Ways Done in the Past - Wholesale Fish Market

These fresh fishes were brought by the fishmongers to the Ellenborough Market in Singapore onto the road without any proper stalls as shown in these photos in the 1950s.

 Fishmongers are among the oldest professions in the world.

In the olden days in Singapore, the fishmongers were themselves the fishermen to go out to the sea daily to catch the fishes and bring the fresh fishes (not frozen or dried ones) to the market.

Dried fish stall in Chinatown

How different the ways done in the past in Singapore to sell the fish to the customers.

There's another photo and others with "For online reference viewing only" watermark, credit with acknowledgement and thanks to National Archives of Singapore, of the daily catch by the fisherman in a small sampan with a small quantity of fish on the beach at Katong.

From the beach at the east coast of Singapore to Katong market

The elderly lady bought a few fishes for a small family.

Ellenborough Market, market and trading centre in Ellenborough Street by the Singapore River, located in the Central Region of Singapore. It was named after Ellenborough, Lord, the Governor-General of India (1841-1844). The original Ellenborough Market was first built in 1845 but was later extended with another structure by its side in 1899.

The Malays called it Pasar Bahru meaning "New Market". Teochews populated the area, and as a result, the market was nicknamed "Teochew Market", and nearby hawker-stalls specialised in well-known Teochew food. It was a wet market noted for its fresh fish and dried seafood products.

Ellenborough Street and Fish Street by the Singapore River, were on either side of the Ellenborough Market. (Source: Singapore Infopedia, National Library Board, Singapore by Cornelius-Takahama, Vernon written on 28 Sept, 1999).

A fishmonger loading a fish onto a tricycle at Singapore River in 1946

 
 Fish stalls at various markets in Singapore

This is a fish stall displayed on wooden stools at Orchard Road Market in 1974.

 A fish stall at Tekka market in the 1950s.

 Unscaling of fishes at a Trengganu Street fish stall in Chinatown.

The fishmonger using an old weighing scale in the 1950s.

A fish market wholesaler using an abacus at his stall c 1975.

 A fish wholesaler at Ellenborough Market displayed the king-sized crabs for sale.

The ways done at the Pike Place Market as demonstrated on my hand a king-sized crab which was blogged previously here. .

A fire destroyed the Ellenborough Market on 30 January 1968 and the fish wholesale market building was completely demolished.

 In 1969, the Central Fish Market at Jurong Fishery Port Road, Singapore as shown in the NAS photos below.

The poor young man doesn't have time to yawn...the fishing ships have arrived. Time to start working !

The Central Fish Market at Fishery Port Road, Singapore doesn't sleep for the fish wholesalers !

Changi Simei Community Club's "Night Tour" on 21 May, 2010 visited the Central Fish Market. Security Guard House for collection of authorisation passes at 2.20 AM as shown on the clock (photo above).

Please read the blog about 'The Mystery of the Missing “Batang” Fish' posted to the Everything East website.

Ways Done in the Past - Hawkins Road Refugee Camp

A Vietnamese refugee camp at 25 Hawkins Road, Sembawang, Singapore was setup almost two decades ago. The Vietnam War - a conflict that lasted from the mid 1950’s - 1975. A conflict that went on for 20 years.

A Forgotten Past – Vietnamese Boat People in Singapore , with credit and thanks to RemSG on this blog about the "Boat People" during the Vietnam War. So many sad stories of these war refugees have been written and posted on the Internet.

A former Vietnamese refugee reader on his blog commented:  "Spore is the most humane. I came back to visit Spore back in 05. It’s hard for Spore to deal with the refugees since Spore had its own problem such as space. Whatever Spore and its citizens did for us we are grateful and I came back to visit Spore just because of this".

Vietnam as an independent, sovereign country today changed the lives of a people in a free world after the war. The Vietnam War was escalated in the 1960s by the former President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ).
 

