LIU Thai Ker 刘太格
The Public Service,
Accession Number 001732
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 29
Total Reels
- Irene Quah (Mrs)
Interviewer
- 13:28:22
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 29
Metadata
- 25 Jan 1996
Recording Date
- 00:29:35
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:46) Family and personal background.
(0:05:20) Parents’ background. Father studied in Shanghai and Paris before marriage. His parents came to Singapore in late 1937.
(0:06:57) Impressions of paternal grandfather. Man of few words. Seen as someone of high integrity. Memories of his grandfather teaching him to make noodles and singing to words of the newspaper.
(0:12:12) Impressions of paternal grandmother. Bound feet and old-fashioned mentality.
(0:15:36) Forged closer relations with paternal grandmother after coming back to Singapore in 1969. Taught her to dial his office number. Gifted a collection of grandmother’s red paper cuttings.
(0:23:12) Mother's relations with grandmother. Mother didn’t speak grandmother’s dialect and could not communicate. The relationship was harsh initially. Mother won her over eventually.
(0:26:51) Mother came from a family of Mandarins in Fuzhou. Grew up a spoilt child served by maids. Mother’s uncles were highly educated and worked for the government and Navy.
Interviewee's family and personal background. Interviewee's relationship with grandparents. Forged closer relations with grandmother after coming back to Singapore in 1969. Commented on mother's relations with grandmother. Mother came from family of Mandarins in Fuzhou.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 29
Metadata
- 25 Jan 1996
Recording Date
- 00:30:28
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:39) Recollections of his uncle, Chen Ren Hao. The extent of Chen’s influence on him in terms of social etiquette. Learnt calligraphy from Chen.
(0:04:34) Impression of his mother’s and uncle’s talent in management. Attributes his role as CEO of the Housing Development Board (HDB) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to their influence.
(0:09:23) Took part in the exhibition and was awarded top prizes for calligraphy and Chinese painting as a student.
(0:12:48) How he learnt to paint, encouraged by his father. Recollection of discussing each other’s work critically.
(0:18:22) Aspired to be an artist throughout primary and secondary school life. He bought a one-way ticket to study art in China, but the plan stalled when his parents found out.
(0:23:38) Persuaded to study architecture in Australia.
(0:26:55) Continued to pursue becoming a serious artist by attending East Sydney Technical College.
(0:29:49) Ceased to harbour thoughts of becoming an artist or calligrapher after the third or fourth year in architecture.
Recollections of Chen Ren Hao, his uncle. Extent of Chen's influence on interviewee. Learnt calligraphy from Chen. Took part in calligraphy and Chinese painting exhibition when still a student. How interviewee learnt to paint. Aspired to be artist throughout primary and secondary school life. Wanted to pursue art course in China and why plan was stalled. Persuaded to study Architecture in Australia. Continued to pursue love for art by attending East Sydney Technical College. After Third/Fourth year Architecture, ceased to harbour thoughts of becoming artist or calligrapher.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 29
Metadata
- 7 Mar 1996
Recording Date
- 00:29:26
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:41) Impressions of the house in Muar and the landlord’s opium bed during the Japanese Occupation.
(0:04:25) Life during Japanese Occupation in Muar. Lived with mother and uncle. Father fled to Singapore due to his schoolteacher role.
(0:05:53) Family had to disguise that they were educated to survive the occupation. Lived in a rural setting. Continued to be in touch with the countryside later in life as a city dweller.
(0:10:53) Tense situation in Muar towards the end of the Occupation. Recollection of barricading doors on rumours of massacres instigated by Japanese.
(0:17:29) Recollection of attempted break-in into his house in Muar.
(0:19:55) Recollection of the young man who cycled him to flee rumoured massacre. Coincidently, appointed this same person as the chief electrical and mechanical engineer when he became CEO of the Housing Development Board (HDB).
(0:22:18) Childhood memories of playing in the front yard and rubber plantation during the Occupation.
(0:24:54) Anecdotes of neighbour’s house hit by guns and cannons, living environment and food rationing.
Impressions of house in Muar when interviewee was 3 or 4 years of age. Life during Japanese Occupation in Muar. Tense situation in Muar towards end of Japanese Occupation. Recollection of attempted break-in into interviewee's house in Muar. Childhood memories of Japanese Occupation.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 29
Metadata
- 7 Mar 1996
Recording Date
- 00:30:08
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:07) Further recollections of childhood memories.
(0:03:02) Early schooling in Muar and Singapore. Joined Nanyang Primary School in Singapore. Then completed his primary school at San Shan School.
(0:10:00) Recollections of schoolmates at San Shan and their later lives. Many were older than him and performed poorly.
(0:15:54) Fond memories of teachers from San Shan. Recollections of year master and disciplinary master.
(0:21:03) Recollections of art teacher and music teacher.
(0:25:02) How influences from the schoolmaster, his uncle and his father laid the foundation for his artistic inclination.
(0:27:33) Excelled in most subjects at primary and secondary school levels. Attributes this as the reason for becoming a good architect later in life.
Further recollections of childhood memories. Early schooling in Muar and Singapore. Schoolmates in San Shan primary school. Fond memories of teachers from San Shan. Influences from schoolmaster, uncle and father on interviewee laid foundation of the latter's artistic inclination. Excelled in most subjects at primary and secondary school levels.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 29
Metadata
- 8 Apr 1996
Recording Date
- 00:29:21
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:02:08) Reminiscences of teachers and schoolmates at Chung Cheng High School, Kim Yam Road Branch.
(0:08:50) Participated in school exhibition when in Junior Middle Three. Took part in the Art Society and Calligraphy Society.
(0:12:29) Promoted to Senior Middle Two from Junior Middle Three. Fond memories of teachers.
(0:18:14) Memories of schoolmates and teachers from Senior Middle Three years.
