THE SINGAPORE STORY

This is a timeline based on A History of Modern Singapore, 1819 - 2005 by C.M. Turnbull. Published by NUS press in 2009.

Quick jump to different milestone eras in Singapore history:

1819 - 1890: Our Humble Beginnings
1890 - 1920: Contributions of Pioneer Migrants
1921 - 1941: Under the British Flag
1941 - 1945: When Singapore was Syonan-To
1945 - 1955: The Tumultuous Post-War Years
1955 - 1965: Road to Merdeka
1965 - 1990: Building a New Nation
1990 - 2004: Forging Ahead into the Millennium
2004 - Present Day: Singapore, Endearing Home

1819 - 1890: Our Humble Beginnings

1819

Stamford Raffles signs a treaty with Temenggong of Johor to establish a trading post in Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By Wolfgang Sladkowski [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

6 February 1819

William Farquhar is appointed as 1st Resident of Singapore

For more information, please view here and here.

By unknown [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

June 1819

Naraina Pillai, the first Indian to set foot in Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By unknown [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

1819

Tan Tock Seng arrives in Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By Tan Tock Seng Hospital via [TTSH Website]

Late 1819

Munshi Abdullah arrives in Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By National Library Singapore via [Mothership]

1819

The first teochews in Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By John Edmund Taylor [CC BY 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons

1823

Beginning of Kampong Glam

For more information, please view here, here , and here.

Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board, [ visitsingapore.com]

9 June 1823

John Crawfurd is appointed as 2nd Resident of Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By unknown [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

17 March 1824

Signing of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty in London

For more information, please view here.

Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore [Bicentennial Website]

2 August 1824

Signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance between the EIC and the Johore Sultanate

For more information, please view here.

By The National Archives (United Kingdom) [Public domain] via [Wikimedia Commons]

1826

Singapore, together with Malacca and Penang, becomes the British Straits Settlement

For more information, please view here.

By Himasaram [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

1830

Whampoa Hoo Ah Kay arrives in Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By unknown [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

1 Apr 1867

Singapore became a crown colony directly under the Colonial Office in London

For more information, please view here.

By BaronVonchesto. (Own work.) [CC BY-SA 3.0, GFDL or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

17 Nov 1869

Opening of Suez Canel

For more information, please view here.

By Royal Air Force [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

11 Jun 1877

Rubber came to Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By uncredited [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

1890 – 1920: Contributions of Pioneer Migrants

1893

Gan Eng Seng Free School founded. One of the earliest schools to offer bilingual education

For more information, please view here.

By Gan Eng Seng School [via GESS Website]

1895

Lim Boon Keng becomes a legislative councillor

For more information, please view here.

Photo by Lee Brothers Studio Collection, Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore [via NAS Website]

1899

Singapore Chinese Girls’ School founded. First Chinese girls’ school in Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By Singapore Chinese Girls’ School [via SCGS Website]

1900

Sun Yat Sen’s first of nine visits to Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By Militaryace [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Spotlight on Eurasian community

For more information, please view here.

Photo by Lee Brothers Studio Collection, Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore [via NAS Website]

1905

P. Govindasamy Pillai arrives in Singapore

For more information, please view here.

Photo by National Archives of Singapore via [roots.sg]

1907

Mohammed Eunos becomes editor of Utusan Malayu

For more information, please view here.

Photo Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore [via Singapore Memory Project Website]

Contribution of Indian community

For more information, please view here.

This digital copy (c) National Library Board Singapore 2008. The original work (c) Heng Ngian Phuan [via NLB Website]

1921 – 1941: Under the British Flag

1925

Singapore Traction Company, the first public motor-transport form, set up

For more information, please view here.

This digital copy © National Library Board Singapore 2008. The original work © Tay Phuay Hwee. [via NLB Website]

1926

Formation of Kesatuan Melayu Singapora

For more information, please view here.

Photo Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore [via Singapore Memory Project Website]

1926

Singapore General Hospital opened

For more information, please view here.

