The Singapore River

Title
The Singapore River
Year/Period
Early-mid 20th century
Region
Singapore
Dimension
Image size: 25.4 x 17.3 cm
Accession No.
1999-02344

The Singapore River was the centre of trading activities in the early 20th century. This picture shows the sailing lighters, ‘tongkangs’ and ‘twakows’, anchored along the river’s edge. These lighters ferried goods from seagoing vessels to the river banks where merchants had set up godowns and offices to facilitate easier landing and unloading of the goods.