Year 1963
National Threatre of Singapore opened
Tuesday, 15th January 1963
The National Theatre of Singapore was opened in 1963 in time for the Southeast Asian Cultural Festival. However, the Theatre last performance was to be 15 January 1984. Where is was to be pull down due to structural issues for the building of an underground expressway.
Justice Wee Choong Jin was appointed Chief Justice
Saturday, 5th January 1963
Justice Wee Choong Jin was the first Asian to hold this appointment since 1867.
First Commonwealth Games gold medal
Monday, 26th November 1962
Singapore won its first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games (in Perth) today when mechanic Chua Phung Kim set three Commonwealth Games records to win the bantamweight weightlifting gold medal. Chua, age 21, set a new record for the Games with a total lift of 710 lb. Chua’s brilliant display made him the first Asian to win a medal at the current Games. In 1976, he contributed to the sport as a coach under the Singapore Amateur Weightlifting Federation until his death in 1990 at the age of 51.
Landslide caused islandwide black out
Wednesday, 24th October 1962
Six huge underground electric cables were damaged in a landslide in front of the old Gillman Barracks in Alexandra Road. The damage caused a five-hour blackout which affected half the island from 9 am. The landslide occurred at a spot where earth work had been going on for the past few weeks. Engineers found all the six 22,000-volt main cables smashed by the impact of the landslide.
First Group Of Lawyers
Sunday, 1st July 1962
22 students from the University of Malaya in Singapore were the first locally-trained law graduates. This pioneering class included Chan Sek Keong (Chief Justice), Professor Tommy Koh (academic-diplomat) and Dr Thio Su Mien (first woman law dean in Singapore).
Bariasan Sosialis Mass Rally
Monday, 18th June 1962
Bariasan Sosialis held a Mass Rally in the Colombo Court Building. Speakers at the rally included Dr. Lee Siew Choh and Dr. Lim Hock Siew.
First Malaysia Grand Prix In Singapore
Monday, 23rd April 1962
The Singapore Grand Prix was renamed to Malaysia Grand Prix by it organiser, the Singapore Motor Club (SMC) and Singapore Ministry of Culture. The Thomson Road street circuit track was widen by a few feet and was completely resurfaced. The "new" and faster track with 14 twisty bends and competitor would have to complete 60 laps. Singapore racer, "Fatso" Yong won the race in his brand new Jaguar E-Type. L.E. Jansz, a teacher from Seremban, was second in his Jaguar E-Type. Tan Ah Bee in his Ford V8 Special came in third.
Changi Prison escape drama
Friday, 8th December 1961
Nine convicts with lead pipes fought a desperate 50-minute battle with prison warders before they were subdued in a dramatic escape bid at Changi Prison today. Five convicts were badly injured in the fight. They were admitted to the General Hospital in serious condition. Two warders were on the dangerously ill list.
School Boycott
Monday, 27th November 1961
A boycott by several hundred students today delayed the Secondary Four examination by an hour. Student pickets waited at gates and approach roads to all 18 examination centres. The boycott was in protest against changes in the Chinese secondary education system. Attendance was lowest in Seh Chuan High School (Bukit Timah Road) where only 11 out of 123 entrants turned up. During the boycott, 30 per cent of the students missed the examination. However, a large number of pupils across the island sat for it.
First Children's Day
Monday, 23rd October 1961
The day chosen for the celebration was Monday 23 October. The date was in keeping with the United Nation's Children's Day which fell on 22 October but since it was a Sunday, the celebration was held the following day, on Monday 23. The Ministry of Education estimated 37,000 school children in Singapore would be celebrating Children's Day for the first time that year. Children's Day was marked as a school holiday.
Major Events 4 People 4 Places 12 Politics 6
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