By Singapore General Hospital [via SGH Website]

1927

1928

1941 – 1945: When Singapore was Syonan-To

8 Dec 1941

Japanese landings in Southern Thailand and Northern Malaya

For more information, please view here and here.

Additional video information, please view here.

By Underwood & Underwood [Public domain], [via Wikimedia Commons]

8 Feb 1942

Battle of Singapore starts

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

By Unknown [Public domain], [via Wikimedia Commons]

15 Feb 1942

Fall of Singapore

For video information, please view here.

[Public domain], [via Australian War Memorial Website]

21 Feb to 4 Mar 1942

Sook Ching Massacre

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

Tham Sien Yen Collection from The Nanyang Miscellany, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore, [via NAS website]

1942 to 1945

Syonan-To Era

For video information, please view here.

1945 – 1955: The Tumultuous Post-War Years

12 Sep 1945

Japanese Surrender

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

By Ashley (Fl Off), Royal Air Force Official Photographer [Public domain], [via Wikimedia Commons]

Sep 1945

British Military Administration (BMA) set up

For more information, please view here.

By No 9 Army Film & Photographic Unit. Taylor E A (Captain) [Public domain], [via Wikimedia Commons]

Apr 1946

Return of Civilian Administration and Singapore becomes a separate Crown Colony

For more information, please view here.

1 Feb 1948

Federation of Malaya inaugurated, Singapore remained separate

For more information, please view here.

By The National Archives UK [No restrictions], [via Wikimedia Commons]

1 Mar 1948

First General Elections held in Singapore with 6 legislative council seats up for elections

For more information, please view here.

24 Jun 1948

Emergency is declared!

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

Image Courtesy of National Library Board Singapore, [via NLB Website]

1949

King Edward Colleage of Medicine merges with Raffles College to form the University of Malaya in Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By UM Memory, Item #2216, [via UM Memory]

1951

General Election: Number of elected seats in the Legislative Council increased to nine

For more information, please view here.

1953

Rendel Commission

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

11 Dec 1953

Enactment of the Central Provident Fund Ordinance

For more information, please view here.

By CPF Singapore, [via CPF Website]

1955 – 1965: Road to Merdeka

Apr 1955

General Elections David Marshall as First Chief Minister of Singapore

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, [via National Archives of Singapore]

13 May 1954

Anti-National Service Riots

For more information, please view here.

Courtesy of National Heritage Board, Singapore, [via Roots Website]

12 May 1955

Hock Lee Bus Riots

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore, [via Roots Website]

23 Apr 1956

National Archives, United Kingdom, [via Roots Website]

11 Mar 1957

2^nd Merdeka Talks

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

13 May 1958

3^rd Merdeka Talks

For more information, please view here.

National Archives of Singapore, [via NAS Website]

30 May 1959

Legislative Assembly General Elections

For more information, please view here and here.

Additional video information, please view here.

People's Action Party (PAP), [via PAPWebsite]

5 Jun 1959

The first Cabinet is sworn in, Lee Kuan Yew becomes 1st Prime Minister of Singapore

For more information, please view here.

National Library Board Singapore, [via NLB Website]

3 Dec 1959

Yusok Ishak is sworn in as Yang Di-Pertuan Negara (head of state)

For more information, please view here.

Courtesy of President's Office, [The Istana]

1 Feb 1960

Establishment of Housing and Development Board (HDB)

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

Courtesy of Housing & Development Board Singapore, [via HDB Website]

1961

Creation of Jurong Industrial Estate

For more information, please view here.

Courtesy of JTC Corporation, [via JTC Website]

1 Sep 1962

Referendum on Merger with Malaysia

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view video 1, video 2, video 3 and video 4.

Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore, [via Roots Website]

16 Sep 1963

Courtesy of National Library Board Singapore, [via NLB Website]

1965 – 1990: Building a New Nation

21 Sept 1965

Singapore is admitted into the UN as the 117th member

For more information, please view here.

