LOONG Poh Choo 龙宝珠
Special Project,
Accession Number 002923
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 41
Total Reels
- Loke Tai Tay
Interviewer
- 38:54:52
Total Running Time
- Cantonese
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 41
Metadata
- 18 Mar 2005
Recording Date
- 00:56:26
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Age 73. Was born in 1933, Sarawak. Came to Singapore. Stayed at Tanjong Pagar. Described neighbourhood and shops in the area, including a big furniture shop. Different kinds of beds in the olden days. Living conditions. Could hear people talking next door. Several families shared one bathroom. Faeces bucket would be emptied every two days. Felt very queasy. There were worms inside the bucket. No refrigerator, had to go to the market everyday. Use “rough straw paper”(草纸) as toilet paper.
Stayed at San Ma Lu (小坡三马路, known as Queen Street) with godparents. Types of tables in different teahouses. Prawn noodle was very delicious. Hawker used two poles to carry prawn noodle and peddle around the neighbourhood. Soup base was very nice. Godfather owned a “dim sum” shop (点心店). Started making buns at 3am. Char Siew Bun （叉烧包，known as Roast Pork Bun）was quite big, bigger than a teacup. Sizes of pork and chicken buns were about the same. Waiter did not need to write down orders, shouted into kitchen. The accent used was very special, very pleasing to the ears.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 2 of 41
Metadata
- 18 Mar 2005
Recording Date
- 00:56:27
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Next to godmother's shop was a Fuzhou teahouse where "la che noodle" was sold（拉车面）. Another type of Fuzhou specialty was almond biscuits. hawkers sold Cantonese dessert in the afternoon, and "cok cok noodle" or wanton noodle at night in the compound. Dessert hawkers would shout loudly,and people would know they were here. Each bowl of dessert cost half cent to 1 cent. Interviewee had no siblings.
Her father worked at Sembawang British naval harbour . Godmother bought a plantation land at Paya Lebar. Interviewee stayed there with her mother. Mother planted “kai lan” (芥兰) and distributed them. Used chicken faeces as fertilizers. Chicken and pigs could also be reared on the plantation. Process of growing vegetables. A mosquito net was set up in the bedroom at night. Structure of the bed was simple, with just one vertical plank at the front and another at the end. Needed about eight planks for a bed. The most important item was the mosquito net. At night, would go to neighbours' house to chat. Mother always cooked “mui choi pork” （梅菜猪肉）and chicken soup.
Went to school at age of seven. According to tradition, had to choose an aupicious date to go to school. Teachers taught lessons in Mandarin. School condition, number of teachers, students, and classrooms. Interviewee attended school in the mornings. Wore a uniform and white canvas shoes. School fees were low. In primary 2, interviewee moved to Sembawang compound. Continued with her studies at Xishan Primary School (西山小学)。Father applied to stay at British naval harbour hostel and was successful. Needed permit for entrance. Descriptions of the British naval harbour. Many Indian workers and families stayed in the hostel. Living conditions of the hostel.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 3 of 41
Metadata
- 8 Apr 2005
Recording Date
- 00:57:40
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Godmother was a capable woman. When godfather came home drunk at night, he molested the Ma-jie (妈姐), who later quit. Godmother knew about it, but did not do anything. Godparents came to Singapore from Guang Dong. Elaborated more on Queen Street. How and when Ma-jie washed their hair. Their plaits were very long and usually extended till the waist level. They wore embroidered white canvas shoes. Reason why Ma-jie did not want to get married. Ma-jie did not really have hobbies.
There were separate male and female coolie's quarters in Chinatown. Staircase was very dark. Interviewee mentioned Ma-jie’s monthly income. Although they usually lived with their employers, they also rented a bed in a room within Chinatown compound, so that they could mingle with friends on their off days. Ma-jie sent money back to family in China. Types of tobacco which ma-jies smoked. Ma-jie’s attire and their cooking skills. How the Ma-jie cooked almond jelly, walnut paste and peanut paste.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 4 of 41
Metadata
- 8 Apr 2005
Recording Date
- 00:57:31
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Interviewee revealed Ma-jie’s cooking recipes. Methods of cooking sesame paste. Sesame must be fried thoroughly before using them for the paste. Peanut paste needed a longer time to cook. Used oven to stew it. Bought small-sized peanuts, which were easier to cook and fry. Method of cooking fish bone soup. Fried the fish meat and put some garlic. Different types of fish used for cooking fish soup. Big mushrooms could be used for cooking soup. Ingredients for cooking different kinds of soup. Fish soup was good for wounds and health. Interviewee loves pig lungs soup best.
