LEONG Leng 梁宁
Chinese Dialect Groups,
Accession Number 000271
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 16
Total Reels
- Liana Tan
Interviewer
- 06:57:00
Total Running Time
- Cantonese
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 16
Metadata
- 5 May 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:12
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Personal background. Father gave him tuition for two years. Why father's business failed. Mother went to work in Penang. Attended school for four years. Father passed away. He migrated to Penang at twelve; how he came. Living conditions on ship. Reasons for heavy security check when passengers arrived at Singapore. How his mother sent money to him. How inn-keepers exploited new immigrants.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 16
Metadata
- 5 May 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:04
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
He was brought to his mother on reaching Penang. Self-studied, did not attend school. Started work at fourteen. Did odd-job in a medical hall. His duties included making tea, running errands for colleagues, sweeping and cleaning shop, stamping company's name on wrapping papers. His working hours. What happened when he once forgotten to lock shop's gate. How he spent his holidays.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 16
Metadata
- 5 May 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:14
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
What he learned when he was working in medical hall. Shop's customers. Why he resigned. Went to work in an engineering works. Why he resigned after a few months. Became travelling salesman selling Chinese medicine. Business was poor. Came to Singapore to work in a medical hall in 1941. Before that, he was an apprentice in a watchmaker's shop. Working conditions at watchmaker's.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 16
Metadata
- 5 May 1983
Recording Date
- 00:25:57
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Occupations of people in Malayan towns where he went to sell Chinese medicine. Nature of dulang washers' work. Types of medicine which different customers buy. Why he did not get married in China as planned. Colleague recommended him to work in medical hall in Singapore. Encounters on his way to Singapore. Duties in medical hall. First impressions of Singapore. Comparison between Penang and Singapore.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 16
Metadata
- 12 May 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:16
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Frequent air defence exercises in Singapore before Second World War (WW I) started. First bombing in Singapore. What happened in Chinatown during bombing. Aftermath of bombing. How sandbags saved his life. Air-raid wardens' duties. Description of his escape from death. Means of transportation then. How he again escaped death. His life at that time. Surrender of British army.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 16
Metadata
- 12 May 1983
Recording Date
- 00:26:36
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Why shortage of food during Japanese Occupation. Types of food taken by people and those sold in black market. Banana notes used during Japanese Occupation. Why some people worked for Japanese. Japanese set up system of collective security soon after they came to Singapore. He became air raid warden in 1943. Remuneration and duties of air raid wardens. Air raid wardens and inhabitants kept watch at night.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 16
Metadata
- 12 May 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:36
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
How and why one-star man tried to take back his air-raid warden warrant. Description of air battle between Allied and Japanese planes. People's reactions when Allied Forces counter-attacked. Why Japanese became more friendly towards civilians. Teaching of Japanese language in schools. Why he did not want to learn Japanese. Wrote frequently to his mother who was in Penang during Japanese Occupation.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 16
Metadata
- 19 May 1983
Recording Date
- 00:26:58
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Japanese set up Labour Service Corps. Japanese compelled Chinese to donate $50 million to them. Films shown were mainly Japanese propaganda. Sites of Chinatown brothels. Why many people suffering from external injuries died. He moved to 60 Pagoda Street - a coolie quarter. Rent charged for use of rooms and bunks. Food sold in market - limited variety, poor quality. Scarcity of goods and materials. Japanese ill-treated prisoners of war (POWs).
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Reel/Disc 10 of 16
Metadata
- 19 May 1983
Recording Date
- 00:21:31
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
How they came to know about Japan's surrender. Why he did not evacuate to Malaya. `Tsi fa' a popular form of gambling in 1942. How `tsi fa' gamblers placed stakes. `Tsi fa' strictly banned later. Prizes of this game. Other forms of gambling then. How stakes were placed at twelve-digit game. How fantan was played. Behaviour of Japanese who went to gamble in plain clothes.
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