By Anonymous [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons

22 Dec 1965

Constitutional Amendment Act passed and Yusof bin Ishak becomes the first President of Singapore

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore, [NAS Singapore]

14 Mar 1967

National Service Bill passed

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here and here .

By Singapore Armed Forces, via Wikimedia Commons

12 Jun 1967

Issue of the first Singapore Dollar

For more information, please view here.

Photo by Monetary Authority of Singapore, [MAS Singapore]

8 Aug 1967

Singapore is a founding member of ASEAN

For more information, please view here.

By Amalthea, via Wikimedia Commons

Jan 1968

Britain announces its intention to withdraw its armed forces from Singapore

For more information, please view here.

Photo from SINGAPORE, An Illustrated History 1941-1984, Ministry of Culture, via goodmorningyesterday.blogspot.sg

Apr 1968

PAP won all seats in the 1968 General Elections, which was boycotted by the opposition Barisan Sosialis

For more information, please view here.

31 May 1969

Race Riots

For more information, please view here.

Photo by Internal Security Department Singapore, [MHA Singapore]

May 1970

Singapore’s 1st Junior College National Junior Colleage opens

Video information, please view here.

By ckwongb [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

31 Oct 1971

British military forces withdraws from Singapore

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here and here .

2 Jan 1972

Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares becomes the 2nd President of Singapore

For more information, please view here.

Courtesy of President's Office, [The Istana]

1972

Singapore Airlines is formed

Video information, please view here and here .

By Chamath456, via Wikimedia Commons

2 Sep 1972

PAP wins the 1972 GE

For more information, please view here.

1973

Presidential Council for Minority Rights set up

For more information, please view here.

By TteckK[Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons

31 Jan 1974

Laju Terror Incident

For more information, please view here and here.

Additional video information, please view here.

23 Dec 1976

24 Oct 1981

C V Devan Nair becomes 3rd President of Singapore

For more information, please view here.

Courtesy of President's Office, [The Istana]

31 Oct 1981

Workers’ Party JB Jeyaretnam elected into Parliament, breaking a 16-years PAP total control of the House

For more information, please view here.

By Jacklee [Wikipedia:Non-free content], via Wikimedia Commons

1982

Singapore becomes the world’s busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage

For more information, please view here.

By William Cho [CC Share Alike 2.0 Generic License], via Wikimedia Commons

29 Jan 1983

Eniwetok, a Panamanian-registered oil rig, hits the Singapore Cable Car system, sending two cabins plunging into the sea and killing seven people

For more information, please view here and here.

Courtesy of TheSmartLocal, [TheSmartLocal]

22 Dec 1984

The PAP wins the 1984 General Election Non-Constituency Member of Parliament system was introduced

For more information, please view here.

2 Sep 1985

Dr Wee Kim Wee becomes the 4th President of Singapore

For more information, please view here.

Courtesy of President's Office, [The Istana]

15 Mar 1986

Hotel New World collapses

For more information, please view here.

Courtesy of the former Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, [NHB]

3 Sep 1988

PAP wins the 1988 GE. Group Representation Constituencies (GRCS) introduced

For more information, please view here.

6 Jul 1990

The East West Line of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is completed

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

By SMRT Corporation, [SMRT Website]

22 Nov 1990

Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 begins operation.

Video information, please view here.

By Anonymous [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

28 Nov 1990

Goh Chok Tong becomes the 2nd Prime Minister of Singapore

Video information, please view here.

By Arcimboldo [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons

1990 – 2004: Forging Ahead into the Millennium

26 – 27 Mar 1991

Hijack of SQ 117

For more information, please view here.

Konstantin von Wedelstaedt, [via Wikimedia Commons]

31 Aug 1991

PAP wins 1991 GE

For more information, please view here.

