The French in Singapore: An Illustrated History (1819-today)

Maxine Pilon and Daniele Weiler’s (both teachers at the Lycée Français de Singapour) The French in Singapore: An Illustrated History is a lovely volume similar in style tothe Singapore: A Biography book co-published by the university presses of Singapore and Hong Kong a few years ago.

As usual cover and blurb below but there’s also a longer interview with the authors here on the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore’s website.

In 1819, when Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore, he was accompanied by two French naturalists. Ever since, French missionaries, merchants, planters and other pioneers have contributed to its economic, educational and cultural development. Be inspired and entertained by the colourful stories of personalities, such as J. Casteleyns (who built the first hostelry, the Hotel de l’Europe, in 1857), Father Jean-Marie Beurel (who constructed the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd and St Joseph’s Institution) and Alfred Clou?t (who started the well-known Ayam Brand canned sardines business). Amply illustrated with photographs, paintings, sketches, old documents and maps, The French in Singapore is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to discover the little-known history of the French in the Singapore we know today.