of you might know, besides writing these blogs, I also indulge myself as a WW2 enthusiast.
I read all about the war, especially the events in Singapore and do consider myself quite passionate in this aspect. In fact, I can give you a day by day, unit by unit, account of the Japanese invasion during WW2 from the crossing on 8th Feb to the surrender on 15th Feb 1942.

In 1942, Maj-General Gordon Bennett was the commander of all Australian forces in Singapore. He was in charge of the defence for the entire Western Region of Singapore, i.e. Jurong, Choa Chu Kang, Lim Chu Kang, Kranji and Bukit Timah regions. This being the case, he established his divisional army headquarters centrally at Hillview Estate.
This explains its significance and why I had this eagerness to find its location. Also, the fact that it was called 'Hillview' in relation to this blog that I write, which is mainly about the present Hillview area.

Initially, I was misled by some old war records which had sketches marking the wrong location. They gave this at Jurong Road near where today's Signature Park Condominium or the old Lam Soon Cannery was.

Hillview Estate was a large country residence of a British rubber planter. He built a large colonial style house, what today we would call a "Black & White House" at his rubber plantation at Bukit Timah Road. The term Estate was used as in the old tradition of a grand country retreat or 'Estate'

Hillview Estate was located between Margaret Avenue and De Souza Ave, off Jalan Jurong Kechil.
Today, only a very short stretch of De Souza Ave still exists.
Margaret Avenue was expunged decades ago when the kampong there was resettled.
Hillview Estate no longer exists there and was replaced by another housing development on the same site. Access to this present site is now via Upper Bukit Timah View.
You can see De Souza Ave and Margaret Ave marked as tracks in the 1938 map above.

The red lines marks the original roads (tracks) in 1942.

If you are still confused why the above map show Jalan Jurong Kechil as Jurong Road, an old blog article here will explain it all.

Looking across from Jalan Jurong Kechil where Hillview Estate would have been.
De Souza Ave is on the right while Margaret Ave would be at the other end of the football field.

An aerial view 1960 showing Hillview Estate at Bukit Timah.

Hillview Landslide

When I started this blog, the intention was to recall, record and share old memories of the former estate.
This include any tales of places around the vicinity that I can remember.

The story of the haunted Hillview Mansion at Jalan Dermawan had attracted the most attention and hits of all the articles that are in this blog. Most of them as a result of searches for 'haunted houses in Singapore'  or similar paranormal searches. I get requests almost every week from readers wanting to know more about the demolished mansion. I have tried to reply to everyone that provided a return address.
However, I think the time has come for me to maintain the current mystic about that place. With everyone knowing the background, the mystery is lost. So from today onwards, I will not divulge any further details as to how or why the mansion became haunted. Apologies to those who can't have their curiosity assuaged.


After the mansion was abandoned, there were 2 major landslides on that property.
Once in December 2006 and again a few months later in 2007. Both landslides occurred on the same slope and affected many adjacent homes downslope.

Here is a photo of the second landslide that occurred in 2007.

The land has been stabilised by the authorities since and today the view from the top of that property is really very scenic. The land has still not been developed since the mansion was abandoned in the 1980s.

After the landslide of 2006.

Related links:
The burial of the Hillview Mansion
The haunted house at Hillview

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 (13) - Johar Anuar.

BROWNIES - 1958/1959.

Johar has sent a photo of the P.E.E. School brownies group taken around 1958/1959.
It was taken at the Binjai Park home of Miss Barton, the last British expatriate teacher at PEES.

Some of the girls that can be identified are (back row): Catherine Szeto Ho (133A), Wong Hock Lim, Catherine Wong Hock Soon (133A). Front row: Asnah Anuar (134E).
The numbers refer to their house number and coincidentally they all lived at Blk 23.

If you are able to identify any of the rest, please do send in a comment.

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)

P.E.E.S Class Reunion (1963- 1968)

Another happy class reunion after separation for 45 years!
As a result of Eddie Tan's request on this blog, several of his cohort managed to re-connect with each other after all these years.

Yesterday, this small but growing group met again for the first time for a class reunion dinner.
They were from the 1963 to 1968 batch.

L-R: Ricky Choo, Lee Yuh Mei, Mark Tay Boon Kok, Eddie Tan,
Catherine Chua Sok Wee, Debbie Phua & Esther Wee

       This was their Primary 3A class photo taken in 1965.

A little assistance from Eddie Tan to identify who's who!

Related link:  Eddie Tan's search for his classmates.