This is a view taken from the third level of ‘The Straits Times’ building in front of Finlayson Green. By 1866, a whole line of merchant buildings were in place, creating a distinctive look for this street as it curved along Collyer Quay. By the 1870s, prominent European merchant firms such as Boustead & Co., Jardine Matheson & Co. and Syme & Co., as well as the office of the American Consulate were located here.Belying the quiet mood of the photograph, real and fast-paced business was being conducted in the offices of these buildings. A flurry of activity would ensue when a company ship bearing cargo for trading and supplies for personnel living in Singapore was spotted on the horizon.Judging from the size of this photograph, it could have been made by a photographer who worked at The Straits Times, using a small-format camera.
