Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Photos

Princess Elizabeth Park Estate on completion in 1952.
The hill in the background is Bukit Gombak.

SIT 7-storey units Nos. 131-136 during construction in 1952. ( later as Blk 23)

SIT officials inspecting the construction of artisan quarters
at Princess Elizabeth Estate 1950.



School children viewing model of the planned P.E.E. workers'
artisan quarters at an exhibition at Victoria Memorial Hall 1950.
PEE carpark in front of Blk 21. (1964)
I lived at the house on the ground level (No.126)
P.E.E.School in the background (left)
Note the bus terminal hut at the rear of car park.

Kindergarten class at the old community centre (blk 16 shophouse). Taken around 1958?
Mr Lee Kuan Yew in front of Blk 17 after laying the foundation stone for the new
Princess Elizabeth Estate Community Centre.  5 May 1963.
(Photo from National Heritage Board PICAS)


Gotong Royong at PEES in 1974.
Note the SIT Block 22 in the background.
(Picture from PICAS National Heritage Board)

Mr Chai Chong Yii, MP Bukit Batok,  launching the Gotong Royong project
for Bukit Batok at Princess Elizabeth Estate School 1974.
I believe the man on the right is Mr Pakir Maideen, Principal of PEES.
The person directly behind and half hidden is Mr Kam Eng Cheong,
Advisor to the PEECC and member of the Bukit Batok CCC.


The bus terminus at Princess Elizabeth Estate served by SBS #173. (1990)
Cubs from PEES at MacRitchie Reservoir Lim Bo Seng Memorial.  4 Nov 1967.
L-R. Goh Aik Swee, Yum Shoen Yih, Yeo Keng Thiam,  James Tann, Babu, Cheng Joo Wei.
We were all in the same class  Pri 6A, except for Babu who was in Pri 5.

My aunt Margaret standing outside Blk 21.
They used to grow hedges round each block.
In the background is the hill where Popular Estate
and Bamboo Grove Park would be built.
Photo taken in 1960.

You can follow another blog called Good Morning Yesterday by Lam Chun See, who has a thread on Princess Elizabeth Estate. Click the link above to get there. As part of the discussions on the his blog, the following pictures will mean a lot to those chatting there.

The staff of National Carbon (later called Union Carbide, or popularly Eveready)
L-R(back): Koh Keng Kwee, Peter Leong, Leong Wah Tim, Tann Yean.
L-R(seated): Lee Teck Hup, Mr Yap, Vincent Danker
(all identified , thanks to Lowy) 

This is Mrs Cheng, my washerwoman and her daughter Lucy.
The baby is Lucy's charge, my younger sister Josephine.

'Thomak'
Thomas Cheng, son of the above Mrs Cheng on his wedding day.
They lived on the slope of Bukit Gombak just below the radar station.

My PEES Report Book.

Personal records 1st Page.
I was a B.S. ? haha, British Subject at birth!

This was my Primary 1 results.
I am too embarrassed to show you the later years.
It was downhill all the way!
My form teacher was Miss Tan Gek Eng ( later Mrs Teo Gek Eng)

PEE residents having regular coffee sessions.
Gentlemen on left is Mr Michael Wong of Blk 17 106B,
and Mr Cheong Kim Swee of Blk 17 103A in the middle.
On the right is Mr Teo who married Ms Tan Gek Eng of PEES.


Students from PEES 1966 attending the
Bukit Timah District Primary Schools Sports Meet at Chinese High School.
Boy on right is Nannie Chen who lived at Blk 21 123B
Scrawny me on the left.
I represented PEES in Shot Putt and 100m Hurdles.
Came in last in both events!



The following 13 photos are not mine. They are from the collection of a Mr Lee Lip Kin.
The thumbnail photos will link you to the National Library Archive site to whom the pictures belong. 
All rights belong to National Library Archive. I list the thumbnail links under Fair Use for this blog only. 
The comments below the thumbnails are mine.


Blk 20 on the left with Blk 23 on the right.
Elizabeth Drive ended at the small carpark that was between Blks 23 & 24. 

Blk 17 (left) and Blk 21 (right). Blk 20 is just out of the right edge.
The field in front of Blk 20 has a worn path leading from the bus terminus.
A fruit orchard was in front of Blk 17 before PEECC  was built there.

