Down Memory Lane

 

                                                       

I remember in the 60's, I have had stayed in Upper Chin Chew Street for a short time(now defunct Beancurd Street in Chinatown).
There was little traffic on the streets & kids just ran around freely outside their colonial house. Our family stayed in a room on level 1, accessible via a very narrow aisle that stretched from front to the common kitchen at the backend.  I couldn't remember the room's layout except that it was always dark inside.
                                                                  

                                                   

But I remember vividly the layout of the common kitchen where stoves were lined up on one side where tenants cooked with fire woods. There was only one common toilet shared by all tenants. The night-soil bucket man would come carrying 2 buckets hooked up to his pole balanced on his shoulder going around the neighbourhood to exchange the buckets in every colonial house.                                                                   

In the 60's, we moved to a one-room flat with squatting toilet that came with flushing system. We did not have any photo of this place and this drawing was produced mainly from my memory.
During the rainy seasons, the road outside would be flooded and children would have fun swimming in the flood-water.
See bottom-left where there were a few cement cylindrical pillars of various heights   This was my favourite playground for climbing.

                                 
There were 4 or 5 blocks of the same design in this area : long, dark common corridor on every floor with rooms on both side facing each other.
Behind our block, was an open space where rows of food carts & push-stall hawkers plied their food.

These flats have been demolished in the 70's and now a condo stands in its place.                                  




My grand Dad

I remember an oil-painting of my grand dad hanged near the ceiling in our one-room flat. 
It was hand-painted by my dad's colleague.
We transferred it to our new 3-room flat when we moved there in 1973 (I think).

For years, it remained hanged in the living room. I never asked my dad about him except that he came from china Guangdong province and he was bedridden in his last few years.

The original painting has been destroyed as my sister decided not to keep it when she moved again in 2012. This drawing was re-created with old photos.


                                              

When I was a little boy, I had this fear of soap-water getting into my nostrils, eyes & ears.
So I avoided washing my hair unless my mum carry me horizontally on her lap, just like on a saloon chair.

As I grew heavier, my mum became frustrated as she could not handle anymore my weight& shape.

One day, she stripped me naked & get me to stand inside the bathroom with my back facing her. Without warning, she poured a pail of cold water over my head. I jumped up& screamed.   From that day onwards, I overcame my fear & washed my hair standing up.

Some mums choose to do extraordinary things with positive effects on her children. I remembered this was what my mum did. What about you ? 

    

There was no family portrait photo taken in the 60's & 70's.
This family picture was drawn based on some very old photos.
My mum told me we should have been 4 siblings if she had not aborted her 3rd child (boy) as my parents were too poor then to raise another child. Sigh !

Are you able to spot the blogger-artist ?



          
My dad worked as an big-canvas poster artist with Cathay Organisation for over 30 years before he retired  somewhere between 1994/1995.   
Some days, he would let me hitch a ride on his bicycle from Indus Road to his studio workshop at Mackenzie Road (now defunct / demolished).
The child seat was made of bamboo & was attached to the bicycle.

There was no photo on this outing.
This drawing was created from memory & some old photos as reference. 
 
My dad's mode of transport to work & places was his china-made bicycle. He rarely take the public transport except for long distances.                    

I remember my dad's workshop was located somewhere here along Mackenzie Road.
It was just some sheds with zinc roofs with huge spaces inside where canvas cinema posters were hand-drawn and painted on the floor by a group of artists.

This place was also prone to flooding after heavy down pours. My dad kept & rear chickens in cages and some of them would drown in these floods.

His workplace was later moved to Regal Theatre at Jalan Bukit Merah.

I saw that drawing & painting huge posters on the floor was hard work & back-breaking.

So my dad would take breaks to smoke or practise his kung-fu at his workplace.

I found it strange though but had never ask him why he chose this type of weapon.

 

 

I think around 1973/1974, we moved to a new 3-room flat at Zion Road (near Great World City).

These have now been demolished in 2014 to make way for the mrt station.

Our family lived here for over 30 years before this estate was en-bloc for re-development.

Someone has already written about these Zion Road Flats - read his blog here :

http://remembersingapore.org/zion-road-blue-flats/                                           

These photos were taken some years before 2014 where the flats were demolished.

 

My dad did not smile much and he had never buy any toys for his kids. 

But he brought home lots of pencils, paint brushes, paints and poster colors. So, I just used them freely to doodle & drawn on brown joter books. Today, I still use them for my drawing works.   

My dad never draw or paints for leisure or for interest.  
There was no known drawing or artwork ever created by him that could be found in our possession today.
He passed on in 1998. It's a pity. Sigh !