Named after Sri Mariamman temple’s intricately designed pagoda-like entrance, which was a prominent feature in the area, Pagoda Street was known for its opium smoking dens and coolie trade in the 19th century. At the turn of the century, many of the shophouses along the street was turned into coolie lodging places, which later in the 1950s were transformed into retail shops, mainly selling textiles and providing tailoring services. The street is now part of the Chinatown Historic District. The area was also the neighbourhood of the photograph’s donor, Si Jing, a prolific female writer in the Chinese community who has written extensively on her childhood and life in Chinatown.
