Name Pearl’s Hill

Brief Prior to Raffles’ landing in 1819, the hill

was used for Chinese-owned gambier
Description plantations.

Initially called Mount Stamford out of

respect for Sir Raffles Stamford, the hill
was renamed after Captain James Pearl,
owner and commander of Indiana, the ship
that sailed Raffles from Penang to
Singapore. He built his house on top and
hired local workers to grow pepper vines
for him.

www.straitstimes.com/singapore/pearls-hill-in-outram-has-a-canadian-twin-
mount-pearl.

1: (Re)possession of Hill 2: Cutting of Pearl’s Hill 3: Present Day

Pearl had bought over the entire hill from
Chinese owners by 1822. When Raffles
had heard about how the hill was acquired
without his approval, he ordered its
repossession by the government.
Although Raffles quickly relented and
accorded ownership back to Pearl, the
disgruntled captain renamed the hill after
himself.
In 1828, when Pearl retired in Europe, his
agents sold the hill to the government for
Rs 10,000.
The hill was then used as hospital grounds Today surrounding the hill are the Upper
and military barracks for some years. and Lower Barracks on Pearl’s Hill
Terrace, Pearl’s Hill City Park with a
When Fort Canning completed its service reservoir, People’s Park Complex,
construction in 1861, authorities discovered Pearl’s Hill Care Home, Outram MRT
the hill overlooked Fort Canning from a Station, and other residential buildings.
greater height.
To ensure enemies cannot attack the fort
from Pearl’s Hill, the chief engineer cut off
the top of Pearl’s Hill with Chinese coolie
forces.

References
Cornelius-Takahama and Vernon. “Pearl’s Hill” Singaporeinfopedia. 2018. https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/
articles/SIP_116_2004-12-14.html Accessed 15 July 2021.

Seng, Eunice. “People's Park Complex: The State, The Developer. The Architect, and the Conditioned Public, c.1967 to the Present.” Southeast Asia's
Modern Architecture: Questions of Translation, Epistemology and Power. NUS Press. pp.236-273. February 2019. www.researchgate.net/figure/Urban-
renewal-in-the-central-area-of-Singapore-The-central-area-was-
divided-into-five_fig4_330532268. Accessed 15 July 2021.

Zacchues, Melody. “Pearl’s Hill in Outram has a Canadian twin - Mount Pearl.” The Straits Times. 15 June 2019. www.straitstimes.com/singapore/pearls-
hill-in-outram-has-a-canadian-twin-mount-pearl. Accessed 15 July 2021.

Name Pearl’s Hill Terrace

Brief The Upper Barracks, Lower Barracks and

the 2-storey bungalow located in Pearl’s
Description Hill are significant symbols of the hill’s
rich heritage in contributing to Singapore’s
security forces.

https://www.roots.gov.sg/places/places-landing/Places/landmarks/police-
heritage-trail/pearls-hill-upper-barracks-195-pearls-hill-terrace.
1. As a Hospital ground 2. As a Police Ops HQ 3. As a Historic Site

1828: James Pearl’s agents sold the hill to
the government.
1844 - 1846: Government Surveyor John
Turnbull Thomson designed and built the
Chinese Pauper Hospital (CPH).
1844-1845: Thomson designed and built
Seamen’s Hospital, SG’s 4th general
hospital.
1858: Hospital buildings were
commandeered by government and military
as temp barracks for European Artillery
Corps brought in from India to man Fort
Canning.
>> CPH was moved to Balestier Plain and
later renamed as Tan Tock Seng Hospital
in the 1950s after philanthropist Tan Tock
Seng passed away in 1950..
>> Seamen’s Hospital was moved to the
Kandang Kerbau district and became SG’s
5th general hospital, before it moved and
was replaced with a maternity hospital
(present-day KK Hospital).
After the construction of Fort Canning in
1861, the military used the hill as a
Commissariat Store and Arsenal.
1908: Used as European Police barracks.
1914 - 1946: Used to house Sikh police of
the Straits Settlement Police until it
disbanded.
>>1920s: 2-storey bungalow was built for
seemingly high ranking officials in the
police force.
>>1931-1934: The 3-storeys Upper
Barracks, 5-storeys Lower Barracks, 12-
storeys apartment were built to run
operations of and house the police
personnels and their families.
1948: Police Radio Division moved in and
constructed the 90ft high radio mast.
1965 Post-independence: the Ministry of
Interior and Defense1 moved in. Continued
to be used by Police Operational HQ and
CID2 HQ they moved out3 in 2001.
2007: Buildings were put on lease as office
space. The 12-storeys apartment became to
house expats and foreign students.
2008: Gazetted as Conservation Building
by Urban Redevelopment Authority
(URA).
2012: Listed as a national Historic Site by
National Heritage Board, as recognition of
SPF’s rich heritage in our national security.
Legacy: The presence of these buildings
reminds us of the origin of our Police Force
- from the importation of Sikh Sepoys to
setting up our own police force.
It also shows the importance of the growth
of the Sikh community, as well as a
significant touchstone for many other
immigrants choosing a career in the
security force for an independent Singapore
nation.

Footnotes & References

1 - Predecessor to the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
2 - Crime Investigation Division.
3 - Singapore Police Force moved out into New Phoenix Park, next to TTSH.

Cornelius-Takahama and Vernon. “Pearl’s Hill” SingaporeInfopedia. 2018. https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/

articles/SIP_116_2004-12-14.html Accessed 15 July 2021.

Remember Singapore. “Pearl’s Hill Police Operational Headquarters.” Wordpress. 4 January 2013. https://remembersingapore.org/pearls-hill-police-
headquarters/ Accessed 15 July 2021.

ROOTS. “Pearl’s Hill Upper Barracks, 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace.” National Heritage Board. https://www.roots.gov.sg/places/
places-landing/Places/landmarks/police-heritage-trail/pearls-hill-upper-barracks-195-pearls-hill-terrace. Accessed 15 July 2021.

Urban Redevelopment Authority. “Pearl’s Hill” https://www.ura.gov.sg/Conservation-Portal/Explore/History?bldgid=PERHL. Accessed 15 July 2021.

Name Pearl’s Hill Upper Barrack

Brief 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace

Description
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References
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References
Last Name, First Name of Author. “Title of Article.” Publisher/Host Web. Date of Publishing. URL. Accessed Date (DD MMMM YYYY).