Judging from some of the comments the post on Chong Pang Village, there appears to be a fair bit of nostalgia for the Chong Pang that existed in the good old days. Today, what is left where Chong Pang stood are just some memories. A lot of the inner roads of the village including Bah Tan Road, Teo Lee Road, Scharff Road, Chong Nee Road, Chong How Road and Verapillay Road, have all disappeared and in their place, the new HDB estate of Sembawang has risen up. These photographs have been added for the benefit of the those who would like to remember the Chong Pang Village of old days, when life seemed to revolve around the roundabout where the old Sultan Theatre was located …
For anyone who would like to share your memories, stories and photographs of the old Chong Pang, or connect with others from Chong Pang Village that you may have known, you are invited to join the Memories of Chong Pang group on Facebook.
Life revolved around the roundabout where Sultan Theatre was located.
Chong Pang Road / Sembawang Road Junction (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
Chong Pang Village Scene (Source: National Archives of Singapore).
The Long and Winding Road 
Its nice to revisit Chong Pang on this blog, Jerome. There are new photos I’ve not seen, esp the Sultan Theatre. I used to watch the third run movies at Sultan Theatre in English at 50 cents ticket for each show, usually in the evening. The mini roundabout (traffic circus) in the Chong Pang town centre. Thanks for the nostalgic memories.
Thanks James … hope it brings back the memories for you and anyone who has lived and passed through the Chong Pang Village of old. 🙂
It surely brings back my memory about my birthplace in the land below the wind. We have very similar rows of wooden shoplots – still around today even though the land titles had long been expired.
That’s wonderful David! Nice to know that! 🙂
I am not familiar with Chong Pang Village. Only went there a couple of times for night makan. But in my mind, I always equate it with Bt Panjang Village – don’t know why. I think there must have been similarities. The slope up from the main road, the shops, food stalls and night markets and of course the cinema.
I remember once going to a cinema near to Mandai Rd junction. In other words, going south, just before you reach Mandai Rd, its on your left. I checked the old st directory, There was a road called Thong Aik Rd. Are you familiar with this place. I remember once when I was in Mandai Camp, my friends and I came here to watch a movie. Any idea what cinema is that?
Anyway, those scenes of the old Chong Pang Village look just like places in Malaysia today;; even the old cars!
Chun See, I guess there would have been many similarities between Chong Pang and several of the old Chinese villages of Singapore as well as in many parts of Malaysia today (old cars and all). The cinema would be close to the old rubber factory at the old Nee Soon – I believe it was named Nee Soon Cinema.
Correct and it got converted into a car showroom when the cinema closed.
Back in those days kid like us don’t pay to watch movies, just sit on the floor. The ushers won’t chase us out.
Good evening Mr. Lam,
I am the Operation Manager of Xishan Primary School . This school was previously located at the now defunct kampong Chong Pang Village which was know as Si San Public Schhol. As the school is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and I am tasked to do a write up and also gather some photogaphs of the said place. for the coming event. Kindly assist me on this task. My contact number is 90112869. Thanks.
Thanks for this new edition! It helps me to envision what my early childhood environment at Teo Lee Road was like, more holistically than my own photos of my home!
Contrarian, that’s nice to know! I am glad it helped! 🙂 When did you live in Teo Lee Road?
1975-78. Resettled to AMK new town in 1978.
I moved to AMK from Toa Payoh at the end of 1976!
[…] Life, the universe and everything – blankanvas: bmw joy 3d – The Long and Winding Road: More views of the Chong Pang of old […]
I am pretty impressed with your kindness & volunteerism concept in providing useful bridge about the past the present & the future of Chong Pang village. Wonder if you also join in & take part our facebook.com about Sembawang GRC inclusive Chong Pang & Nee Soon area too. Sembawang area as I can see that – around toward bottle tree village & the Sembawang natural beach at Smebawang Park & perhaps also around Khatib MRT where there are ponds with bottle tree restaurant (never been there yet) for some recreation purpose – that we have of old smell of Kampung style/taste. Thanks for ur kind advices/responses.
David, I am just trying to help however I can … I read quite a few comments of ex residents of Chong Pang wishing to reconnect with the past and with people they might know – just thought Facebook is a great platform for them to do it. Is there a Sembawang GRC group on Facebook? Perhaps you could link me up with the group.
Same to me trying to reconnect our Woodlands-Masiling-Sembawang-Chong Pang friends up north of Singapore though I am not a Singaporean by birth. If you join Singapore facebook.com you will see Ministry Of Health Mr Khaw blogs & his young group/friends/supporters from Kampung Sembawang CC. I am quite new to this area yet as I have just started to learn internet/computer as I am 63, a retiree, been living in Marsiling for about 16 years since moving over from Sabah 19 years ago. I personally feel this facebook pages is/are like online Kopitiam where people can casually chat/talk with modern tools & then walk off with minimun time consumed as well as cost effective with maximum privacy too. I have not joined any group inclusive any nearby CCs or RCs. Bty – Actually I am a lone-ranger volunteer… eversince I stepped onto my wife’s birth place Singapore island once upon a time! Thank for the great HELP for sure!
That’s great David! Anyway, I have already connected with Kampung Sembawang. Anyway, it is nice to hear of your own efforts. I agree that Facebook is a wonderful tool. 🙂
I grew up living in Chong Pang and your post has brought back so many memories of my childhood. Thanks for writing it. =)
Would you mind if I used a few of your photos in this post and in “Sembawang, as I remember it”? Your post set me on a nostalgia path, and I wanted to write a entry about my childhood spent in Sembawang. I’ll give the due credits, of course. Thanks in advance!
Please do! It’s nice to take a trip down memory lane … let me know when you have made your entry. 🙂
My blog post on Chong Pang is up today.
Please see http://www.storyofbing.com
Thanks again!
Yes, I did notice. Thanks Bing! Great post – nice to know that the pictures can be connected with many of your own personal memories! 🙂
My pleasure, Bing – I am glad it helped to bring the memories back for you. 🙂
memory lane for me
[…] As Gee: I took part in a non-dancing flashmob – blankanvas: bmw joy 3d – The Long and Winding Road: More views of the Chong Pang of old – Otterman speaks: The switch to a steel water bottle – XinYun @ SG: Photos: Youth Fest. 2010 – […]
Chong Pang was also one of my place that I visited regularily during its heydays. I could till remember watching a movie way back in the 70’s at the Sultan Theatre. The name of the movie entitled ‘ At The Earth Core’. We only paid 50cents for the movie and smoking is allowed in the theatre and thus I have to catch my breath if the person besides me is a heavy smoker! There was also an Outpatient Dispensary at the Ching Pang area. We need to carry our own medicine bottle in order to get the medicine coz otherwise, we would have to pay an extra money for it although each visits to the doctor only cost 80cents! Every Sunday is a busy day in Chong Pang and the streets is bustle with lelong sales. We could see Malaysian vehicles pile along the roads just to get good buys as the Malaysian ringgit is equivalent to the Singapore Dollar. I still missed that good old days….
Thanks so much for the wonderful memory, happiest times were spent there. These photos brought back memories and also tears that the yester years were gone. Teo Lee Road, Canberra School and Naval Base Sec
My pleasure! When did you live in Chong Pang?
I used to live next to Sultan Theatre, where my dad was a projector operator working in the theatre until 1970 where we moved to Toa Payoh. I studied in both primary and secondary at Naval Base school. Maybe I am 11 yrs late in reading this article but I am happy late is better than never. Thanks. Wonderful memories.
Thank you for starting this page on Chong Pang village. At last a page and photos of my childhood village! We lived there in the 1960s and 1970s, along Chong Pang Rd, grandma along Teo Lee Rd and uncle and aunts Bah Tan Rd, and yes I remember the OPD along Bah Tan Rd and the community centre further down the road where I saw the first colour TV images in 1972 or 1973 and where the national library’s mobile library used to visit every saturday. The hawkers around Sultan cinema were legendary, I wish someone would tell me where their successors have gone to, If Gurmit Singh were to start a show on looking for old and excellent Singapore hawker food, the hawkers around Sultan cinema alone would take them at least 5 episodes to cover all the good hawker stalls. Thanks again, this is food for the soul.
My pleasure Wai Meng … glad to have rekindled some memories … thanks for also sharing all that … the makan stalls around the Sultan were definitely ones to remember! 🙂
I lived @31 Chong Pang Road, went to West Hill Primary School, My dad used to have barber shop there, memories are plenty in this beautiful place i called home for 28 years
Hey,
Thanks for the awesome efforts in helping us – people whom once stay at this one of the last Kampong in Singapore.
I stayed in Jalan Ulu Sembawang but was asked to leave by the government in the late 1980s..
Chong Pang Village is the place where my mum and friends will sure have to pass by to go to the nearby market, Gov’t Clinic, busstop, Police Stn..etc..
I was rather shock to see these photos and some how, reflections of the good ole days seem to recap back in my memories..
P/s: I do have some pictures of the area and do let me know if you would like to add them to your collections..
Good cheers and keep the good effort up and keep them coming…
Hi Wilson, my pleasure! Thanks so much for your kind feedback! 🙂 I often wish I could go back to that Singapore that I had so many wonderful experiences growing up in … the Singapore that I identify very much with. Unfortunately a lot of that is gone and it is in relating what has become of the many places today that I am able to connect them with the familiar places that I knew yesterday. Thanks for your offer – I would be glad to add them to the collection. It is wonderful that you lived at Jalan Ulu Sembawang … my father was fond of taking drives up the road and parts of the area were one of the more picturesque parts of Singapore with what had seemed to me green rolling meadows. Do you happen to have any pictures of Jalan Ulu Sembawang area as well? I am also looking for pictures of the nearby Seletaris plant if you have them. It would be good if you could drop me an email. Thank you! 🙂
P.S. I have set up a Facebook group “On a little street in Singapore” with the intention of having like-minded folks to share their experiences and memories of that Singapore that we remember – it would be wonderful if you could join it and perhaps contribute some photographs as well as experiences living in the area. 🙂
hi,
can the person who have uploaded these pictures could you get in touch with you soon. Thank you
I grew up in Delhi Road, went to West Hill Primary school in 1972. I still recognize almost every single photo that was being posted and knew exactly where they were taken ha haa..beautiful memories..something so simple and yet priceless..
Thank you!
My father(Anthony Pereira) taught at West Hill.
I now live along Canberra Link.
I LIVED ALONG KEDONDONG ROAD AND USED TO SEE HUNDREDS OF KIDS CATCHIING FIGHTING FISH AT THE SWAMP DURING 1959 IN FRONT OF SEMBAWANG SHOPPING CENTRE NOW.mISSED THOSE DAYS.
PERU
Remember the Sultan Theatre was once used to film a war movie at the back which have a black painted wall during the 60s. Heard the shops around it are all reimbursed that day as their business are affected. Also some Saturday a medicine dispensary van would park beside the theatre and people queue to get free medicine.
Hi,
Thanks for your post of Chong Pang, where I used to visit my late grandparents weekly. He used to own the coffee shop opposite Sultan Cinema.
Was wondering do you have any posts on the old Tampines Road or Elias Road village to share? I am looking for nostalgia feeling of my childhood home.
Thanks.