Our Bedok Kampong House Singapore

The younger of us brothers was born January 2nd, 1963 so celebrating his birthday (when he turned 6) before the school year was important for the family as school usually begins on that very day. Inviting over some neighbours along with the larger family living at our Bedok kampong house, it is one for the photobooks for his birthday celebrations of 1967 (4 years) and 1973 (10 years). 1967, with the family and cousins and just 4 years of age at our Bedok kampong house 1967, with our late paternal grandmother 1973 at 10 years of age, with neighbours and cousins in the photo. Photographed in the front garden of the house

As our cousin who lived with us began to grow up into young adulthood in the early 70’s, enjoying her time with friends at a dance was a weekend ‘thing’. One of her favourite places was just 2km down the road from our Bedok kampong house and along Upper East Coast Road, the Country Club Hotel. Likely too, each New Year’s Eve was spent counting down to the new year here. Now replaced by The Summit condominium, somehow no photos of the place nor her visits are available save for the matchstick boxes (and plastic cocktail drink stirrers) she brought back that became part of our collection! Country Club Hotel at 447-A Upper East Coast Road, Singapore 16 The Summit condominium now stands where the Country Club Hotel used to be

Christmas Day 1971. The tickets cost just $1 each and our parents brought us out from our Bedok kampong house for a Christmas party to remember – at the former Robinsons Dept Store café. The magician then, Victor Khoo (before the days of Charlee) was amazing and it was just so fun to be there. Little did we know the next day our party came out in the newspapers but the story angle was entirely different!

December 1973. Growing up can be fun when you get to be involved in an event or project as children. No matter how small the role is, for a child it is indeed a big deal. Such was the case with the younger of us taking part in the Bedok Methodist Church Sunday school Christmas pageant, about 10 minutes’ walk from our Bedok kampong house. My brother was given a role at the start of the pageant, as the Roman centurion announcing the census decreed by Caesar Augustus. Small role but it was a significant one for a 10 year-old! One for the memory books indeed.

We believe the first time we ever got introduced to Christmas songs was when our parents bought us kids this EP of a few songs from the Ray Conniff Singers “Christmas with Conniff” in the 60’s. We never forgot how we thought “Jingle Bells” was to be sung! The delightful and cheerful song we loved was “Here Comes Santa Claus”. Recently in the new 2024 movie Red One (starring The Rock) this wonderful song was the movie opener - Oh what fun!

Our late father had kept a collection of Christmas cards he received in the 50’s, from local and also from various countries, not just at our Bedok kampong house but also from his home prior to this at Kampong Soopoo. Amazingly much of the collection included even the envelopes which housed the cards. Many of the cards were British made and come in various sizes and are too lovely to just scan, so we included a short video clip to share as well. Season’s greetings from over 70 years ago! 1950 1950 1950 1950s 1950s 1950s 1954 1955 1955

The first wedding that took place at our Bedok kampong house happened on 14 December 1958. Our late paternal aunt was the first tie the know with our Ah Tio (96 years this year) and it was quite a memorable day with some photos to share here – from the groom coming to this house to fetch his bride, the tea ceremony, prayers and then out of the house to the groom’s and then reception. It’s 66 years to this date since, a celebration of an everlasting love that blossomed in our kampong.

Many stories and posts about old buses and old bus tickets abound in nostalgic Singapore pages and groups on social media today. Our Bedok kampong house story has a slightly different twist as we are fortunate to find a nice photo (thanks to the National Archives & National Library Board, with permission) of a typical bus we used to take from Bedok to Katong (mostly) in the 60’s – the Katong Bedok Bus! And it matches with our old collection of bus tickets (a selection shown here).  Those days of the pull-down windows (usually hard to budge!), no air-conditioning and with the wind blowing into our faces! We recall that wonderful bus stopping bell with the ‘Push Once’ engraved words encircling a red button and sometimes we get to pull down a horizontal cable that goes across the seats by the window to signal to the bus driver (and conductor) to stop!   The amazing thing is that the location of the bus stops of those old days are basically still here at Bedok Road, now r...

This week we remember our late paternal aunt, the middle aunt or Ko Ngah (short for Tengah) as it would have been her 92 nd birthday, having left us 16 months ago. At the end of 1954, the family moved from their Kampong Soopoo home in Kallang into our Bedok kampong house. Taking a job in inventory at Bata Shoes Singapore, she met her husband, our Ah-Tio (who just celebrated his 96 th birthday last month), dated and married him in December of 1958. Easy going and friendly she got along with many of the neighbours at our kampong and she also took time to enjoy the sights and sounds around the house, with regular visits to the beach with the rest of the family. . She eventually became godmother to the younger of us. Missing you dearly Ko Ngah. You were one of the strong pillars of our Bedok kampong house! 1961 - posing in our garden with Bedok beach behind her and the holiday home of the Sultan of Pahang to the left behind (not seen except for the vined fencing) 1960 - Bedok beach areas...

While there are the usual wheels (of automobiles) outside our Bedok kampong house, an array of wheels of a different sort ruled the house in the early 60’s.. all by us babies and kids! 1964 1964 on a cyclops metal pedal car! 1961 1962 1966