Blk 20 was the longest block in Princess Elizabeth Estate.
It had 3 stairwells instead of the usual 2 of other blocks.

Artisan Quarters Blk 11 (left) & Blk 15 (centre), Blk 16 (right)

Blk 16 Prince Charles Rise
Blk 16 was the row of shops #99-#102
#99 was Sin Wah Hin Provision Shop & Postal Agency.
#100 was the dhoby shop
#101 was the former PEECC replaced by "no. 10" provision shop
#102 was the 'Ah Pui" coffee shop.




Philip Walk (the footpath)
Artisan Quarters Blk 10 (left), Blk 8 (right- on Clarence walk)
& Blk 9 (behind Blk 8)
The football field was in front of Blks 9 & 10.

Clarence Walk Blk 8 (left) & Blk 7 (right)

The original P.E.E. wet market was located in the triangular 'square' above
and along the grass patch beside the footpath on the left.
In 1967 the wet market was shifted to a new location beside Hillview Ave
with 54 purpose built 'shops' - a fore runner of the dry market concept.
The footpath above is named Philip Walk.
Prince Charles Rise,  Blk 17(left),  Blk 18 (right).
The later PEE C.C. was built on this field.

The bus stop at Hillview Ave beside Blk 3.

Philip Walk
Blk 3 (Left) & Blk 2 (Right)

Clarence Walk  is the footpath in front of Blk 8.
The track across the field was a shortcut created by pedestrian traffic. 


Two young residents of the former P. E. estate.
Can anyone identify them?



Chandra, 11, from PEES streaks away from rivals barefooted.
National Primary Schools Athletic Meet at Chinese High School. 1971.
(SPH Photo courtesy of Prof Noordin Mohd Yusof)
Mr Lee Kuan Yew laying the foundation stone of
P.E.E. C.C. on 5th May 1963

The Chartered Bank at Hillview Road in 1957

Princess Elizabeth Estate School 1974.
Teacher on left is Mrs Teo Gek Eng.
(Appreciate assistance to identify the others)


Mr & Mrs Ronald Lim on their wedding day Nov 1966
Ronald Lim was the Organising Secretary at PEE C.C.


The field in front of Blk 21.
This was the smallest in the estate due to the bus terminus.
Beside PEES Elizabeth Drive

Elizabeth Drive bet Blk 21 and PEE School.
Notice the narrowness which barely allowed 2 cars to pass.
The school tuckshop in the background

The car park beside Blk 17 (in front of blk 21)  c.1966.
The  #173 bus terminated at this car park.
Notice the market stalls of the 'old market' on the left.



The same carpark. 4 lots for buses can be clearly seen.
Hillview Estate Blks 3 & 2 on the left. c. 1980s
(Due to objections from my sister, she's now 'the shadow'.)
Family posing by the 'big field' at P.E.E.
Blk 12 artisan quarters on top left background.


Mr Lee Kuan Yew at PEE C.C.
1971 National Day Celebrations
Mr Chor Yeok Eng, MP for Bukit Timah on left

The demolition of the old Hillview HDB Estate in 2005.
Residents were resettled under SERS to Bukit Batok New Town


NEWSPAPER ARTICLES


Architects' model of P.E.E. seen in picture being
examined by SIT official and architect Mr  SC Woolmer.
Click on pictures to enlarge.






Anyone can identify them?
Baby has been identified as Tony Cheong Lye Hock
with his mother Auntie Cho-cho of Blk 17.
(thanks to Chan Kum Sung)

P.E.E.S Sports Day Results 1961.
Any names familiar to you?
I can only identify with Nigel Moss in the High Jump,
& Mrs Gonzales in the Parents race.

Advert for the terrace houses at Jalan Zamrud






Click this link for more photos.

To see a consolidation of all the photos contributed by readers, please click on 'Photos from ex-residents' under the 'Labels' just below here.


