Year 1958

Secondary Schools Entrance Examination Paper Leaked

Thursday, 6th November 1958

About 15,000 students who sat for the English secondary schools entrance examination here this week would have to take a new exam because of a leakage. Rumours of leakages and sale of papers for prices, variously fixed at $50 and $100 each, reached the Ministry of Education, before the examination started. It was on the second day of the exam that the Ministry became convinced there had been a leakage. The police were called in to investigate the leakage. Preliminary findings from the Education Ministry suggested there was leakage in all the subjects.


Heavy Rain Brought Flood to Henderson Road District

Monday, 3rd November 1958

More than 1,000 people were fed by the Social Welfare Department after widespread floods hit various parts of Singapore today. Hardest hit was the Henderson Road and Red Hill District, where hundreds of attap houses were flooded, making cooking and eating impossible. More than two inches of rain fell in Singapore between 11 am and 2 pm. At least one life was lost – that of a boy, who was swept down a monsoon drain. In 1954, a similar incident happened in Tiong Bahru Area.


Christmas Island was detached from Singapore

Wednesday, 1st October 1958

Christmas Island was detached from Singapore with Singapore's independence imminent. The British Government transferred Christmas Island to Australia. This day is celebrated on Christmas Island as "Territory Day". Singapore was given 2.9 million pounds (S$20 million) as compensation.


Fitzpatrick's Opened Its Door

Saturday, 9th August 1958

Fitzpatrick's Supermarket Singapore's first supermarket was officially opened in Orchard Road. It was estimated that it costed the company, Fitzpatrick's Food Supplies (Far East) Limited, a total of $1.25 million to build. The build was fully air-conditioned with a parking space for 200 cars behind the 4-storey building. The barrel vault roof was designed by Steen Sehested and Partners which provided a column-free shopping space.