p. 156 "The Istana"
Formerly the official residence of the
representative of the British Crown, the Istana is now the
official residence of the President of Singapore... The original
Governor’s residence was on Fort Canning Hill - a wood and
attap-roofed bungalow designed by G D Coleman. It was demolished
in 1859 after 36 years as the Governor’s residence, when the
battery at Fort Canning was built.
On his arrival in Singapore, the new Governor, Harry Ord, took up
residence in a house called ‘The Pavilion’, leased to
him by Dr Thomas Oxley in Grange Road, until the first tenant
returned from leave in Germany. Leonie House, also one of Dr
Oxley’s properties then became the Governor’s temporary
abode during the absence of its tenant who was on leave in
Britain. Wary of more shuttling, Governor Ord lost no time in
purchasing land to erect a suitable residence for himself and
future Governors [the Istana].
P. 162 "Orchard Road"
"In 1848, the area around Orchard Road was a vast nutmeg plantation with pockets of pepper farms. The names of the plantation owners like Oxley, Carnie (Cairnhill) and Cuppage now grace the roads and streets in the vicinity."
P. 170 "Orchard Road"
"Orchard Road was, for a long time, a vast nutmeg plantation. C R Princep’s estate covered Mount Sophia down to the Istana and Dr Thomas Oxley’s estate extended to Grange Road."
P. 176 "The Tanglin Club"
The Tanglin Club was formed as a social club for the British 46 years after Singapore was founded. The reason for the delay in forming such a club was probably due to the fact that the leading residents of the early days lived in close proximity on Beach Road with their own billiard rooms in their houses. The exceptions were, of course, the plantation owners, of whom there were about 20 around in the late 1850s - Carnie, Cuppage, Oxley, Scott, Princep, Jose d’Almeida and Nicoll being the leading planters. However, when the nutmeg disease swept the plantations in 1855-56, much property was sold for development.