As with many kampongs in early Singapore, water was drawn from a community pump in Jalan Kayu. Here are some rare photos of this iconic item taken in Jalan Kayu in the 1950s.
From the pictures above, we can infer that in the past, the people of jalan kayu who lived in kampongs did not have a ready supply of clean water available in their households as we so enjoy today. They needed to walk to the kampong pump to get their share of water for the day for drinking , cookig and washing.
From the pictures above, we can infer that in the past, the people of jalan kayu who lived in kampongs did not have a ready supply of clean water available in their households as we so enjoy today. They needed to walk to the kampong pump to get their share of water for the day for drinking , cookig and washing.
In today's modern Singapore, with advanced technology and with practically every household having drinkable water pumped right in our homes, this task of collecting water from a common pump is unthinkable.
However, despite the fact that this chore may have been quite troublesome to many depending on how far your home was from the pump, the common pump was not just a place for the collection of the day's water supply. In fact, it was probably a place where the villagers could socialize with each other while waiting for their turn to use the pump or while doing their washing. The pump was thus a communal place where many could share their views and latest gossip.
Photos from the personal collection of Mr Ted Wilkins - RAF Seletar
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