The first years - 1960s

            One of the earliest photos of me, at the verandah of our old house in Adis road

This is season for reflections and gratitude, so this Christmas, I am grateful for my parents, Geoffrey and Anna who though have passed on 5 and 6 years ago, still have imparted numerous values and lessons to me and my brother and now, 50 odd years on, I still love and cherish their love, guidance and wisdom. 

I was fortunate enough to be born in a well - to - do family, and Singapore was then in the throes of breaking away first from the British imperialist empire, which they had humiliatingly lost to the Japanese in the 2nd World War.  The bastion that was Singapore, was lost in a manner of weeks, and the Japanese were harsh masters during the 1943-45 years. In 1957, the Tengku had fought for and got a hard won freedom for the Federation of Malaya which Singapore was part of. 

Our country was in a shambles, unemployment was high, racial riots had happened, and there were Communists in many segments of society. Our then Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew had his work cut out for him. History has shown that he through his PAP party emerged victorious and transformed our little island into a metropolis today, with safety, racial harmony and one of the world's highest standards of living. Indeed we have come a long way.   

So, I and my generation have witnessed and also blessed to be reciepients of the amazing transformation of Singapore from third world to first world in barely 35 years.    

This was taken at the fountain outside Raffles Place, near Robinsons (before the fire)

My father was a lawyer practicing first with David Marshall (the first Chief Minister of Singapore) and then later on his own (he had his own law firm called Abisheganaden and Company) and had set up in the boat quay area. I remember walking up the dusty stairs of the godown turned offices to his office. He had a male secretary called T.T. Fry who was Eurasian (I believe). We lived in a bungalow in Adis Road (off Sophia Road) and I recall the house was used as the Japanese command post during the Second World War. We had 2 schools as neighbours, Nan Hua Girls School and Methodist Girls School (MGS) which was accessed throught Mount Emily Road. 

My mum and I at the Botanic Gardens, 1963

The early years were really carefree, fun, with parties, maids and playing all kinds of outdoorsy games with the neighbours. The names were a mish mash of Chinese, Indian, and Malay. No one really cared much about how big each other's house was or the size of their cars ; if they had one, I did not know or care. It was a glorious fun filled childhood.

Ah Puck, Fatty, Ah Leong, Poh San, Thomas Jacob, S, R, Pak Chik, these names are just thrown into the wind of my earliest memories. We had fighting games, catching spiders, playing football, dogs chasing us, we playing with our 3 dogs (all mongrels), tearing shirts, pnats, cuts, bloodied faces, arms, legs. Ah...the 1960s  .... my early days.