(0:22:53) Did not participate in any students’ movement.
(0:24:45) Brief stint as a Saint Andrew's School student to improve English.
(0:25:08) Not accepted to Raffles Institution due to language ability.
(0:26:47) Views of colonial prejudice against Chinese-educated students at Saint Andrews’ School. (0:27:54) A brief account of a clash with a Scripture teacher.
Reminiscences of teachers in Chung Cheng Branch School. Participated in School exhibition when in Junior Middle Three. Promoted to Senior Middle Two from Junior Middle Three. Memories of Senior High school years. Did not participate in any students' movement. Brief stint as student of Saint Andrew's School. Brief account of interviewee's clash with Scripture teacher at Saint Andrew's.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 29
Metadata
- 8 Apr 1996
Recording Date
- 00:24:15
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:06) He convinced schoolmates in Scripture class not to vote for the abolition of Chinese schools in his broken English. Subsequently picked on by the Scripture teacher.
(0:02:14) Worked as a substitute teacher at Guang Hua Primary School before departing for Australia to learn English.
(0:05:14) Recollections of left-wing schoolmate Chua Mia Tee, who painted the living conditions of workers.
(0:07:45) Teachers who escaped from China were not sympathetic to socialist thinking.
(0:09:02) Recollections of the journey to Sydney.
(0:11:44) Living conditions in Sydney. Attended church with the host family but never converted to Christianity.
(0:15:53) English-speaking skills were poor. Received good results with the teacher’s help.
(0:19:08) How the decision to study at the University of New South Wales (formerly the University of Technology) was made?.
(0:20:49) Life living with an old couple in Malabar while there.
Interviewee related how he clashed with Scripture teacher. Worked as relief teacher in Kong Hwa Primary before departing for Australia. Living conditions in Sydney. Academic results while studying in Sydney. How decision to study at University of New South Wales was taken. Stayed with an old couple in Malabar while studying at University of New South Wales.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 29
Metadata
- 8 May 1996
Recording Date
- 00:29:19
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:33) Life living with an old couple in Malabar and his short stay in Coogee prior to moving to Malabar.
(0:04:08) Architectural firms he worked for while studying. Started with small firms with low pay. Experience and exposure gained.
(0:08:42) Moved on to seek out more modern and forward-looking firms. Joined Milo & Dunphy which advocated for environment.
(0:09:44) Worked with Milo Dunphy and designer Bruce Loder.
(0:13:13) Friends he got to know in Australia included Malaysian, Singaporean and Hong Kong students.
(0:20:44) Process of obtaining certifications to attend university as a mature student.
(0:23:07) How he decided to choose to study at the University of New South Wales.
(0:24:19) Subjects studied at Sydney Technical College.
Recollections of landlord and landlady at Malabar and Cogee respectively. Architectural firms which interviewee worked for while studying; kind of experience and exposure gained. Asian friends whom interviewee got to know in Australia. Subjects studied at Sydney Technical College.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 29
Metadata
- 8 May 1996
Recording Date
- 00:30:38
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:11) How he improved his standard of English language.
(0:05:01) Took life art classes at East Sydney Technical College. Continued to harbour aspirations of becoming a painter. Led fairly active artistic life in Australia.
(0:10:36) Life in Architecture course.
(0:14:01) Recollection of lecturers at the University of New South Wales.
(0:18:50) Continued to work at Dunphy and Loder’s office after graduation.
(0:19:28) Applied to several universities and was admitted to Yale University to do City Planning.
(0:21:26) Recalled how he met his first wife. Wife pursued Master’s degree in Music at Boston Conservatory while he was at Yale.
(0:25:14) He pursued a Master’s in City Planning at Yale.
(0:25:34) Recollections of professors he studied with there, including prominent city planner Arthur Row.
How interviewee improved standard of English language. Took life art classes at East Sydney Technical College. Led fairly active artistic life in Australia. Lecturers at University of New South Wales which taught interviewee. Continued to work at Dunphy and Loder after graduation. Applied to Yale University to do City Planning. Interviewee's reminiscences of how he met first wife. Wife did a Master's degree in Music at Boston Conservatory. Interviewee's relations with Arthur Row, prominent city planner.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 29
Metadata
- 8 May 1996
Recording Date
- 00:11:52
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:05:01) Recollection of Herbert Levinson, a Jewish professor, who was an advisor to him on the transportation planning concept.
(0:05:45) He attributed his competence in transportation planning to Levinson.
(0:08:35) His parents attempt to match-make him.
(0:09:32) Visits to Los Angeles and his journey to New York City before embarking on Yale life.
Herbert Levinson, Jewish professor, who was advisor to interviewee on transportation planning concept. What interviewee learnt from Levinson. Parents' attempt to matchmake interviewee. Journey to New York.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 29
Metadata
- 24 Jun 1996
Recording Date
- 00:30:54
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:01:10) How he dropped the idea of becoming a serious painter and decided to focus on architecture.
(0:04:14) Reasons for choosing to pursue City Planning. Elaboration on the connection between city planning and urban design.
(0:10:01) Reasons for joining I M Pei upon graduation from Yale.
(0:13:04) Parents’ reaction to his first marriage.
(0:15:34) Discernible differences in the quality of training in Australia and the United States.
(0:21:08) Classes at the University of New South Wales were poorly conducted.
(0:27:20) Professors at Yale who influenced his design approach and ideas.
Outlined reasons why no longer harbour hopes of becoming painter but to concentrate on studies of becoming good architect. Explained why he chose to do City Planning. Interviewee greatly influenced by correlation between City Planning and Urban Design. Joined I M Pei upon graduation from Yale. Discernible differences in quality of training in Australia and United States. Professors at Yale who influenced interviewee's design approach and ideas.
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