Hello again, to all. And blessed Ramadhan to all Muslims visitors.
We will continue now to our journey to the other end of Cavenagh Bridge. Travelling back to the past about 10 years after Singapore was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles, to the left of the bridge, Fullerton Building is nowhere to be seen. Looking to the right, there's no Maybank Towers either. In fact, the Cavenagh Bridge is gone! We are now in the early years of 1830's. From my past blog, you had learnt that Cavenagh Bridge will be build about less than 40 years from now.
We heard a commotion on our right. We saw three man with distinctive dress code from each other.
Looking closer, we'd got an impression of an European, a Scottish to be exact, mediating between a Chinese trader and a Malay chief. He is Alexander Laurie Johnston, a prominent merchant.
Alexander Laurie Johnston & Co was set up at where we are standing now. It was more popularly known to the merchants as Tanjong Tangkap because it was the godown nearest the river's mouth and Johnston could "catch" the merchant captains as their boats entered the river for trade. Tangkap means "catch" in Malay.
We are now in the year 1848. Tanjong Tangkap is now being replaced by Flint Building.
Flint Stret and Flint's building were named after Captain William Flint, whom was Stamford Raffles brother-in-law. Advancing to the year 1869.... we saw a group of Indian convicts labourers building a bridge that connects Raffles Place and Empress Place.... and in 1870.. the bridge is now open.
Hungry for a fast meal? We can't find any MacDonald's, Pizza Hut or Swensens' in this area. The famous Emmerson's Tiffin in Flint Building just next to the Cavenagh Bridge is a famous spot this time. Tiffin is much like breakfast, only nearly all the dishes are cold. The curries here are excellent; and a well-made salad of fresh green vegetables is a treat.The Tiffin Rooms were extremely popular for many years, especially on Saturday afternoons. The owner was an American, Mr. Charles Emmerson, known fondly among locals, as ‘The Colonel’ who arrived in Singapore on October, 1860. Charles Emmerson was the "typical barman" who "always greeted every customer as he came in, and was full of stories and jokes suitable to all tastes, from a parson to a skipper.
We will continue in our next journey to 1906... when something tragic happened to Flint Building.
