Singapore’s Tan Kim Seng Water Fountain

I’ve just spent a few days in Singapore promoting Midnight in Peking and have a nose around the island state so I feel that one of my occasional Singapore-related posts should be allowed. And I want to note the rather lovely Tan Kim Seng fountain near the Padang. Every time I stroll by it I get a smile as it reminds me so much of the old corporation water fountains you see in parks in the industrial cities of northern England or Scotland (or indeed occasionally in less ‘company town’ England in places such as Halstead in Essex which was a Courtaulds town).

And there is sits dating back to 1882 when the Singapore Municipal Council decided to erect it to remember the trader and philanthropist who donated a large sum of money to bring Singapore a modern water system. Sadly he’d been dead 18 years by the time they did this so he never saw his fountain…but it’s the thought that counts surely? apparently it was originally in Fullerton Square and moved to its present location in 1925. It seems to get a regular lick of paint though I’ve never personally seen any water coming out of it.