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The Singapore River is no Amazon or Danube. Within a mile of the river mouth it is an insignificant stream. But the Singapore River was the heart and soul of Singapore for more than a century. Few rivers on the planet meant as much to one city as the Singapore River.

The river has a complex history, particularly regarding the many bridges, some of which have been rebuilt several times and have carried various names. I have done my best to interpret the available resouces, but I'm not convinced that anyone really knows the accurate history of Singapore's river bridges.

The following map is from a 1960s street directory, and shows the area covered by this section. We will be following the River from its mouth (by the Anderson Bridge) upstream as far as Pulau Saigon.

The River Mouth

Before the Cavenagh and Anderson bridges were built, Monkey Bridge was the last bridge before the river mouth and open sea. This view from Monkey Bridge shows the Battery (from which Battery Road took its name), guarding the mouth of the Singapore River. Beyond it are numerous large ships. Even in 1847, Singapore was a busy and prosperous port. This is from a contemporary painting by Charles Dyce.
Looking out to sea, 1900s. This view looks like it may have been taken from the Cavenagh Bridge, before the Anderson Bridge was built.
Looking out to sea, early 1900s, before the Anderson Bridge was built. Compare this view with the next.
Looking out to sea, 1910s. A fine view of the river mouth, with the Cavenagh and Anderson Bridges, and Kallang in the distance.
In the 1930s, aviation allowed views like this to be captured.
The River Mouth in the 1960s.

Anderson Bridge

Anderson Bridge, opened in 1910, was the grandest of Singapore's river bridges. In this view it is brand new..
Here we're looking in the opposite direction. Electric trams used the bridge from the start.
Anderson Bridge, c1930. The Fullerton Building, completed 1928, dominates this view.
Anderson Bridge, c1930. The trolleybus, cars, truck and rickshaw give this picture a vintage feel.
Anderson Bridge in the 1940s. An interesting comparison with the previous picture.
Anderson Bridge in the 1960s.
Anderson Bridge in 1961, with the Bank of China building towering in the background.
As we get into the 1970s, skyscrapers are springing up like mushrooms.

Cavenagh Bridge

The Cavenagh Bridge was opened in 1870. It is Singapore's oldest original bridge. This photograph shows it as new.
This is an early view of the Cavenagh Bridge, I would guess c1900. No motor cars yet, just a Gharry and some Rickshaws.
An unusual view of the Cavanagh Bridge, c1908.

Monkey Bridge

The Monkey Bridge was, reputedly, a rickety wooden footbridge, standing where Elgin Bridge is today. After studying photographs and drawings, I think this is wrong. Monkey Bridge crossed the river from Boat Quay to the Government Buildings on the opposite bank, slightly to the west of where the Cavanagh Bridge stands. This photograph shows it clearly, in the 1860s, shortly before it was superceded by the Cavenagh Bridge.

There is some confusion over where the Monkey bridge actually stood, and whether there was more than one Monkey Bridge. This painting, labelled "The Old Bridge 1842", fits the description of a rickety wooden bridge just wide enough for a single person, but it's not on the exact site of Elgin Bridge, as some historians believe. In this picture it is clearly downstream of the colonaded building, but apparently upstream of the bridge in the previous photo. Perhaps there's some artist's license involved.

Boat Quay

Boat Quay c1830.
Boat Quay, c1847, viewed from the Monkey Bridge.
The River, c1851, viewed from the Battery. Boat Quay is on the left. Government Hill (now Fort Canning) is on the horizon.
Boat Quay in the 1860s. It's surprising how little this scene changed over the next 100 years.
Boat Quay in the 1870s.
Boat Quay in the 1880s. More boats clogging the river, but the buildings are hardly changed from the earlier pictures.
Boat Quay c1908. The dates on these pictures are often based on the postmarks on the reverse of the postcards, so they could be misleading.
Boat Quay c1910. A busy scene showing some loading or unloading.
A classic panorama of the river, c1911, with Boat Quay on the left.
Boat Quay, c1927, looking towards the business district.
Boat Quay, 1950. It's low tide.
Boat Quay, c1956. The Bank of China Building. completed 1954, now dominates the skyline over Boat Quay.
This picture of Boat Quay was taken by my father in 1961.
The most dramatic changes to the skyline came at the end of the 1960s. This 1970 view tells its own story.
A 1975 view of the river at Boat Quay.
It's 1995, and the river and quays have changed forever. The sampans have gone, and the only river traffic is a few bum-boats giving rides to tourists. The buildings have been imaginatively converted to restaurants and bars. There is an immense variety of international cuisine on offer, and eating alongside the Singapore River after sunset is one of the world's great evenings out.

Elgin Bridge

Elgin Bridge was originally known as Presentment Bridge, or sometimes as Monkey Bridge . This fine illustration dates from 1930, not long after the City of Singapore was founded.
I think this is Thompson's Bridge, which lasted from 1843 to 1862, when it was replaced by the Elgin Bridge. We are looking along South Bridge Road.
An interesting 1850s sketch of the river, looking toward Thompson's Bridge. The scene has evolved considerably since the previous view.
In 1862 the early wooden bridges were replaced by a wrought iron structure, imported from Calcutta, and known as Elgin Bridge.
This 1863 photograph shows the river looking from Fort Canning towards the sea. Elgin Bridge is in the centre, with Boat Quay beyond.
A 1920s view of Elgin Bridge, looking downstream.
Here we see the brand new Elgin Bridge, opened in 1929.
This is the new Elgin Bridge viewed from Coleman Bridge in the 1930s. Compare this with the 1920s view of the old Elgin Bridge.

Coleman Bridge

I think this c1908 view shows Coleman Bridge. The original bridge was designed by George Coleman, and was completed in 1840. It was known as New Bridge, lending its name to New Bridge Road. The picture shows the third bridge on this site, which was built in 1886, and which survived for exactly 100 years.
Looking downstream, c1957, the bridge in the forground is Coleman Bridge, with Elgin Bridge behind it.
In the 1970s, we see Coleman and Elgin bridges again, against a backdrop of high-rise buildings. Land reclamation means that the river mouth no longer discharges directly into the sea.
Looking in the opposite direction, at about the same time, we can see up-river as far as Clarke Quay.
Singapore in the 1980s was a fascinating mix of the old and the new, exemplified by this 1980 view of Coleman Bridge.
1986, looking towards Coleman Bridge.
Coleman Bridge was perhaps the most elegant of Singapore's bridges, so it was sad to see it replaced in 1987. Here we see the demolition in progress.

Read Bridge

This postcard is captioned "Boat Quay", but that's misleading. It shows Read Bridge and Clarke Quay, with Government Hill (Fort Canning) in the background. Read Bridge was opened in 1889.
Another view of Read Bridge, early 1900s, looking downstream. The spire of St. Andrews Cathedral is prominent.
Read Bridge, c1915.
Read Bridge and Clarke Quay, 1986.

Clemenceau Bridge

Clemenceau Bridge is a mile or so upstream of the river mouth. This photo was taken in 1974.

The Upper Reaches

No more than a mile inland, the Singapore River changed into a random series of small tributaries and swamps, as shown in this early photograph, dated 1863.

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