LEE Swee Har @ Hong Wa 李瑞霞
History of Broadcasting,
Accession Number 002851
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 17
Total Reels
- Lye Soo Choon 赖素春
Interviewer
- 08:24:38
Total Running Time
- Mandarin
Language
Copyright Notice
All rights to the recordings and transcripts on this website, including the rights to copy, publish, broadcast and perform, are reserved. Written permission is required for any use. If you have any queries, please contact nas@nlb.gov.sg
Reel/Disc 1 of 17
Metadata
- 3 Jun 2004
Recording Date
- 00:29:59
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Personal background, born in 1942, stayed in two-storey shop-house in Lavender Street. Secret society helped to protect people during racial riots. Her experiences during racial riots. Her childhood. Studied in Kwong Fook School. Primary school life. Recalled receiving certificates of merit. Sharing food among family members was common. Could not go out at night as landlord locked the door. Teacher used Cantonese to teach drawing.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 17
Metadata
- 3 Jun 2004
Recording Date
- 00:29:01
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Teacher used Cantonese to teach drawing. Various dialect groups living in Lavender Street. Tim-sum sold in neighbourhood. School incident made her decide to learn sewing. How she learned sewing without guidance. Listened to Rediffusion and learned how to sing Cantonese opera. Description of living conditions on second storey of shop-house. How number of families shared one kitchen. Folk recipes to cure sores, blister, bleeding and swelling. Tobacco was used to kill louse. Medical herbs for healing chicken-pox and measles.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 17
Metadata
- 3 Jun 2004
Recording Date
- 00:30:46
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Folk recipes for healing urethritis and migraine. Experience in eating dog meat and maltose. How she applied for secondary school. Father forbade her to go to Chung Cheng High and Nan Chiau Girls’ School. Her school life in Dunman Government Chinese Middle School. Former primary school classmates helped to raise money for her textbooks; teacher paid school fees for her. Why she discontinued her studies in secondary two. How she started to join activities in Kong Wai Siew Li Si She Shut. Western instruments used in Cantonese opera.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 17
Metadata
- 3 Jun 2004
Recording Date
- 00:30:29
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Activities she took part in Kong Wai Siew Li Si She Shut in 1960s. Her first performance as princess in Cantonese opera. How she joined Ning Yeung Wui Kuan; her efforts in promoting karaoke in 1990s. First performing experience in radio broadcast. How she started singing in Cantonese for radio accompanied by three basic musical instruments in 1960s. Time spent and remuneration for recording. Her Cantonese opera was broadcast weekly. Quit broadcast when she became pregnant.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 17
Metadata
- 10 Jun 2004
Recording Date
- 00:29:56
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Interviewee sang both male and female parts in Cantonese opera programme for radio. Why she brought in male singer at later stage. Remuneration was little, not main source of income. Missed support from audience and producers when she left. Why she joined Chang Lye Lye Dancing and Singing Troupe. Types of training she received. How she started to write play scripts. Content of her first script. Training schedule. How she improved in dancing and was selected to be in performing troupe to Malaysia. Entry tests she took for performing training course in 1959. Parents and friends thought she was in entertainment business.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 17
Metadata
- 10 Jun 2004
Recording Date
- 00:30:54
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
What people thought of entertainers in 1960s. About her aspirations when she was selected by Chang Lye Lye Dancing and Singing Troupe. Troupe disbanded after performing in Malaysia. Why she left entertainment circle. Life during training. Description of harvest dance. How stage names were given by Chang Lye Lye to troupe members. Parents' reaction when she had to go to Malaysia for performances. Troupe members were innocent. Programmes performed. Living conditions not good, not much time for rest.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 17
Metadata
- 10 Jun 2004
Recording Date
- 00:30:24
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Unhappiness during performing trip in Malaysia. When living conditions were bad, troupe members intended to go on strike. How Chang Lye Lye handled it. Things she learned and gained from trip. Recalled being interviewed by reporters; photo-taking in Penang. Salary she received. Recalled sleeping in cinema. Why she lost confidence in entertainment circle. Doing door-to-door sales. How she was paid. Easier to make sale in market place and not in homes. Saved all her earnings. Shopping areas in Hill Street. How father struck 4D; how money won was used.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 17
Metadata
- 10 Jun 2004
Recording Date
- 00:30:45
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
How money won in 4D was used. How Chang Lye Lye Singing and Dancing Troupe was formed. Personal background of Chang Lye Lye. Handled father’s business and took care of younger brothers and sisters. How interviewee got to know Lee Dai Soh and became one of his group members. Lee’s wife treated her well during Malaysia trip. Recalled performing at Victoria Theatre for live television broadcast. Programme performed. Performing as cultural representative of Singapore at Medeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 17
Metadata
- 17 Jun 2004
Recording Date
- 00:31:01
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Performances in Victoria Theatre for radio and Rediffusion. Made her own costume. Lee Dai Soh distributed money he received for performing and distributed evenly among performers. Recalled performing for radio and Rediffusion. Eng Wah Organisation employed Lee Dai Soh’s group to perform in various locations in Malaysia. Compared this trip with earlier trip with Chang Lye Lye Singing and Dancing Troupe. What she learned from Lee Dai Soh. Because of trip, she did not turn up for singing competition.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 17
Metadata
- 17 Jun 2004
Recording Date
- 00:31:19
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
About singing competition organised by Rediffusion. Why she decided not to turn up for finals. Leisure time after performance in Malaysia. Why she was chosen to be compere for performance by Hong Kong actress Xue Jia Yan. How she prepared herself to be the compere. Language used on stage was Cantonese. Became engaged before she went for performing trip with Xue Jia Yan in Malaysia. Engagement ceremony. Cantonese betrothal ceremony.
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