Somewhere near Bouna Vista lies a peaceful and greenery-filled neigbourhood known as Wessex Estate. The old colonial-styled estate houses a total of 26 white and black low-lying blocks that were built more than 50 years ago.
These distinctive colonial apartments used to be the homes of British soldiers and their families from the fifties to the early seventies.
Today, with the government keen in developing this area as a focus for arts and design, some of the buildings are leased out to local and foreign artists, architects and creative designers.
Opposite of Portsdown, separated by the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), is another similar estate with many colonial houses, mostly for residential uses. The estate is situated beside the Hort Park.
There is a famous eating house in Portsdown known as Colbar (short form for Colonial Bar).
It was first built in 1953 at nearby Jalan Hang Jebat, and started off as a canteen to serve the British military soldiers who lived in Wessex Estate. The canteen has survived over the decades, and expatriates have gradually become its main customers after the British withdrew from Singapore in the late sixties.
In 2003, Colbar shifted to Whitchurch Road to continue serving the masses with its signature dishes in chicken chop and curry chicken.
Other similar estates in Singapore include Dempsey, Rochester Park and Seletar Camp. Dempsey and Rochester Park have transformed into high end food and beverage heavens whereas part of Seletar Camp is being reserved for the new Aerospace Hub.
Seletar Camp, popular for its peaceful and bucolic feel, currently has dozens of similar black-and-white colonial-styled bungalows leased to locals as well as expatriates.
The camp was completed by the British in 1928, as a means of air travel and air defense for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The name “Seletar” refers to the aboriginal tribes who lived along the coastal regions near the Johor Straits.
After 2006, the camp became increasingly affected by the rapid development of the Aerospace Hub, where almost half of the 378 original colonial houses have been identified to be demolished to give way to the new facilities.
Many of the houses bounded by Park Lane and Hyde Park Gate, now under Jurong Town Corporation (JTC), are left empty and awaiting for demolition. The conditions of these beautiful black and white houses are still in good shape.
There are also three huge mansions at Park Lane, one of which was the clubhouse. The clubhouse had many facilities, including a large swimming pool. It is unknown whether the other two mansions were formerly of residential use or other purposes. The designs of these mansions look to be a mixture of colonial and Malay flavours, with many pillars added to the first level of the buildings, much like a Malay attap house standing on stilts.
Fortunately for now, the houses at Mornington Crescent, Lambeth Walk and Maida Vale are spared from the modernisation. However, it remains unsure whether these occupied houses will be demolished after their leases expire in a few years’ time. The Aerospace Hub is expected to be completed in 2018.
The Seletar Base Golf Course was built as a golf club for the British personnel in 1930. The National Sports Promotion Board (NSPB) took over the course in 1971 after the British Forces withdrew from Singapore, renamed it as Seletar Country Club. When the club moved to Lower Pierce Reservoir in 1995, the course became one of the few golf courses open to public. It had also shut down due to the development of the area.
Like the former British Air Base at Seletar, there are also many classic black and white colonial houses at the former British Naval Base at Sembawang (now Sembawang Shipyard). About two dozens of the houses are scattered around Malta Crescent, Gibraltar Crescent, King’s Avenue and Queen’s Avenue.
While most of the houses are occupied and well-maintained, some are in poor conditions. Just a short distance away from the century-old Beaulieu House (now a restaurant) and the Sembawang Jetty, it is a serene and quiet environment for the current residents here.
Published: 13 December 2010
Updated: 08 April 2012
Sadly most of these houses are not under conservation…And the high rent is chasing the earlier tenants – the families, singles and artists – out and replaced by regular folks with loads of money
Was living at Warwick road during the late 90s. Love the tranquillity, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Walking along the railway towards Hang Jebat mosque, just for a bowl of yummy chicken curry. Any idea are those colonial houses at Portsdown and Warwick still exist?
Yep, they are still around.. Many artists and designers rent the houses as home+offices
yes warwick still exist i just went around there
I didn’t know my wife (Jesse) also subscribe to this wonderful blog! Hi Jc?
Yes, beautiful memories of Warwick Road, love the place…
Wonder where Gopi and Smoggy is now..
I lived at 1 Lancaster Gate fron 1968/1971 and have happy memopries of the camp. I went back on 2007 and saw the bungalow which had been modernised but didn’;t have the courage to knock on the door and speak to the occupants. Went back again 2009 and sadly much of the camp as I knew it was being demolished.
Hope to make one more visit during 2012 as have friends who were and still are trading in Jalan Kayu.
Sadly,what was the home and community for thousands of serviceman and their families is almost beyond recognition.
