CHEK Kok Leong 植国良
Performing Arts in Singapore (Theatre/Drama),
Accession Number 003531
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 4
Total Reels
- Teo Kian Giap
Interviewer
- 03:09:07
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 4
Metadata
- 24 Nov 2010
Recording Date
- 00:56:15
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Born 1929 in Singapore. Interviewee studied at a Chinese school (Kian Wah Primary School at Prinsep Street) before moving to St Anthony’s Boys School at Queen’s Street. The transfer was possible through Mr Edward Pinto, a neighbour and a member of the Catholic Church. He was about to commence standard 5 when the war broke out. There was an air raid interviewee saw the aircraft. He however did not feel frightened. Family moved from Albert Street to Bukit Timah area, but went back to Albert Street again. Family built a bomb shelter underneath the drain but it was destroyed by the air raid during their absence. Recalled taking food supplies from a provision shop when it was bombed. Remembered Japanese soldiers hit his father when they came to the house. Family was asked to go to a Jalan Besar site (current Sim Lim Square area) for questioning. Saw women cut their hair short to look like men.
School restarted at St Anthonly’s Boys School. The students had to take palm oil at school every morning. Spoke about the school lessons. Interviewee had to work after school in order to get his food ration (rice). He remembered queuing up early in the morning for banana and cigarettes. There were sanitation (night soil) and utilities (water and electricity). There was no clinic when his sister was ill. There was no public transport. There were cinemas at that time but he did not attend any movie screening. He was a goalkeeper in his school team.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 4
Metadata
- 24 Nov 2010
Recording Date
- 00:55:27
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
He knew there were amusement parks during Japanese Occupation but he always stayed at home. He recalled there were gambling activities and people went to temples. He was happy to hear about the Japanese surrendered and people were shouting. He saw helmet and rifles on the street but did not see any looting (nothing to loot). Japanese money was of no value and people used British currency that was kept earlier. He did not go back to school as the thought never occurred to him and family financial situation did not allow it. He worked at McKenzie Water Pumping Station. He spoke about the job. Interview mentioned the areas he had lived in: Verapachitty Lane(now Albert Court Hotel) and Albert Street. Father (nicknamed “Fatty”) opened a roadside coffee stall at Albert St. He helped out at the stall and also attended evening classes in Chinese. There were a few cinemas around the area such as Cathay, Capitol, Alhambra and Marlborough (site of Shaw Towers at Beach Road). The satay club was located next to the Tay Koh Yat bus terminal. He worked 10 years at Chan Ah Soo Engineering Works (French Road). He moved to Sime Darby air conditioner department when a strike there created vacancies for him. He was an air conditioner mechanic.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 4
Metadata
- 24 Nov 2010
Recording Date
- 00:55:28
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Interviewee was retrenched by Sime Darby in 1969 and received $5,000 in compensation for his 13 years service. Subsequently, 5 of them grouped together to do air con servicing. Mr Edward Pinto, a Eurasian, neighbor and chief usher at Victoria Theatre, recommended him a part time job as usher there. He described the building at that time. There was no interview for the job and he noticed most of them were Eurasians (because of Mr Pinto). There were 7 ushers on duty for each performance (4 downstairs, 3 upstairs). December, being school holidays, was a busy month. Remembered groups such as Vienna Boys Choir, Stage Club, Singapore Amateur Players performed there in the early years. Ushers needed to speak either English of Malay. Ushers underwent on the job training. In the past, ticket numbers were hand written. Duties of the ushers did not differ much through the years. In the early years, ushers wore white shirts and white pants and they had to get their own uniforms. Later they were provided with free shirts had to bring their own torchlights. Ushers wore black pants later. Interviewee mentioned the pay for ushers through the years. He spoke about audience behavior, recalling an incident where a patron threw out a mobile phone of another patron. In the early years, a fireman would come and check the venue for every performance. Interviewee mentioned an incident where someone attended a performance with stolen tickets. He spoke about timing of the shows and popular days for performances. He said that ushers may have to work on Chinese New Years as the Malay and Indian groups would make bookings during that period.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 4
Metadata
- 24 Nov 2010
Recording Date
- 00:21:57
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Interviewee’s brother (Albert Chek) was a chief usher at National Theatre (NT) and he helped out at the venue when he was asked. The shows at NT were mainly variety shows and Chinese shows. There were grass and ants on the floor, and the back of the auditorium would be wet when it rained. Interviewee worked at Kallang Theatre and remembered Chang and Eng, and Miss Saigon played there. He spoke about the theatre and he liked its spaciousness. Interviewee did usher duty once at Happy (Gay) World when the Chinese table tennis team came to Singapore. The ushers were told not to speak to them.
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