41 comments:

  1. Hi James,
    The names of the two chaps seated next to Lee Teck Hup are Yap (centre) don't know his full name and the one seated on the left of Yap is Vincent Danker. The Danker family used to live in the same block as you, top floor 2nd unit from the left. They moved out and D moved in :)
    There, mystery solved !!!
    Now guess who's writing this ? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Danker family moved out of 44B Norfolk Estate to Toa Payoh. Formerly they lived in Geylang Road. Vincent (known as George to family) passed away this week aged 95

      Delete
  2. Bridget Ong (Miss Spore 1967) came from a family of 5 siblings I think. Eldest was Lily if Im not mistaken, then there were Roseanne, James and Jude. I was in the same class as James. All but one of them now live overseas.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Lowy.
    Thanks for identifying the 2 gentlemen in the National Carbon staff photo.
    Di you previously lived at 123B, got married and moved to HJ Heights?? Just guessing as requested.

    ReplyDelete
  4. hahah, right not difficult really .... how are you and the family ? Haven't seen them all since moving across the seas. FYI it was 124B and between PEE & HJ Heights were Hua Guan, Yuk Tong & a couple of others ! I was at St Mary's on Christmas day for the 12.30 pm Mass. Usually see the usual people but I suppose everyone would've gone to the midnight and early Masses. Happy New Year !

    ReplyDelete
  5. btw James, there's something wrong with your blog dates, its Jan 3 2012 today not Jan 2

    ReplyDelete
  6. No she won't kill you for that pic ! lol she's mellowed plenty hahahah ....

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello Brenda,
    The dates I have no control over as it's automatically updated by Blogger/Google and they date it according to their USA times. Probably can be reset it in the settings somewhere but I haven't gone into that yet, maybe later I'll do that.
    Are U visiting at the moment? I was at the 7.30pm Children's Mass so didn't meet many familiar faces too.
    By the way, the 'Low' was a dead giveaway and U had mentioned U lived at Blk 21 previously.

    ReplyDelete
  8. OK i fixed the datestamp to Singapore time. It reverted to USA time when I changed to the new blogger format and didn't realise the time difference changed. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am happy that D. won't come after me for that pix I took off her fan site. There's actually a better picture taken during one of her birthday celebrations recently but since I was talking about her singing days....

    ReplyDelete
  10. This are from James Chan Kum Seng, who has provided more information on some of the above pictures. Thanks so much.

    Hello James...greetings from Toronto - Canada. Thanks for all the infor about PEE. My name is Chan Kum Sung (aka James), formerly lived at blk 18, 107 Prince Charles Rise. I just came across goodmorningyesterday and have been reading all the good stuff about PEE. I am writing to tell you who were the people you wanted to know in the pictures the Cheong's Prize Baby and the man in the middle of the picture at the PEE residents having coffee. The prized baby is my good friend Tony Cheong Lye Hock, born 1953. His mother is aunty Cho-cho or Mrs. Cheong, and the man in the middle of the picture at the PEE residents having coffee was Mr. Cheong Kim Swee and wasn't Chua as you suggested. Both pictures were of the same family previously living at blk 17, 103 A Prince Charles Rise (103A was taken over by the Koh family that was fomerly living at 104A - next door) and later moved to Hillview sometime in 1967 to Jalan Zamrud. Tony Cheong has a younger sister Judy and a younger brother Denis. Hope this helps clearify what you were asking for. Cheers!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi I thought the older sis Lily Ong was also Ms Singapore.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi D.
    It was Bridget Ong Mei Li, the younger sister who became Miss Singapore/Universe and went to New York to represent singapore at the Miss Universe contest in 1967.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi James
    Not sure if you recall the Chua family...whose block faces the Community Centre directly. Anyways, re yr posted pic "LKY @ PEE CC 1971 Naitonal Day Celebration..with the MP for for Bukit Timah on left", I kind of recognize the one with the back of the head facing the camera....I think that's Chua Tong Nee who was my dad.
    Another noticeable names that appeared in the old newspaper cutting "Lee takes Top Honour @ PE" ...."Girls - 'A' Division - High Jump - 2. Chan Harn May" ..She is my sister.
    3rd and lastly, under "Other Events" of the same newspaper cutting - "Parents' Race..1. Mrs. Gonzales & Mr. Chua Tong Nee (My dad again).
    I want you to know that you've done a amazing work on that blog and I'm certain that all the old PEE residents would enjoy it....brings back great memories...as I've almost lost all mine already...Thanks for your great effort...
    Oh...my name is Nora Chua, now living in Toronto, Canada...like Kum Sung.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hello Nora,
    Thanks for visiting my blog. One reason for it is for ex-PEE people to come here to reminisce hee hee.
    I couldn't identify your dad clearly but yes, I remember your dad well as he was my dad's good friend.
    Yes I remember you Nora. You used to live in the corner ground floor unit at blk 17 #106 below the Lau and Wong families on the 2nd and 3rd floor resp. If you look at another article called "Photo from Brenda Low", you can see Freda Wee's picture there. I believe she is your cousin? And your sister is Grace?
    In fact the other photo from Brenda of the Primary One class is your class I believe, but for some unknown reason you are not in that picture. Could you send me an email as I know someone who is trying to contact you as well.
    Would you have any pictures of your time at P.E.E.?
    Please do send it to me here and I'll post it up for you.

