Raffles Place in 1965 featured modern attractions such as an underground carpark, a rooftop garden, and a clock donated by a Japanese watchmaker. Experience Singapore’s commercial centre in the first year of Independence. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

New and mobile services were brought to the community at convenient locations such as markets and community centres. Through these services, people were better able to pay their utility bills, receive medical attention, and access library reading materials. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

Singaporeans today are aware of the benefits of an active lifestyle. So too were Singaporeans in the 1960s. A variety of fitness programmes were made available in schools, athletic associations, and even by the Police Training School. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

The now-defunct Jubilee Malay School was the venue for an annual bird singing competition. It was an unexpected win for the first-prize recipient, testimony to the idea that new endeavours are worth it. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

Singapore in 1965 was already known for its cleanliness, with people encouraged to do their part to keep the country clean, as a “house proud” nation. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

With Hari Raya Puasa in sight, the Muslim community prepared for the occasion with new clothes, cakes and sweets, and house cleaning. It was a time for both religious activities and leisure pursuits. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

The camera goes into the studios of early artists Seah Kim Joo, Cheong Soo Pieng, Chen Wen Hsi and Lim Nang Seng. See you if you can spot artworks and styles that are now familiar sights in Singapore. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

In only 16 weeks, a new company in the Singapore Infantry Regiment of the Singapore Military Forces was ready for a full ceremonial parade at their Tanah Merah camp. This was achieved through physical exercises, weapons training, and team building. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

Kallang Park hosted an eight-day agricultural show. Despite the scarcity of suitable farmland in Singapore, farmers produced enough pigs and poultry to export to Malaysia. The show highlighted locally-produced farm products to city dwellers. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

Singapore was moving ahead with its development projects. Housing estates, schools, roads and other infrastructure were built or improved, by both the government and private sectors. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

The police band was to have its first local-born bandmaster. The band provided free entertainment to the public on festive and State occasions and on national holidays. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

Library services have been an essential part of Singapore since the 1960s. The opening of new library branches and the launch of mobile facilities extended the library’s reach. Young people under 15, who then constituted nearly half the total population, made the children’s section a particularly lively spot. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) drew up its first five-year plan when it was established in 1960. By 1965, HDB exceeded the target on new housing units, rehousing the population at a rate that was considered remarkable worldwide. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

Three stamps were issued to commemorate Singapore’s first anniversary as a Republic. The 1966 design featured four workers, a harbour, factories and housing blocks, which reflected Singapore’s policy of progress through industrialisation. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

The National Stadium in Kallang was planned as part of a sports complex which would include a multi-storey car park and recreational options, such as a jetty with floating restaurants and an international exhibition centre. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

The Redhill estate for light industries exemplified Singapore’s ambition to become an industrial centre. Using modern machinery, the new factories built there produced items such as peanut butter and clothing designed and made in Singapore. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

On 1 September 1962, Singapore held a National Referendum for the people to decide on the mode and manner of the merger between Singapore and the Federation of Malaya. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

Land reclamation works in the 1960s, in an area stretching from Bedok to Tanjong Rhu, utilised a pioneering method that was a first in Southeast Asia. The intention was to ease congestion along East Coast Road, the most congested road in Singapore at that time. Subtitles are available in English. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

The 1966 Grand Prix was held at Upper Thomson Road on an April weekend, with the VIP grandstand at Sembawang Circus. The racers brought the roaring crowds to their feet as they pitted against others in their motorcycles, vintage cars and saloons. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

Singapore was officially initiated into the United Nations (UN) in September 1965, after an application that was sponsored by Malaysia, a then non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. The Singapore delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Toh Chin Chye and Minister for Foreign Affairs S. Rajaratnam. Subtitles are available in English and Chinese...

Pedestrians and motorists in the 1960s benefited from using road safety measures such as overhead bridges and road signs. They had a painful price to pay otherwise. Subtitles are available in English and Chinese. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

In celebration of Parents’ Day in 1965, the Kreta Ayer Children’s Centre held a baby show, costume competition, and a display of children’s handiwork. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

The Tidbits, comprising schoolgirls Merlina and Serene Wee and their cousin Bernedette De Souza, were the winners of the 1967/1968 Talentime held by Radio and Television Singapore. Be serenaded by the trio singing their first hit song, ‘I Believe’. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.

With the opening of this candy factory in 1964, the entire process of producing sweets, from mixing to sorting and packaging, could be done locally. With more goods made locally, there was more employment and better value for everyone. For more archival materials from the National Archives of Singapore, please visit www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline.