By Cornelius-Takahama, Vernon written on 19-May-2001
National Library Board Singapore

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Fullerton Building, once a colonial building. One of the most important landmarks in the civic district, it is located at 1, Fullerton Square, in the Downtown Core of the Central Region. This building sits on part of what was the site of Fort Fullerton (1825 - 1873), named after Robert Fullerton (b. 1773 Scotland - d. 6 June 1831), the first Governor of the United Settlements who served between 1827 to 1830. In 1879, the Exchange Building opened and stood on this site till end 1923. The construction of Fullerton Building began in 1924, and was completed in mid-1928. On 27 June 1928, under the main portico, the building was officially opened by the Honourable Governor of Singapore, Sir Hugh Clifford, M.C.S., G.C.M.G., C.B.E., in the presence of other VIPs. The building housed the General Post Office, and over the years, other government offices including the Inland Revenue Dept. Other tenants were The Exchange, Singapore Chamber of Commerce, and The Singapore Club, to name a few. During World War 2, the building was the headquarters of the Japanese Military Administration. By end 1996, all the establishments had vacated. In 1998, a two year, S$400 million restoration, redevelopment and refurbishment have turned it into a grand boutique-hotel, The Fullerton Hotel. 

Early History
Fullerton Building and Fullerton Square sits on land where once stood Fort Fullerton which guarded the mouth of the Singapore River. Serious development of the area began with Captain George Chancellor Collyer's sea wall from Fort Fullerton to Telok Ayer Market, built from 1858 to 1864, and Collyer Quay was named after him. Most of Fort Fullerton was demolished by 11 June 1873. On the site by Cavenagh Bridge and the river, the Exchange Building opened in 1879. The opening of Anderson Bridge in 1910, connected Collyer Quay, and was an alternative access into the heart of town. These developments in the area, may have led to the demolition of the Exchange Building at end 1923, or early 1924, and, a bigger structure was planned to fit into the new environment. In 1925, the "Tan Kim Seng Fountain (1882)" at its original location in Fullerton Square was moved to the Esplanade, while a new building was being constructed.

Fullerton Building
The Work Contract
In November 1923, the Tenders for the building construction were called for, and the job was awarded to the successful tenderers and contractors, Perry & Co. Overseas Ltd, London, in February 1924. The period of contract was four years, and work completion exceeded by a few months. Teo Hong, a carpenter from Lam Ann County, Fujian, was possibly a sub-contractor.

The Construction
During the initial groundwork, excavations revealed the gun casements of the old Fort Fullerton. Built over reclaimed land, the construction needed piling 20 to 30 m deep to support and anchor it. 40,820 tonnes of earth were moved away from the 2 basement loading yards and the subway to the pier. The construction used 18,750 m (25,000 yards) of reinforced concrete, 1,179 tonnes (1,300 tons) of steel, 3,500,000 bricks, 75.44 km (15,000 yards) of hollow bricks, 3511 cubic m (124,000 cubic feet) of artificial granite, 566.3 cubic m (20,000 cubic feet) of timber, 52,288 barrels of cement. The electrical fittings were entrusted to the Express Lift Company, and the lighting arrangements were undertaken by the Public Works Department, and supervised by Captain Reay. Thomas Holmes was the clerk of the works throughout the project. Construction signs called it the "New General Post Office Building" or new GPO building. When completed, the Acting Colonial Engineer, George A. Sturrock F.R.I.B.A., invited the Governor of Singapore to declare the building open.

Description
Designed by Keys & Dowdeswell based in Shanghai, their creative effort was the winning drawing of an architectural competition. The Architect was Major P. H. Keys, D.S.O., F.R.I.B.A., and his chief assistant Architect was F. Dowdeswell, A.R.I.B.A. Designers of the reinforced concrete work were Edmund Coignet & Co. The grey Aberdeen granite building sits on 442,400 sq. feet of land, with its walls towering 36.58 m (120 feet) from the ground. The neo-classical architectural features include fluted Doric colonnades on their heavy base, and the lofty portico over the main entrance with trophy designs and the Royal Coat of Arms, crafted by Rudolpho Nolli (b. 1888, Milan, Italy - d. 1963, Italy) in Singapore. Originally, there were five distinct frontages, each were treated in the Doric order. 14 elevators served the four floors plus the basement floors. Two interior courts once gave light to the Postal Hall, and light and ventilation to the interior courts upstairs. In 1958, a lighthouse installed on the rooftop of the building used to guide ships out in the harbour. Two tablets, one on each side of the entrance stairway reveals that the construction work began on February 1924, when Sir Laurence Nunns Guillemard, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., was the Governor of Singapore; and the building was completed in June 1928, when Sir Hugh Clifford, M.C.S., G.C.M.G., C.B.E., took over as Governor. The building cost was estimated at S$4,098,808, but The Straits Times of 27 June 1928, quoted the cost of S$4,750,000, as the eventual bill.