Godfather liked to drink at the teahouse during tea break . When he passed away, he had a grand funeral. His business associates came to see him off. Godfather had 4 daughters and 2 sons. Sold different kinds of buns in teahouse. Godfather always went dancing. His eldest son initially was very obedient, but he always went dancing too. Godbrother fell in love with a dance-hostess who got pregnant and gave birth to his son. Godbrother got sick for 2 days and passed away. Mentioned godbrother's two daughters.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 5 of 41
Metadata
- 18 Apr 2005
Recording Date
- 00:57:52
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Women in those days cared very much about their hair. There were hair combers who combed hair for people as their career. When a child got his first haircut he had to keep and lock up the hair. Hairdresser was not very old but very demure. Zhang Fu Ji (张富记) sold traditional bridal gown “gua”( 新娘褂裙), which a bride would wear during a wedding ceremony. The shop also sold clothes for dead people to put on. These clothes included undergarments too. Different designs of “gua” and shoes for brides. 5 suits costed about $100 during 1960s. 5 cents could buy char siew rice （叉烧饭，known as roast pork rice） during primary school days.
Young girls permed their hair. No lipstick was used in the olden times. Women had a piece of red paper which they put in between their lips, and then pressed their lips against it. Baby powder was quite cheap and was sold in paper boxes. Moisturising cream for ladies came in a translucent container, and the cover was made of metal. Cologne was for men. Perfume was expensive, only rich people could afford to use perfume. Different types of containers for perfumes. Perfume was applied on clothes. Facial care products were scarce during those times. Young girls before marriage had long hair. Teenage girls might perm hair. After marriage, it was a trend to perm hair. Ladies went to salons to have their hair set for Chinese New Year and weddings. Cost of perming hair.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 6 of 41
Metadata
- 18 Apr 2005
Recording Date
- 00:57:06
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Some of the ma-jie in their 40s stayed at Tai Pei Old People’s Home off Balestier Road. Interviewee elaborated more on the Home. San-gu, a very capable woman, who took care of the Home and old folks, passed away 2 years ago. Interviewee hired a priest to chant for the health of her son. Restrictions and merits of the Home. Upon seeing that San-gu was in pain, interviewee brought her to see a doctor. Sometimes helped San-gu to wash clothes. Facilities and living conditions inside the Home.
Some ma-jie, when they were old enough, would go back to their hometowns, while some might stay with their godchildren in Singapore. If they could procure a housemaid job, they would work instead. The Home owned a shop in Hong Kong. Cooking was disallowed in the Home. Government forced the Home to recruit staff. Interviewee’s first visit the Home was over 10 years ago. During her time at British naval harbour, interviewee had to walk a very long time on the lane and took about 25mins to reach the main road. School lessons were conducted in an attap house, and it was very dilapidated. Attap houses were used as teachers’ hostels too. No flush toilets, instead there was a deep hole with 2 planks on top. People simply urinated into the hole.
Two students sat on a bench, shared a reading table. Could copy classmate's answers during exams. Different levels studying in the same classroom. Ten over students from Primary 4. Playing field was big. Teachers used Mandarin and dialect to teach, mainly Hokkien. Four teachers, one was a female teacher. There was a bus conductor on the bus. If one wanted to alight, he raised his hand, and someone would press the bell. Bus conductor punched a hole on each bus ticket. Bus tickets were in three different colours. There were few bus companies. Learned simple English and basic music in school.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 7 of 41
Metadata
- 18 Apr 2005
Recording Date
- 00:55:42
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Interviewee’s Primary 4 results were very bad. English and Maths were the worst. Mother was very strict with her. One-third of the students’ families were staying in British naval harbour hostels. Interviewee mentioned the preparation for wartime in British naval harbour, where there was a bomb shelter after every three blocks. Before Japanese attacked, interviewee ‘s family had already left the naval harbour. Bombs smelled like firecrackers. Roads were very messy. When on the run, every meal consisted of sardines, canned food and beans. Mother used garlic to cook canned food. Father needed to assemble at a designated place, and the Japanese released him the following day. Mother sold vegetables for a living. Father was a gambler and never brought money back home. He started to take opium. Interviewee’s father brought her to the opium house.
