This collection of 328 photographs shows the rhythm of daily life in Singapore between 1959 and 1965 - the pivotal time in its history when the city-state was granted internal self-rule by the British colonial government to the year it became a sovereign nation.

This was when Singapore began its process of great development. Kampong folk moved into high-rise housing, new careers came with factories built in Jurong, the trading of stocks and shares began in Raffles Place, television was introduced to Singapore, and the new red-brick National Library opened on Stamford Road.

Yet, some things remained unchanged. Bumboats still jostled on the fetid waters of the Singapore River, children played on five-foot-ways, families enjoyed the sea air along Queen Elizabeth Walk, and eating out at street-side hawker stalls was a way of life.

For those who remember these scenes, this book will evoke a lost time. And for those who do not, it is a window to a simpler, unhurried life.

About the Author

Lee Geok Boi was Assistant to the Editor of The Straits Times (executive features writer and executive sub-editor) and adjunct lecturer in Temasek Polytechnic/Visual Communications Diploma course. She has been an editorial consultant since 1989. Geok Boi has authored and edited numerous books on social and corporate histories and cookery.