So you lived in Singapore all your life and you’re familiar with all the origins of how the different places got their names.

Like Bukit Merah, Sisters’ Islands and what have you. But did you know that many of the places that you’re familiar with are named after old British men?

Sure. Come we show you.

1. Outram Park

Hahaha bet you didn’t see that one coming. Outram Park is named after Lieutenant-General Sir James Outram (1803 – 1863), a British general who fought in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was a brave soul who was removed from the Bombay Army for uncovering official corruption in the ranks, and is also the person whom Outram Park is named after.

#2 Havelock Road

So Havelock’s another place which is named after a British dude, Major General Sir Henry Havelock (1795 –1857). And no he was not famous for having lots of locks. He was known as the “Hero of Lucknow” for his military leadership in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Sadly, he died of dysentery soon after. It was possibly a planned move by the city planners to strategically place Havelock near Outram on the map as it was no secret that Sir James Outram had greatly admired the valiant deeds of Sir Henry Havelock.

#3 Clarke Quay

I guess most people don’t know that Clarke Quay is named after anyone because, well, you really don’t think much further than “alcohol” when you hear its name. But seriously, Clarke Quay was named after British Lieutenant General Sir Andrew Clarke (1824 – 1902). The dude was Singapore's second Governor and Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1873 to 1875. Something to think about over your next happy hour drink.

#4 Keppel Harbour

Keppel Harbour was named after Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Keppel (1809 –1904) who came to Singapore and helped to clear the Straits of pirates. And now the Keppel area has expanded to include delightful things, like cafes, condos, cable cars, and Vivo City.

#5 Braddell Road

You probably never wondered who came up with the name “Braddell”. Like why is it pronounced as “Breah-dle” instead of “Bra- dell”. Well, the reason is because it’s an Irish name belonging to one Sir Thomas Braddell (1823–1891), an Irish lawyer and the first Attorney-General of the British Colony of Singapore. So now you know.

#6 Clementi

Clementi, one of the major heartlands in Singapore, is not named after some song we learned in primary school music class (Does “Oh my darling Clementine” ring a bell?). Clementi got its name from Sir Cecil Clementi Smith (1840 – 1916), the first British High Commissioner in the Straits Settlements.

He was a very popular Governor in Singapore, being well known for his part in controlling secret societies in Singapore. Sadly, his contributions still remain quite secretive, even though there’s a huge hub, interchange, and mall named after him.

#7 Dempsey Hill

Wah look this one is in colour!!

I was very confused when I first heard of Dempsey Hill. Like what sort of name is Dempsey? What happened to good old fashioned Bukit Timah man? So Dempsey Hill is named after British Lieutenant-General Miles Christopher Dempsey (1896 – 1969). Going by the nickname “Lucky”, or “Bimbo”, Miles was the General Officer commanding the Malaya Command headquartered in Singapore in 1945.

Not such a lucky or bimbotic job if you ask me.

#8 Ridout

Home to the famous 24-Hour Ridout Tea Gardens McDonalds! Bet you were wondering why there was no “e” in Ridout. Well, that’s because the British dude the place is named after didn’t have an “e” in his surname. Major-General Sir Dudley Howard Ridout (1866 – 1941) was General Officer Commanding the Troops in the Straits Settlements and a member of the Executive and Legislative Councils in Singapore from 1915 to 1921. And now associated with an American fast food forever more.

(Sorry I cannot find a picture of Sir Dudley Ridout. Please feel free to send in pictures of him if you can find any).

#9 Nicoll Highway

Note: He’s the dude on the left.

The infamous Nicoll Highway is named after, not your girlfriend Nicole, but Sir John Fearns Nicoll (1899 - 1981), Governor of Singapore from 1952 to 1955. Sir Nicoll had a fun time while he was here until we scared him back to the UK with the 1954 National Service riots.

#10 Anson Road

Who would have thought that Anson Road, would be named after a British guy! Major-General Sir Archibald Edward Harbord Anson (1826 –1925) was the Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1879 to 1880. He would be proud to know that the street that is named after him is now filled with Korean fried chicken restaurants, bars, and other cool and trendy eateries.

There are plenty of other places that are named after British dudes who served in Singapore aeons ago, but their photos are either: 1) not available online, or 2) have some copyright laws surrounding them. Ang Mo Kio, however, is ironically not one of them.

So were you taken by surprise by the Ang Moh origins of the names of some of these places?

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