200 years of Singapore history through time capsules
Visitors looking at some of the objects on display as part of National Heritage Board's new exhibition of time capsules, Frozen in Time, at the Toa Payoh Public Library on Nov 9, 2017. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Floating in the oceans today are 26 time capsules from Singapore, lost in 1974 after being released off Raffles Lighthouse for a research project on tides and currents. Each 43-year-old capsule literally contains time: a Citizen Blackie watch or coupon to redeem the same. A watch that could have been in one of these time capsules is on display at the Toa Payoh Public Library.
Until Nov 29, the library hosts Frozen In Time: Time Capsules In Singapore, an exhibition summarising two centuries of Singapore's history through its time capsules. Over 50 capsules have been created in Singapore over the past 200 years. The exhibition is produced by the National Heritage Board (NHB) and will be hosted in turn by seven other libraries over the next 12 months. It features 40 objects of the same age and make as those buried in local time capsules. None of the displayed objects are, however, recovered from existing capsules.
The display includes coins no longer in circulation, books, and devices that would have been on the cutting-edge of technology at the time, such as an electronic memory game or a pager. Visitors can handle or play with some of the objects and make their own time capsules out of paper models.
Frozen in Time: Time Capsules in Singapore
Time capsules are like buried treasure chests in which items are preserved for the future. When opened, these time capsules provide us with snapshots of the eras during which they were buried. Time capsules come in many shapes and sizes, but they all contain items that the people and institutions of Singapore have chosen to represent themselves and their milestones. These items also represent the way that the makers of the time capsules hope to be remembered. NHB’s Frozen in Time: Time Capsules in Singapore travelling exhibition in 2018 provided an overview of the history of time capsules in Singapore and offer interesting facts about some of these time capsules and their contents.
In Singapore, many time capsules have been buried over the past 200 years, often to commemorate important events. These include time capsules buried during the colonial period, after Singapore’s independence and even in recent years. Singapore’s oldest known time capsule was buried in 1843 and rediscovered by workers involved in the restoration of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. The capsule was found under the cathedral's foundation stone in 2016. Its contents reflected the diversity of the communities in Singapore even during the nation’s early years. The items from this time capsule are now on display at the cathedral’s heritage gallery. The gallery is open to visitors and also features other items which are of significance to the heritage of Singapore’s Catholic community.
One time capsule from the colonial era provides insights into life in Singapore just before World War II. It was buried on 1 April 1937 under the foundation stone of the former Supreme Court, which is now part of the National Gallery Singapore. The date on which the time capsule was buried marked the 70th anniversary of the Straits Settlements (now Singapore and parts of Malaysia) as a British Colony separate from India. The former Supreme Court itself was a symbol for justice and the rule of law under the British. The time capsule is scheduled to be opened only in the year 3000 with the smashing of the foundation stone. This seven-foot stone forms part of the floor in the former Supreme Court building and visitors can still see it at the National Gallery Singapore today. During the early years of Singapore’s independence, a number of time capsules were launched. These time capsules contained items that symbolised the hopes of the young nation.
UNEARTHING SINGAPORE’S HISTORY – ONE CAPSULE AT A TIME
For young Singaporeans today, pagers are clunky and unfamiliar devices, obsolete in today’s day and age. Yet, back in the 1980s –1990s, pagers were such an important part of our daily lives that a pager was chosen as one of the objects to be sealed in a time capsule in 1984, as part of celebrations for Singapore’s 25th year of self-government.
Members of the public can now find out more about such memorabilia and the time capsules that contained them at Frozen in Time: Time Capsules in Singapore, a new travelling exhibition produced by the National Heritage Board (NHB) to showcase the history of time capsules in Singapore. Visitors can also view some of the 40 objects on display, which are similar to those contained in the time capsules.
Since the 19th century, there have been more than 50 time capsules created in Singapore. Some have been uncovered, some placed on display, while others remain buried. Likened to treasure chests for the future, these time capsules commemorate important milestone events, embody precious memories, and tell stories that may have been forgotten, for the benefit of future generations. While some of the memorabilia are everyday items and not commonly thought of as treasures, or are even obsolete by today’s technological standards, they nonetheless tell the story of life in Singapore over the years, and bear witness to our nation’s development.
Old pager & phone cards among the many random things placed inside S'pore's time capsules
Time capsules preserve history through various objects. They commemorate milestones, record precious memories, and tell forgotten stories.
Since the 19th century, there have been over 50 time capsules created in Singapore. The oldest recorded time capsule in Singapore was buried in 1843. Among its items were newspapers, coins and a prayer booklet, serving as evidence for international trade and cultural diversity in 19th century Singapore.
Up till today, time capsules have continued to serve as glimpses into the past.
SG50 time capsule filled with items chosen, created by S’poreans
The public voted for replicas of POSB collaterals in the 1970s and 80s, as well as football memorabilia from Singapore's win at the Malaysia Cup final in 1994 to be included in the capsule. Photos: Channel NewsAsia
A collection of items representing Singapore’s identity and journey as a nation, has been identified to be placed into an SG50 time capsule at Gardens by the Bay. It will be opened in 2065. The items which were chosen following a two-month public voting exercise, include national symbols and memorabilia. Some of them were donated by the public.