Description of the opium house, opium room and the opium bed. People who entered the opium house would be given a small packet of opium. How opium smoker used to smoke opium. They might spend two hours or a whole night in the opium house. Mentioned the cost of opium. English kids did not play with kids of other races in the naval harbour. Mentioned the class attitude of Englishmen. After Japanese surrendered, interviewee’s family moved back to Sembawang. Father’s salary was higher when he went back to work in British naval harbour. Paid about $40-$50 every week.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 8 of 41
Metadata
- 25 Apr 2005
Recording Date
- 00:57:10
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*During Japanese Occupation, interviewee’s mother sold porridge near the market at Arab Street. A bowl of porridge cost three cents. Bowl and spoon were made of porcelain. Bought vegetables in market everyday. There was a tyre shop and a furniture shop next door. Had electricity and water supply. Someone collected faeces and used them as fertilizer.
Mother decided to move to Paya Lebar, a larger town. Rented a house with an auntie. Toilet was outside the house. Played with children next door. Bought vegetables from farmer illegally. Japanese restricted the purchase of food. Father dared not work after getting beaten up by the Japanese. Walked a long way from Paya Lebar to Bishan during Qingming(清明). Stole a chicken for praying. Mother sold porridge. Worked in mud factory with mother. Walked to buy food and daily necessities from Potong Pasir because prices were cheaper. Picked grass from the roadside to cook. No tin during Japanese Occupation. Worked in rock plant at Changi. Allotted 10 cigarettes and one portion of bread per worker in rock plant.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 9 of 41
Metadata
- 25 Apr 2005
Recording Date
- 00:55:27
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Informed workers 15 minutes before the explosion of rock. Two workers carried a short-handled pan for handling rocks. Interviewee wore second-hand clothes and mother's old pants. Minimal designs and patterns on clothes. Workers wore black cloth shoes. Pupils wore white cloth shoes. Others wore clogs. Wore straw hat while working in mud factory. Worked everyday except when it rained heavily. Quite dangerous to take overloaded lorry to rock plant. Mud factory planned to build an airport at first.
No new clothes during Chinese New Year. All clothes had to be mended. Had chicken and meat during Chinese New Year. Worked in rock plant for several months. Worked in mud factory until it closed down. After that, interviewee worked in an oil factory. How coconut oil was extracted. Worked as a packing worker in a soft drink factory. Walked to Tanglin to buy goods for resale in stall. Spread of Cholera. Mother bought meat occasionally. Took water from public pipe for cooking use. Suffered privation during Japanese occupation. No celebration was possible for any festival at all.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
Reel/Disc 10 of 41
Metadata
- 4 May 2005
Recording Date
- 00:56:37
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Houses at Paya Lebar were randomly shaped, simple, single-storeyed and roofed with zinc or attap during Japanese occupation. One main street led to the temple. Interviewee’s mother rented a room at another street that led to a forest. Teochew people operated shops like grocery store, shops selling daily commodities, vegetable stalls and coffee shops. Thick noodles, poor rice and flour was the usual fare. Carried water from public pipe. Peak hour was around 3pm. Doors were not bolted at night.
Usually two Japanese soldiers patrolled the street with long swords. They always slapped pedestrians. Retrenched from oil factory because of her lack in learning initiative. Then washed bottles in soft drink factory. Lived in Paya Lebar for about three years till the Japanese surrendered. Most of the people were happy, but some of them went mad because of the devaluation of Japanese currency. Learnt that Japanese Commander In Chief had been sentenced to death from newspaper. Prisoners of war in Changi became heroes. Public was happy because the British troops were back. No siren was sounded after the Japanese surrender.
During Japanese Occupation , interviewee took 20-minute walks to Geylang to watch Japanese movies with auntie. Ticket for a movie was about 3 Japanese dollars. Peranakan house along the roadside. Malays only wore sarong. Interviewee picked coconut leaves or branches from the forest for cooking use back home. Japanese surrendered, moved back to Sembawang. Lived with uncle Qian. He smoked and sold opium. His wife died of illness. Eight of his nine sons died of hunger, illness or got killed by Japanese for stealing during Japanese Occupation.
We will get back to your request within 5 working days
