Cross Street
Encyclopedia
Cross Street is a street
in Singapore
starting from Shenton Way
in Downtown Core
and ending at the junction of South Bridge Road
in Chinatown
which is in Outram Planning Area
which then becomes Upper Cross Street
. At the start of the street, it houses Telok Ayer Market
(more commonly known as Lau Pa Sat). A number of landmarks are located on the street including Far East Square and China Square Central.
of Chinatown.
Cross Street was built in the 1820s and was originally mainly a housing estate for Indian migrant workers, mainly boatmen
who and operated shops selling goat's milk, mutton and herbs. The native place names for the street in the past indicate of the dominance of Indians in the area. In the later years, Cross Street was dominated by the Chinese, when Chinatown expanded into Telok Ayer
. In the 1950s until the late 1970s, the street housed a number of Chinese
stationery
and book shops.
The Chinese called this street kiat leng kia koi, or "Kling man's street" (kling is a derogatory local term for Indians). The Tamil
s called it palkadei sadakku, or "street of the milk shops", while the Malays
called it kampong susu or "milk village".
Street
A street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
starting from Shenton Way
Shenton Way
Shenton Way is a major trunk road in Singapore's central business district, most known for the commercial skyscrapers flanking both sides of the road. The Road is a one way street which starts at the junction of Cross Street, Central Boulevard and Raffles Quay and ends at Keppel Road...
in Downtown Core
Downtown Core
The Downtown Core is a 266-hectare urban planning area in the south of the city-state of Singapore. The Downtown Core surrounds the mouth of the Singapore River and southeastern portion of its watershed, and is part of the Central Area, Singapore's central business district...
and ending at the junction of South Bridge Road
South Bridge Road
South Bridge Road is a road south of Singapore River in Chinatown, Singapore which starts from Elgin Bridge and ends at the junction of Neil Road, Tanjong Pagar Road and Maxwell Road....
in Chinatown
Chinatown, Singapore
Singapore's Chinatown is an ethnic neighbourhood featuring distinctly Chinese cultural elements and a historically concentrated ethnic Chinese population. Chinatown is located within the larger district of Outram....
which is in Outram Planning Area
Outram, Singapore
Outram is a district in Singapore, within the Central Area, relatively near the prominent city centre and financial districts, but is nearer the border of the Central Area, and outside the Downtown Core. Outram is served by extensive public transport, including SBS Transit and a Mass Rapid Transit ...
which then becomes Upper Cross Street
Upper Cross Street
Upper Cross Street is a street located in Chinatown within the Outram Planning Area in Singapore. The street starts after Cross Street at the junction of Cross Street and South Bridge Road, with the street ending at the junction of Chin Swee Road, Havelock Road and Clemenceau Avenue. The street...
. At the start of the street, it houses Telok Ayer Market
Telok Ayer Market
Telok Ayer Market , also known colloquially as Lau Pa Sat , is a historic building in Singapore, and is located in Downtown Core within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district. It is currently a food centre. There are several shops inside the market such as a 24 hours Cheers Store,...
(more commonly known as Lau Pa Sat). A number of landmarks are located on the street including Far East Square and China Square Central.
Etymology and history
The street, one of the oldest streets in Singapore, was built shortly after Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore in 1819, and appeared in Raffles' Town PlanJackson Plan
The Jackson Plan of 1822, also known as the "Plan of the Town of Singapore", was an urban plan for Singapore drawn up to maintain some order in the urban development of the fledgling but thriving colony founded just three years earlier...
of Chinatown.
Cross Street was built in the 1820s and was originally mainly a housing estate for Indian migrant workers, mainly boatmen
Boatman
-Insects:* Lesser water boatman, a water-dwelling insect* Water boatman , types of insect-People named Boatman:* Barny Boatman , English professional poker player* Michael Boatman , American actor...
who and operated shops selling goat's milk, mutton and herbs. The native place names for the street in the past indicate of the dominance of Indians in the area. In the later years, Cross Street was dominated by the Chinese, when Chinatown expanded into Telok Ayer
Telok Ayer
Telok Ayer is a historic district located in Singapore's Chinatown within the Central Business District, straddling the Outram Planning Area and the Downtown Core under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's urban planning zones.-Etymology:...
. In the 1950s until the late 1970s, the street housed a number of Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
stationery
Stationery
Stationery has historically meant a wide gamut of materials: paper and office supplies, writing implements, greeting cards, glue, pencil case etc.-History of stationery:...
and book shops.
The Chinese called this street kiat leng kia koi, or "Kling man's street" (kling is a derogatory local term for Indians). The Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
s called it palkadei sadakku, or "street of the milk shops", while the Malays
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
called it kampong susu or "milk village".
Landmarks
The prominent landmarks along Cross Street (from east to west):- Lau Pa Sat
- City HouseCity HouseCity House is a building over Leeds railway station that was built as British Railways House in 1962. The buildings were, like many other railway buildings in the UK, designed by architect John Poulson. Poulson also designed the Leeds International Swimming Pool...
- Market Street Carpark
- PWC Building
- Far East Square
- Ying Fo Fui KunYing Fo Fui KunYing Fo Fui Kun is a Hakka clan association in Singapore. Its clan house is located at Telok Ayer Street in the Outram Planning Area, within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district....
- China Square Central