Ep. 352 | The History of Singapore (Part 4)

Oct 27, 2024

Following the 1824 Treaty of London, Singapore begins its constant infrastructure development. The discovery of Gutta-Percha sparks economic growth amid rising labor demand and community organization among the Teochew and Hokkien. Secret societies emerge, providing a mix of support and challenge to local life. With tin discovered in nearby Perak State, Singapore positions itself in new trade opportunities. Political lobby efforts for Crown Colony status intensify as communal tensions break out, foreshadowing future challenges.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

The Evolution of Singapore: Labor and Society in the 19th Century

02:08 • 21min

Exploitation and Struggle: The Lives of Laborers in Early Singapore

23:00 • 2min

Singapore's 19th Century Transformations

25:26 • 23min

The Rise of Johor and Its Impact on Singapore

48:04 • 4min

Part 4 continues with the aftermath of the 1824 Treaty of London. John Crawfurd takes over from a disgraced William Farquhar as First Resident. Singapore commences its never-ending building and infrastructure process. The Straits Settlements are created in 1826. With a spike in labor demand and with slavery recently abolished, the East India Company comes up with a novel solution. Up in Johor, Daing Ibrahim takes over as the new Temenggong and becomes a ruler that the East India Company can work with. The majority Teochew and Hokkien communities start to organize around their own community leaders. Gutta-Percha is discovered and for the first time Singapore gets to surf a nice wave of prosperity as this raw material’s discovery coincides with a massive demand from a new technological innovation. Alongside all this growth in commerce emerges several secret societies who, like their overseas counterparts, provide a mixture of good and evil across Chinese society. Tin is discovered in 1848 in Perak State. Singapore gets a piece of this action as well. With the EIC’s fortunes sinking, Singapore’s leaders start to lobby Parliament in London for Crown Colony status and to scrape the despised East India Company management from the bottom of their shoe. Communal strife starts to break out with regularity. This will continue in various forms all the way into the 20th century. We close things out by presenting the life and career of William A. Pickering, an extraordinary person in his day.

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