For these Vietnames refugees from St John's island, it was the end of a long wait and the beginning of a new life.  Looking tired but happy, 26 of them landed at South Quay on their way to the airport to board a flight to their new home in France.  The group, the latest to be given the green light to emigrate had their travel papers checked at the Immigration Depot before proceeding to the airport, where they were seen off by the ambassador Mr Jacques Gasseau.  The refugees said they were looking forward to settling down happily in France.  (Description edited by NAS.  Date:  22/07/1975).

The latest country profile of Vietnam at UNdata for more information.

Source credit from the National Archive of America with acknowledgement and thanks, also viewed directly here .

Please watch the thought-provocative interview of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. in 1967.  Was  his personal insight and frank worldviews expressed  45 years ago about the Vietnam War to meet the press on NBC still valid?

National Archives - Interview with Lee Kuan Yew in 1967 - National Security Council. This film is footage of an interview in which the Prime Minister of Singapore spoke on the Vietnam War and the problems of Southeast Asia.

SRC 4'S Schools Hockey Carnival 2012

I was at the Singapore Recreation Club on Saturday 21 April, 2012 for a lunch appointment and met this group of young friends at the Padang.

The only "thorn among the roses" in this group is Daniel Ho Sheng and next "rose" is Eunice Teng in this group photo.

I contacted Daniel by email and he agreed to furnish me with a brief infomation for the event for this personal blog to share with us.  Eunice Teng of Temasek Polytechnic graciously added me as a friend on Facebook to allow me to post some relevant photos on the blog.  With thanks and acknowledgement to Daniel and Eunice.

I explained to them that this blog focus on a different personal perspective and do not serve to represent the organiser, the Singapore Recreation Club (SRC) Hockey Section.

The photos taken from Eunice are made selectively with focus on the blog topic about the hockey game at the Padang over 50 yrs ago and the new generation of hockey game players for the enjoyment of the same game, same place, different times and the fun for every generation.
 

According to Daniel, this carnival was organised by the Singapore Recreation Club Hockey Section. There was a total of 86 teams from 22 institutions (primary, secondary, tertiary) took part in the competition.

The tents and booths erected at the Padang beside the Singapore Recreation Club building on 21 April, 2012 from 8.00am to 6.30pm.

As in the past, the fun-filled carnival atmosphere will be accentuated with the skill challenges and games stalls in addition to the competition.  Food and beverages was on sale throughout the day.

The carnival also aim to create excitement and encouragement for the aspiring young boys and girls to pick up hockey professionally.  Many of the current and past national players were present to interact with the kids and offer hockey tips and advice.

Lets now watch the excellent photo journal  captured by Eunice to show the fun-filled carnival here:

The earliest record of Hockey being played in Singapore was in 1902 when the Royal Engineers introduced the game on the field of the Singapore Recreation Club. The Singapore Hockey Association was formed and registered with the Registrar of Societies on 8 July 1931. At the time the Association was affiliated with the English Hockey Association.

Hockey is a favorite game for young and old,  gals and guys for everyone  for fun to discover here .

Me too!  I played hockey in school over 50 years ago and enjoyed it under the coaching of my former teacher Mr. A. N. James.  However, I did not go into hockey competitive sport as a professional.


 With thanks and acknowledgement to the East London Hockey Club for this tutorial video.

If we leave the movies of the mind behind, time can only be experienced now -- moment by precious moment. Open in awareness to what is happening right now. Appreciate all that is. Immerse yourself in the joy and wonder of every now and life will be a gift.

Once a sportsman or sportswoman, always the sporting spirit throughout a lifetime!

With the acknowledgement and thanks, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore to revive the memories of  hockey games at the Padang and the Singapore Recreation Club in the 1960s.

A hockey match at the Padang c 1962

A hockey match at the Padang in 1969.  The City Hall in the background.

A group photo of the hockey players at the Singapore Cricket Club c 1969.

A hockey match at the Padang in 1969.  Did you notice the bus?

At the Padang with City Hall & Supreme Court in the background c 1969

SRC  Team vs Argentina Team at the Padang  c 1971.