National Library Stone Layed

Saturday, 15th August 1953

Mr. Lee Kong Chian, a renowned Chinese community leader and philanthropist, laid the foundation stone the National Library at Fort Canning project. Lee Kong Chian, offered S$350,000 towards the founding of the first free public library in Singapore on condition that vernacular languages were promoted and encouraged in the public arena. The British government accepted the offer and began demolishing the old St Andrew's Chapel and the British Council Hall sited at the foot of Fort Canning Hill along Stamford Road to make way for the new library.

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