A little off topic here but, does anyone know anything about the bungalow on top of bukit timah hill?
Hi Nick, I went up to the summit of Bukit Timah Hill but I did not notice any bungalow there.
I saw a old house on the summit but was use by the telco for communication but I’m not sure if it is the bungalow you are referring to.
This telecom building is located near the summit
it looks really interesting, would love to visit somedays.
HI, What a lovely lot of nostalgic pictures to look at. I lived at RAF Seletar in 1960-62 and we moved on to the camp to live at 8, The Oval. I revisited there about four years ago, the year of the 1st grand prix, and it was lovely to be able to see our lovely bungalow. Very happy childhood memories. My Dad was a teacher at the RAF Seletar junior school.
i was serving my national service at school of manpower training in seletar camp. this was where we were trained to type using manual typewriters. there was a encik(warrant officer) who shouted at trainees(like myself) as “baboons”. he has since retired and is now a grassroot leader in sembawang/nee soon grc.
I’m lucky enough to be the current resident of the house pictured above as Sembawang house 3. It is indeed a wonderful, serene area of Singapore – I appreciate the beauty every single day. There are also many more of the black and white bungalows on and around Canada Road across the main Admiralty Road East from the shipyard. Interestingly enough the house opposite mine is known as the old Khatib mess, see:
http://pictures.nl.sg/434399a2-6e75-486d-8639-245949e7638e.aspx
for photo.
Thank you for your lovely website and I must get to the hot spring – it’s been on my to-do-list forever!
Hi! Abigail,
I once came acrossed the petrol car and officers petrolling the area, the petrol car and the uniforms they wore do not look like the normal police officers we usually see. Just out of curiosity, are they under different forces? or they are a special unit for the area?
I thought the colonial houses were detached houses that people were living in! There is also colonial houses near Changi Village. I went on a small road through many of those houses and I thought that would lead to the Old Changi Hospital!
Occupant of 14 Knights Bridge here from 1970s to 1994.
I loved my childhood life. Sadly the house has been demolished. 
Please do not call the concrete and brick houses “Black & White” The black paint was only added after they were transferred to Singapore civilian ownership in the ’70s and were then let to the public. Strictly, the term black and white should only apply to those house with significant timber in their construction. The timber was painted black to help resist termites
Thanks…
most of the colonial houses at Seletar, Sembawang and Portsdown are built in concrete and bricks, which means there aren’t many Black and White houses left in Singapore
I would welcome debate on the term “Black & White”.
In my recollection, none of the brick and concrete houses such as at Portsdown Road, Rochester Park, Medway Park and so on had any black paint when they were British military quarters. I believe that the black paint was an addition, a marketing ploy, of the various government agencies entrusted with these properties and their immensely valuable land bank, since independence. At first the rents were very low but in time some of them became popular with Singaporeans and the rents began to rise.
I believe that the term “Black & White” should apply strictly to houses with a significant amount of timber in their construction. Such houses are to be found in Alexandra, Tanglin, off Scotts Road and behind Dunearn Road and elsewhere. Many were built as quarters for military and administrative officers of the colonial government
Peter Dunlop, that’s very interesting and pertinent info! Thanks a lot! Now i understand why there are so many so called “Black and White Bungalows” in unexpected areas of Singapore – it’s cos they aren’t REALLY colonial B&W houses!!! And yes, what you say about it being a marketing ploy is sooooooooooo true!! Thanks for opening my eyes!
Hi,
I’ve been living in a colonial bungalow in seletar camp since 1994 to 2008. Had a wonderful time there. Can anyone tell me when were the houses at Warwick road built? Were they built the same time as Ports down road colonial houses?
We lived in Montreal Rd a the Naval Base (Woodlands) from 1971-1974. Dad was with the RAF.
We had also lived at Changi, on the Chip Bee estate and Krangi.
There is a colonial-styled house along Alexandra Road, left vacant for several years… Anyone has info of this abandoned house?
some of the old colonial houses are very visually interesting and I’m looking for an abandoned one for filming of a short film. Anyone has good suggestions and how do I go about applying for the permission to shoot the short film at the place?
Hi, I just lived in 202 Lagos Circle at Sembawang after a stint working with the MoD.
Hello there! Just wondering if you know any infomartion about this bungalow at Thomson Rd. It is visible from PIE toward Changi entering from Thomson. It has a driveway uphill leading to the main building. When i was walking pass, i could see there were some birds, not sure if its a hen, along with 3 or 4 of its chicks at following foraging near d grassy area. I really had that old school kampong feeling. Really curious about the current owner and what it used to be. I saw a sign “Europa Country Club” but the guard said that its a private property and there is no entry.