    ReplyDelete
  15. In the "coffee session" photo above, yes Mr Teo Puay Teck married Ms Tan Gek Eng. Mr Teo has passed away many years ago but Mrs Teo is happily retired. My mother is a retired teacher (Mrs Lim G T) from PEES and keeps in contact with several of her ex-colleagues even till today.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great stuff James!!. I gone through the photos of the old PEE blocks and can instantly
    put myself back in time. The photo of the artisan quater(looking at block 11 and 15 with block 16 on the left) is exactly the view from my bedroom in blk 17 103 Prince Charles Rise. The other one is the 'botak''coffee shop at the corner of block 2. His half boil eggs and coffee was great. Just beside this coffee shop, my grandmother sold 'or chook' with coconut milk at 5 cents a bowl in the seventies.

    Chuck

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Chuck,
      Yes, that would be the view from your corner unit.
      I believe your grandma sold 'or chok' at the market shop opposite the botak coffee shop right? The one facing Raja Clinic.
      You may be my last hope as I want to ask if you have any photos of the market your grandma had her stall in? Nobody seem to have a picture of the old market before it shifted to Hillview HDB new market.

      Delete
  17. Hi James,

    Yes, my grandma sold 'or chok' at the open space opposite botak coffee shop.
    I searched my old photos but sorry to inform you that there is no photo of the
    old market. Should I come across any, I will let you know.
    Meanwhile, keep up the good work.

    Chuck

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi there James,

    Great job with the blog and amazing pics from the past. Stumbled onto this from facebook looking for friends at PEEPS 1963-1968. I was shocked to find a pic of me (Babu)sitting next to you in the cubs pic. Love to catch up with you one day. Please forward any pics and information of class 5A (1967) and 6A (1968) if you have any. Still looking to find Valentine Chia, Tan Twee Fock, Sim Hui Huang, Lucy Daniel, Rachael & Susheela. Email bayo@pacific.net.au Good to catch up with you online.
    Take care buddy and bye for now.

    Babu

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hey there Babu !
    If you are trying to reach old, I mean former, friends from PEES, sign in to the fb "Princess Elizabeth Estate School" group. There's quite a big group there. Maybe some from your class.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks James....I'll check it out. Was in Singapore last week and got back to Sydney last night. Wish I had stumbled onto this site earlier. We could have met and re-live the 60's again for a bit.

      Delete
    2. Yeah that was unfortunate. PEES is celebrating its 60th Anniversary next month.
      By the way, I suppose you live in Sydney now? Sim Hui Huang lives in Brisbane.
      I'll get her email addr to you.

      Delete
    3. Hi, reading yr blog, you mention Sim Hui Huang, does she used to live up the hill behind the school and her mom used to sell soon kuah (??) or something... If the same person, I went to PEPS and we were class mate in early Pr 1-3. I left in mid pr 3 because we moved to Taman Jurong.
      Chew

      Delete
    4. Hi Veronica,
      Yes, the same Hui Huang who lived behind the school. She has migrated to Australia though I see her occasionally won her return trips as we go to the same parish church at Bukit Batok.
      If you were with Hui Huang, then the above email from Babu also applies to you as you would be classmates as well.

      Delete
  20. James, did Thomas Cheng lives up on the hillside, Bukit Gombak with his skinny mother who wore sarong?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thomas Cheng did live midway up on Bukit Gombak hillside. His mom is the one above his marriage photo. Do you know them as well. Thomas (we used to call him by his Teochew name, Tomack) has a few brothers and sisters and used to work at Eveready. Sadly I have lost all contact with them.