Mr Zaher Wahab, 34, has been collecting local football memorabilia since he was in primary school. It is his way of reliving memorable moments, such as Singapore’s win at the Malaysia Cup final in 1994. “For the 1994 final, I remembered that there were a lot of people in the stadium. I was 12 and it was that year that I finished PSLE,” he said. “My dad promised me that we will go and watch this match if I studied hard. When Abbas scored the hat trick and then Fandi scored another one, I cried because obviously it was really amazing. It was the first overseas match that I went to watch with my family.”
When Mr Zaher heard that there would be an SG50 time capsule that would be opened when Singapore celebrates SG100, he thought it apt to make a contribution. “I donated the ticket stub from the 1994 final. I also donated a commemorative t-shirt,” he said. “In 2065, I would be around 80. Hopefully, I will still be around and I will want to show my grandchildren this is what your granddad donated, to help them relive the past.”
6 interesting facts about SG50 and other time capsules unearthed
Finance Minister Goh Keng Swee laying the time capsule under the former National Stadium's foundation stone in 1970. PHOTO: ST FILE
In the year 2065, Singaporeans will be cracking open an SG50 time capsule containing 50 items voted by the public as representative of Singapore.
The box of historical items was officially sealed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at a ceremony at Gardens by the Bay on Friday (March 18).
The objects sealed away are nods to nostalgia, including a ticket to the 1994 Malaysia Cup football final, an old National Library membership card, and a coffee sock used in local coffee shops. These will be retrieved in time for SG100. Time capsules were popularised in the 1930s, and the practice has survived the test of time.
related: 50 items for SG50 time capsule
Singapore Time Capsule
- The oldest known time capsule in Singapore was rediscovered in early 2016, beneath the foundation stone of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. The shoebox-sized time capsule from June 18, 1843 was found to include a prayer booklet and newspapers, and international coins. The capsule is thought to have been buried by French Catholic missionary priests and other founding communities of Singapore.
- On April 1, 1937, a capsule containing coins and newspapers from the time was buried under the foundation stone of the former Supreme Court building with the intention that it be opened in the year 3000. The building now houses the National Gallery Singapore, where the foundation stone can still be seen today.
- In 1949, a capsule was buried at Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) containing school magazines, a bible and records of major donors. Thought to be lost, the capsule was rediscovered in 2000 with the help of a former student who had attended the burial ceremony.
- A capsule buried in 1950 under the then Royal Island Club (now the Singapore Island Country Club) was thought to be lost but later found by construction workers in 2010. It contained photographs and newspapers.
- In 1970, one of Singapore's founding leaders, Dr Goh Keng Swee laid a copper cylinder containing newspapers and Singapore bank notes from the era, somewhere in the former National Stadium. Unfortunately the location has been lost and metal detectors have failed to find it despite a $50,000 reward on offer.
- Since 1973, Science Centre Singapore has been depositing gadgets and examples of significant technologies in a time capsule inaugurated by then Science and Technology Minister Dr Toh Chin Chye. The first 112 items deposited included a black and white television receiver, a camera and samples of pig feed. After additional deposits were made in 1983, 2001 and 2013, the original capsule was replaced with a larger stainless steel container that now holds over 800 items in an atmosphere of inert nitrogen gas in the hope that this will better preserve the artefacts inside.
- The Jurong Town Corporation buried a time capsule under Jurong Town Hall in 1974. When opened in 2001, the capsule was found to contain reports, articles and photographs illustrating the industrialisation of Jurong.
- In 1975, part of Singapore's contribution to an International Ocean Exposition held in Okinawa, Japan entitled The Sea We Would Like to See was a research project using floating time capsules. The previous year, 50 small round capsules were released from Raffles Lighthouse as part of a global fleet of 2,800 to measure oceanic tides and currents. Each capsule contained information about the Exposition, a goodwill message from a Japanese child and a voucher for a Citizen Blackie watch to incentivise finders to fill in a post card with details of where the capsule were found. 24 of the capsules released in Singapore were later recovered.
- 1990 saw the unexpected unearthing of a time capsule from the 1950s by contractors working at the demolished American Insurance building in Robinson Road. Buried on 26 April 1956, the copper canister contained English and Chinese newspapers, a financial report, photographs, posters and an insurance agent's manual.
- In 2015, a time capsule buried to celebrate Singapore's 25th year of independence was dug up and replaced with one celebrating 50 years as a sovereign nation. The original canister held 88 "symbols of progress" including a video tape of the 1966 National Day (Singapore), water from the Singapore River and the first sarong kebaya uniforms designed by Pierre Balmain for Singapore Airlines in 1968. The replacement capsule, made from stainless steel, was buried by then Deputy Prime Minister Ong Teng Cheong outside Empress Place.
- On 31 August 2005, Singapore Polytechnic buried a time capsule in order to conclude year-long celebrations of its 50th anniversary of its founding in 1954. Located near its main library, it is scheduled to be re-opened in 2029 for its 75th anniversary. Items in the time capsule included staff and student admission cards, a CD of 2004's graduation ceremony and a bottle of locally brewed red wine.
