TWO PINANCLES OF SUNGEI ROAD

High points , pinnacles and spires always give place a meaning. It also evoke a certain nuance in some cases.

In process of the study of the Sungei Road Market I discovered 2 pinnacles that stood in the vicinity of Sungei Road area.

One was located near Weld Road and the other at Kelantan Lane.

Straits Ice Works was not the first ice supplier in that area. A check with Wikipedia shows that in the 1850's ice was harvested from New England and shipped to South East Asia on a boat. This means ice had to be maintained in a cold room of a boat that sails for months to South East Asia. They exported Ice the same way to Australia as well. Straits Ice Works however, had a chimney flue which is one of the pinnacle of Sungei Road area. This suggested that the ice works used coolant to make ice instead of importing them.

1932 map showing Straits Ice Works

purported 1900's picture of Straits Ice Works

In another picture of the Sungei Road area it shows a second Chimney Flue. Picture shows a pregnant Indian lady with 2 flues in the background with the Weld Road Bridge.

1932 picture from National Archives

The Municipal Council Incinerator was the first in Singapore. Still unclear what the incinerator burns, it was situated near timber mills and an abattoir. Does the incinerator develop electricity? We are still guessing.

1932 map of Singapore

The incinerator would be where block 28-31 is now

 two flues can be seen again in this picture