THE FULLERTON HOTEL
It was during the high emotion and jubilation of Singapore’s Centenary in 1919, directly after World War I had ended with an Allied victory, that the plan for this grand building was conceived. It would be, said the then British Governor, Sir Laurence Guillemard, “a monument worthy of the city.” The massive classical-styled or Palladian, fluted Doric colonnades and elaborate ornamentation of the Fullerton Building reflect the full-blown colonial confidence of its builders at the time it was erected, 1928.
The building would hold not only the General Post Office, presided over by the Postmaster General, but also the Exchange, and offices for the Governor of Singapore and the High Commissioner for the Federation of Malay States, as well as other government offices such as the headquarters for the Master Attendant, the Surveyor-General of Ships, the Port Health Office, the Veterinary Surgeon and the Imports and Exports Office. This is the building that has witnessed Singapore’s modern history unfold, acting as the last bastion of Singapore’s Governor Sir Shenton Thomas as the Japanese army marched into Singapore in 1942, with Allied soldiers taking refuge in its spacious corridors. The Fullerton Building was also the backdrop for pivotal political rallies during the post-World War II battle for Singapore’s Independence from the British. The ‘Singapore Stone’, one of Singapore’s most famous national treasure was also unearthed on its ground.
Today, the building is home to the luxurious grande dame 400-room The Fullerton Hotel. Extraordinary for its historic architecture and for the scale and quality of its 21st century restoration, The Fullerton Hotel has won the hearts of many of our guests, as it provides a blend of luxurious living with a touch of elegance and the nostalgia of old.
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
A member of Historic Hotels Worldwide, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore today stands as one of the island nation’s greatest cultural landmarks. It rests on the site of Fort Fullerton, which British colonials constructed in 1829 shortly after Sir Stamford Raffles claimed the area for Great Britain. Fort Fullerton bore the name of Sir Robert Fullerton, who served as Singapore’s first colonial governor. The citadel guarded the region for many decades until the colonial government decided that it had become obsolete. By 1873, Fort Fullerton had been demolished and its garrison relocated to another series of fortifications nearby.
But from those ashes rose Fullerton Square, which local officials and real estate developers rushed to create throughout the latter-half of the 19th century. Dozens of administrative agencies and civilian organizations alike populated the new neighborhood, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Exchange Building, and the General Post Office. Fullerton Square was rapidly emerging as one of the most important places in Singapore, as it became surrounded by many other political and financial institutions. The creation of Collyer Quay and the historic Cavenagh Bridge introduced more traffic to the area, which transformed Fullerton Square as the city’s main focal point.
To commemorate the centennial anniversary of Singapore’s founding, Sir Laurence Guillemard—then the island’s colonial governor—commissioned the creation of a magnificent municipal building. He hired a British architectural firm based out of Shanghai called Keys & Dowdeswell to create its brilliant design. Construction began in 1924 and took around four years to complete. When the building finally debuted for the first in on June 27, 1928, it was a masterpiece of Neoclassical architecture. Named “The Fullerton Building,” it soon attracted many tenants from the surrounding area, like the Singapore Club and the Marine Department. The General Post Office occupied much of the space as well, covering the two lowest floors of the structure.
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore is a five-star luxury hotel located near the mouth of the Singapore River, in the Downtown Core of the Central Area, Singapore. It was originally known as the Fullerton Building, and also as the General Post Office Building. The address is 1 Fullerton Square. The Fullerton Building was named after Robert Fullerton, the first Governor of the Straits Settlements (1826–1829). Commissioned in 1924 as part of the British colony's centennial celebrations, the building was designed as an office building by Major P.H. Keys of Keys & Dowdeswell, a Shanghai firm of architects, which won the project through an architectural design competition. The architectural firm also designed the Capitol Theatre, its adjoined Capitol Building and the Singapore General Hospital. In 2015, it was designated as a national monument of Singapore.
The northern end of the building covers the site of Fort Fullerton, a fort built in 1829 to defend the settlement against any naval attacks. The fort consisted of an Artillery Barrack, a house for the officers, barracks for soldiers and a 68-pounder gun guarding the entrance to the river which used to stand on the location known as Fullerton square. In 1843, the fort was extended after a sandstone monolith, the Singapore Stone, with an inscription possibly dating back to the 13th century was demolished. The Singapore stone was, unfortunately, destroyed by the British. A fragment of this monolith was salvaged and preserved in the collection of the National Museum at Stamford Road. However, there were several criticisms as well as apprehensions regarding the building of Fort Fullerton.
Merchants thought that it was a waste to use the prime location of the city for military instead of trading purpose, which would have prevented Singapore from generating more revenue and boosting its trading business. They were also worried that they would be in the direct line of fire if there were any attacks on the fort because the offices along the Singapore River were situated in close proximity to the fort. The fort was also said to be incapable of deterring any potential attacks from the sea and had very low efficacy. Following these criticisms, the fort was finally demolished in 1873. The fort gave way to the first General Post Office and the Exchange Building in 1874. Plans to erect Fullerton Building were drawn up in 1920. However, due to a lack of funds, construction only began in February 1924. During the initial groundwork, excavations revealed the gun casements of the old Fort Fullerton. In fact, the Fullerton Building was built over reclaimed land. Built at a cost of $4.1 million and after delays of a few months, the building was completed in June 1928. The Fullerton Building was opened on 27 June 1928 by the Governor, Sir Hugh Clifford, who suggested the building be named after Robert Fullerton.
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
A majestic grey Aberdeen granite structure characterised by its Doric columns watches over the Singapore River. That's Singapore's 71st national monument, once home to three of the most important institutions of Singapore: The General Post Office, The Singapore Club and the Chamber of Commerce.
"The building is, and will be for many years, one of the principal landmarks of Singapore," said then-governor of the Straits Settlements Sir Hugh Clifford when he opened the building in June 1928. And man, was he right. Since then, the building has witnessed Singapore's modern history unfold, even acting as the last bastion of Singapore’s Governor Sir Shenton Thomas as the Japanese army marched into Singapore in 1942. Allied soldiers took refuge in its spacious corridors. The building also served as a backdrop for pivotal political rallies during the post-World War II battle for Singapore's Independence from the British.
Interesting fact In 1829, a fortress was built at the entrance of the Singapore River, where The Fullerton Hotel now sits. It was one of the earliest forts to be built in Singapore, predating even Fort Siloso. Fort Fullerton commanded high views over the Singapore River on the Singapore River on the North and the harbour to the South, a prime spot to defend the settlement against naval attacks.
The Fullerton Hotel
Named after one of Singapore’s colonial British governors, Robert Fullerton, The Fullerton Hotel was initially known as the Fullerton Building and commissioned in 1919 to commemorate the colony’s centennial celebrations. The building’s neoclassic design was the brainchild of the Shanghai-based Keys and Dowdeswell and was the largest building of its time in Singapore.
It was completed in 1926 and was home to many administrative services, including the Singapore Club, a lodge for the aristocratic elite complete with billiard tables and a dining hall, which is now a salon for hotel guests. The Fullerton Building continued to be of great importance to the British during World War II, when it was used as a hospital for injured soldiers. It was on the fourth floor of the building where the British governor Sir Shenton Thomas was told to surrender to the Japanese, and the building was used by Japan’s military occupation force.
When the colony was securing its independence, Singapore’s future first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew would hold rallies and give speeches just feet away from the building. However, when the building’s administrative significance began to dwindle, it was designated a historical landmark in 1997, and four years later, in 2001, it was rechristened the Fullerton Hotel. Today, it’s a leading force in Singapore’s hospitality sector.
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