1 Sep 1993

Ong Teng Cheong becomes the 5th President of Singapore, 1st Elected President

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

Courtesy of President's Office, [The Istana]

2 Jan 1997

PAP wins 1997 GE

For more information, please view here.

Jul 1997

Asian Financial Crisis

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

1999

Sellapan Rama Nathan becomes the 6th President of Singapore

For more information, please view here.

Courtesy of President's Office, [The Istana]

2001

Apr 2003

2004

National Service reduced from 2.5 to 2 years

For more information, please view here.

By Singapore Armed Forces, [via Wikimedia Commons]

20 Apr 2004

A section of Nicoll Highway collapses

For more information, please view here.

Courtesy of National Library Board Singapore, [NLB]

12 Aug 2004

Lee Hsien Loong becomes 3rd Prime Minister of Singapore

For video information, please view here and here.

Courtesy of Prime Minister's Office, [PMO]

2004 – Present Day: Singapore, Endearing Home

18 Apr 2005

Government approves the plan to legalise casino gambling and builds two Integrated Resorts

For more information, please view here.

By TteckK[Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons

6 May 2006

PAP wins 2006 GE

For more information, please view here.

9 Jan 2008

Singapore Changi Airport opens 3rd passenger terminal

For more information, please view here.

By Anonymous [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Sep 2008

24 Jun 2013

Haze in Singapore reaches 401 PSI, worst in Singapore History

For more information, please view here and here.

Additional video information, please view here.

Courtesy of rsis.edu.sg, [remembersingapore.org]

1 August 2014

Launch of Pioneer Generation package

For more information, please view here.

Picture courtesy of Government of Singapore via [pioneers.sg]

23 Mar 2015

Lee Kuan Yew passes away. Singapore enters a one-week mourning period

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

By Smk 84 [CC BY 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

9 Aug 2015

Singapore’s Golden Jubilee

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

Courtesy of PIRR Creatives, [pirrcreatives.com]

Aug 2016

Joseph Schooling is Singapore’s first Olympic Champion

For more information, please view here.

Photo by Ian Jones, International Olympic Committee, [olympic.org]

22 Aug 2016

S R Nathan passes away. Singapore enters a one-week mourning period

For more information, please view here.

Additional video information, please view here.

By Smk 84 [CC BY 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

8 Aug 2017

Future Economy Council holds first meeting with Mr Heng Swee Keat as chair

For more information, please view here.

Picture courtesy of Prime Minister's Office Singapore via [Prime Minister's Office Website]

20 Aug 2017

Launch of Smart Nation projects

For more information, please view here and here .

Photo by Ministry of Communications and Information via [NTUC Website]

13-14 Sep 2017

Halimah Yacob elected as 8th President and 1st female President of Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By e_chaya [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

12 June 2018

Kim – Trump Summit

For more information, please view here.

Photo by Dan Scavino Jr. [Public Domain] via [Wikimedia Commons]

19 August 2018

Announcement of Merdeka Generation package

For more information, please view here.

Photo by Prime Minister's Office via [Mothership]

23 Nov 2018

The 4th Generation of leaders emerges

For more information, please view here.

Image by People's Action Party via [channelnewsasia.com]

20 Dec 2018

United Nations passes resolution for new treaty on mediation named after Singapore

For more information, please view here.

By Anonymous [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons

CONTACT

For all enquiries regarding the competition, please send your queries to:

enquiry@sg75.sg

THE SINGAPORE STORY

1819 - 1890: Our Humble Beginnings

1890 – 1920: Contributions of Pioneer Migrants

1921 – 1941: Under the British Flag

1941 – 1945: When Singapore was Syonan-To

1945 – 1955: The Tumultuous Post-War Years

1955 – 1965: Road to Merdeka

1965 – 1990: Building a New Nation

1990 – 2004: Forging Ahead into the Millennium

2004 – Present Day: Singapore, Endearing Home

CONTACT

For all enquiries regarding the competition, please send your queries to:

FOLLOW US ON

Main menu