Bedok Heritage Trail - Bedok History: Albert Einstein Visited Frankel Estate in 1923, Yusof Ishak Lived in Opera Estate

Visitors, and even residents, who think of Bedok as just another housing estate have to reconsider. A little probe into Bedok’s past as an idyllic coastal town, which fronted the sea previously, will easily unveil some historical gems about the area.

Bedok Reservoir Road, old Malay Settlement site 21 Feb 1993. (Image All rights reserved. Lee Kip Lin and National Library Board, Singapore 2009)
Bedok Reservoir Road, old Malay Settlement site 21 Feb 1993. (Image Lee Kip Lin and National Library Board, Singapore 2009)

Bedok used to be the shoreline

A marker at a spot far inland notes that this was where the seashore began, over 60 years ago, giving rise to the realisation that East Coast Park sits on reclaimed land.

In 1957, a two-storey a bungalow in Opera Estate cost $24,900. (Image: Straits Times 1957)
In 1957, a two-storey a bungalow in Opera Estate cost $24,900. (Image: Straits Times 1957)

Albert Einstein visited Singapore in 1923

Another marker brings one back to 1923, when Nobel Prize winner Albert Einstein visited a Jewish community in Singapore and was impressed by the beauty of the coconut palms in Frankel Estate.

The Frankels, Jewish entrepreneurs in the textile and furniture industries, also developed the neighbouring Opera Estate, which was home to Singapore’s first President, the late Mr Yusof Ishak.

Yusof Ishak and Puan Noor Aishah with their children in their Opera Estate home on Aida Street, 1955. Yusof Ishak Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.
Yusof Ishak and Puan Noor Aishah with their children in their Opera Estate home on Aida Street, 1955. (Image Yusof Ishak Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore)

Bedok Heritage Trail: 10 Stops over a 15km walk

These nuggets of information can be found along the Bedok Heritage Trail, a 15km walk on which visitors can explore the area’s past as an idyllic coastal town, before land reclamation began.

Visitors can learn more about the history of these places in the East:

  1. Chai Chee
  2. Siglap Frankel Estate and Opera Estate
  3. Former Coastline
  4. Jalan Puay Poon
  5. Seafront Homes and a Holiday Lifestyle
  6. Military Landmarks in the East
  7. Kampong Bedok
  8. Simpang Bedok and Koh Sek Lim
  9. Highlands of Bedok
  10. Fengshan Estate

The National Heritage Board (NHB) developed the trail, which has 10 markers, as part of the Housing Board’s Remaking Our Heartland plans for the East Coast area. It is the 15th trail developed by NHB that launched in 2016.

Albert Einstein visited Singapore and Bedok's Frankel Estate in 1923

Revive Interest & Awareness in Bedok’s Heritage

Mr Alvin Tan, NHB’s assistant chief executive, policy and community, said: “We hope the trail will raise the awareness of residents and visitors about Bedok’s heritage, pique their interest to rediscover key landmarks in the estate, and instill a sense of pride in them when they learn about Bedok’s role in Singapore’s progress as a nation.”

Members of the Bedok community contributed their stories and artefacts to the project. There are also plans for schools to “adopt” the trail and offer guided tours for their peers and residents of Bedok. And residents have welcomed the addition of a heritage trail to their neighbourhood.

History student Danelle Chia, then 21, said: “I hope going on the trail will answer my questions on how kampung dwellers were affected by their resettlement to HDB blocks.”

Another resident, who has lived in Bedok for 38 years and gave her name only as Mrs Tay, said the trail could help her children understand what the older folks have been through. “The trail will increase young people’s awareness of our history and help them to understand their past,” the 68-year-old said.

This article first appeared on The Straits Times in 2016.