The Opening Ceremony
At 10:00 am on 27 June 1928, the ceremony held under the main portico was the official opening by the Honourable Governor, Sir Hugh Clifford, M.C.S., G.C.M.G., C.B.E.. Hugh in his speech said, "I suggest to the public of Singapore that this building should be henceforth called, Fullerton Building". In fact it was Hugh who thought of the name "Fullerton Building". The attendance of VIPs included General Officer Commander Major-General Sir C.C. Straubenzee, the Colonial Secretary Sir Hayes Marriott, the Anglican Bishop of Singapore Rt. Reverend B. C. Roberts, Members of the Executive Council, Legislative Council, Municipal Commissioner, the Architect Major P. H. Keys, D.S.O., F.R.I.B.A., and R. Tarring, Director of Perry & Co. Overseas. There was a large public attendance too at the opening ceremony.

General Post Office
The General Post Office (G.P.O.) fondly called "GPO" by Singaporeans, was the anchor tenant, and they only moved in a fortnight after the official opening. Their 10,480 sq. m (112,826 sq. feet) of space covered the two lower floors with postal halls, offices, and sorting rooms. Mail drops in the post box used to fall directly to the sub-ground floor, where it was caught on a band conveyor and dispatched some 60.96 m (200 feet) along the basement, and then up to the sorting room. The sub-ground floor was connected to a 35-metre-long subway that ran underneath Fullerton Road to the Post Office Pier, for the transfer or pick up of overseas mail. In the pre-airmail era, all mail went by sea. In the 1960s and 1970s, the writer of this article, remembers dropping mail at the GPO, just to catch the mail collections which were picked up every half hour during peak hours, and hourly at night.

The Singapore Chamber of Commerce
The Singapore Chamber of Commerce, the first tenants to move into their 941.1 sq. m (10,130 sq. feet) premises, were already set up when the building was officially opened. Here were the headquarters of the international trade organization.

Singapore Club
The upper floors of the building were occupied by the exclusive Singapore Club for their families. The Club's 6,968 sq. m (75,000 sq. feet) of facilities included dining rooms, club rooms, billiards and card rooms, and, sleeping accommodation on the upper floors. In Gretchen Liu's Singapore: A pictorial history 1819-2000 there are some interesting scenes of the Singapore Club.

The Exchange Rooms
Apart from the trading businesses that went on, a popular feature here was a Reference Library with the latest books related to current matters in business etc..

Government Offices
From the beginning, the other government departments located here included the Marine Department (1,218 square metres or 13,110 sq. feet), Imports & Exports Department (662.1 sq. m or 7,127 sq. feet), and the offices of the Chief Health Officer, the Marine Surveyor and the Marine Department, the Government Vetinerary Surgeon; and for a number of years the Inland Revenue Department, had their operations at the rear of the building. Other departments of the Ministry of Finance were also based here. In 1934, it was reported that Fullerton Building's maintenance cost was S$11,500, a lot of money then for just maintenance.

World War II
On 13 February 1945, as the Japanese attacks on Singapore escalated, and when Government House became uninhabitable, due to artillery bombardment, British Governor Sir Shenton Thomas (b. 1879, England - d. 1962, England) and Lady Shenton Thomas moved in to stay at the Singapore Club, at Fullerton Building. The next day, in their fourth-storey room, Thomas and his wife, were first told by Lieut-General Arthur E. Percival (b. 26 December 1887, Aspenden, Hertfordshire, England - d. 31 January 1966, London, England) of the British military's decision to surrender to the Japanese. During those last days before Japanese occupation, this building was also used as a hospital, with makeshift operation rooms for wounded soldiers. When Singapore was Syonanto, Fullerton Building was the headquarters of the Japanese Military Administration. Singaporeans may remember that the Japanese demanded $50 million from the Chinese in Singapore and Malaya in atonement for the crimes committed by Chinese people against the Japanese. A cheque for $50 million was handed to Lieut-General Tomoyuki Yamashita (b. 8 November 1885, Osugi Mura, Shikoku - d. 23 February 1946 Manila, Philippines), at a ceremony in the Singapore Club at the top of Fullerton Building sometime in February 1942.

The 1960s
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong used to work in this building when he was in the Economic Planning Unit of the civil service. For lunch, he was a regular at the Spartan, roof-top canteen.

The 1970s
Rumours were abound in this decade that there was regular gambling in the office premises of the Ministry of Finance, after 5:00 pm. This very unlikely gambling spot, and safe location was much talked about, and outsiders were invited to partake, if they could be trusted! These stories re-emerged when this writer interviewed people and their memories of Fullerton Building.

1985 Additions and Alterations
In 1985, the Public Works Department made some changes to the main building, while the General Post Office went through renovation with the help of local architects and design consultants.

1999 Restoration and Revival
All the recent tenants had moved out by 1996. The building was up for tender bids in early 1997, and the imposing landmark along the sea-front, the building was bought over by Sino Land, who spent S$400 million, for a full two-year restoration and redeveloped project which converted and transformed Fullerton Building to a boutique hotel, the "The Fullerton Hotel" which opened on May 2000 and officially launched on 1 January 2001.



Author
Vernon Cornelius-Takahama, 2001



References 
Edwards, N. & Keys, P.(1996). Singapore: a guide to buildings, streets, places (p. 415). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: SING 915.957 EDW)

Lee, E. (1990). Historic buildings of Singapore (p. 45). Singapore: Preservation of Monuments Board.
(Call no.: SING 720.95957 LEE)

Montgomery, B. (1984). Shenton of Singapore: governor and prisoner of war (pp. 133, 135). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: RSING 941.0840924 SHE.M)

Straits Settlements Colonial Estimates. (1934). Singapore: [s. n.].
(Call no.: RCLOS 354.59500722 MAL)

Tyers, R. K. (1976). Singapore, then & now (pp. 230-233). Singapore: University Education Press.
(Call no.: SING 959.57 TYE)

Tyers, Ray K. (1993). Ray Tyers' Singapore: Tthen & now (pp. 12, 94, 98). Singapore: Landmark Books
(Call no.: SING 959.57 TYE)

The Fullerton Building His Excellencys speech past and present [Microfilm NL 567]. (1928, June 27). The Straits Times, pp. 9, 11.

Fullerton facts and The last post for Fullerton Building [Microfilm: NL 20092]. (1996, February 27). The Straits Times, p. 18.

Perry & Co [Microfilm: NL 1731]. (1928, June 28). Singapore Free Press, p. 5.

The Post Office New General Post Office [Microfilm: NL 1730]. (1928, June 27). Singapore Free Press, pp. 10, 17.


Further Readings
Chew, M. (2001). Memories of the Fullerton. Singapore: Fullerton.
(Call no.: R SING 959.57 CHE )

Ang H. S. (1996, August 3). Fullerton Building sale will ensure its preservation. The Straits Times, Forum, p. 36.

Dhoraisingam S. (1996, August 7). A page from the past of Fullerton Building. The Straits Times, Forum, p. 28. 

Fullertons come a long way. (2001, January 1). The Straits Times, p. 1. 

Governor hid in Singapore Club during war. (1997, October 3). The Straits Times, p. 5. 

A Grand Lady Set to Emerge. (2000, October 27). The Business Times Singapore, p. 1.

Hotel Project Preserves Hallmarks of Fullerton Building. (2000, April 12). The Straits Times, p. 43

Koh B. P. (2000, June 6). A peek into the Fullerton. The Straits Times, Home, p. 40.

Lim S. J . (1996, May 3). Grand Dame gets a makeover. The Straits Times, Life!, p. 8 .

New Look For Ol Lady. (1999, May 29). The Straits Times, p. 86.

Tan, C. (1996, July 27). Fullerton Building to be redeveloped as top-notch hotel. The Straits Times, Money, p. 46.

Tan, C. (1997, May 29). Fullerton Square for sale again. The Straits Times, Money, p. 60.

Teo, A. N. E. (1996, July 31). Do not sell this piece of history. The Straits Times, Forum, p. 26.

The Fullerton Singapore. (n.d.). The Fullerton. Retrieved on January 20, 2003, from www.fullertonhotel.com