      Delete
  21. With reference to the picture of 'SIT 7-storey unit...', my cousin stayed in that block (block 23), in the mid 60s, on the second storey. I remember visiting him and sliding down the slope in front of the block using pieces of cardboard. The slopes don't appear in that photo - strange...

    ReplyDelete
  22. Guys and Gals

    Good to read all these though I'm not from PEE, but Chestnut and attended Boys' Town. The name Chan Kam Sang is very familiar to me. I am looking for a certain Donald Jayasena (PEE - SIT flats). Can anyone fill me in on this?

    tonypang@shaw.ca

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tony,
      I have sent you an email regarding Donald's contact.

      Delete
  23. Hi James,
    I'm Jacquita Gonzales and I was from PEE from the time I was born 1963 till 1985. The time there was the happiest of my life and I'm guessing that you would know my brothers (Robin, Kevin, Tony) and sister(Bonita). My mum Mrs. Gonzales was the one who one the parents race and was very active in the PEEPS. Don't suppose you recall the Bulner Family and as well as The De'Silver Family who live in the block in front of the bus deport?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jacquita,
      Yes I know you brothers. In fact I met Robin just last year when I did a project for Customs and was with him almost everyday for 2 months. I also met Tony while he was out driving. I know your mom pretty well. In fact who doesn't know Jackie if you lived at Princess! ha ha. I was working at St Mary at one stage and your mom was ever so busy with the canteen.
      Do keep in touch and send us some of your old pictures from the estate if you have them. They'll be great for jogging out old rusty memories.

      Delete
  24. James, how do I send some photos of a recording by Princess Elizabeth Primary School? Yum Shoen Liang

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shoen Liang,
      Not really sure what you mean? You have a video recording and want to capture some photos of it? You you have some photos you want to send to me for this blog?

      Whichever, you can send it to me at my email hjtann@mac.com

      Delete
  25. AnonymousJune 18, 2014

    I ran across this site while researching Bukit Batok history. Some very valuable stuff here, I must say.

    I was one of the few angmohs living in the Hillview HDB Estate in 1999. My wife and I had bought the flat a couple of years earlier because it was one of the cheapest places around, but we had to sell up and move out when SERS was announced. I'm sorry that the estate has gone, but I am glad to have had the experience of living there.

    ReplyDelete
  26. AnonymousJuly 14, 2014

    Wow!! Well done - Nostalgia 100%

    The photo with the following caption:

    "Cubs from PEES at MacRitchie Reservoir Lim Bo Seng Memorial. 4 Nov 1967.
    L-R. Goh Aik Swee, Yum Shoen Yih, Yeo Keng Thiam, James Tann, Babu, Cheng Joo Wei.
    We were all in the same class Pri 6A, except for Babu who was in Pri 5."

    I regconised V Babu - he was my classmate - his family left for India. Cheng Joo Wei has a brother Cheng Joo How - was my class mate - we completed out Primary Six 1968"

    My name Soh Cheow Yong ( 1963 - 1968 )

    ReplyDelete
  27. I stayed at Blk 17. I love this place. Always go to the CC with my good childhood friends. Remember Mrs Cheong who was the clerk at the CC

    ReplyDelete
  28. hi Josephine Kho....yes, I rem MRs Cheong...very nice lady...
    I used to stay at BLK 23 then shiftd to BLK 22, Princess Anne Hill ( 1976 - 1996 )

    ReplyDelete
  29. My name is Peggy Natalia Tupaz! I was in Primary 6A in 1964 and was in the same class as Subash Chandran, Edmund Wee and many others.....

    I do hope one of my Classmates from this class of 1964 to contact me in my Facebook account!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Peggy, I believe we are in the same class too under Form Teacher, mr Venogopalan. I remember Edmund Wee as well among many others but your name I have forgotten and definitely some others too. Brends Phua is indeed one of our classmates. I recall Azizah, Ngadiah, Lilian Lim, Chua Sok Yong & Nora Chua too. Guys include Johari, Baharuddin, Tony Cheong, Chew Ming Yong, Choo Chuan Cheng, Wong Chin Yong, Toh Bun Tok, Goh Yong Seng, Lee Kee Fu, Elaine Lau, Bonita Gonzalez, I'm sorry but there's still more I could not recall.

      Delete
  30. Hi Peggy,
    James has contact details of our class.
    send him an email
    cheers
    meng

    ReplyDelete