In Dutch hands - Singapore
In Dutch hands
More than a year after the Japanese surrender in 1945, the house at 23 Ridout Road became the official residence of the Dutch chef de poste in Singapore.
Before the war, the Consul General had always stayed at big rented properties close to Botanic Gardens. It was probably via the famous Cathay cinema founder Loke Wan Tho, who’d bought the Geddes’ house a few months before, that the consulate got hold of this house in 1946 for 100.000 Malayan dollars. While in 1946 the Consul General was busy rebuilding the consulate – most former staff members had died in a plane crash during the war – and repatriating Dutch civilians from the former Dutch East Indies, the wife of his colleague was so kind to write a report on the house that was send to the Hague.
She was rather positive on the ‘modern’ house with ‘pleasing’ effect of the brick arches. Especially the main bedroom caught her attention, as “a lovely room, greatly enhanced by attractive modern furniture” like mirrors, tables and cupboards that the former inhabitants had left behind. As for the capacity, she estimated that, with the veranda and terrace “it should be possible to entertain approximately 200-300 people at cocktail parties”. And indeed, when in 1948 the next Consul General and his wife hosted a reception to celebrate Queen Wilhelmina’s Golden Jubilee and Queen Juliana’s ascension to the throne, around 200 people attended. It was here, amidst tulip decorations and royal portraits, that the Governor of Singapore, sir Franklin Gimson, proposed a toast to the new queen.
Dutch Prime Minister Lubbers (right) meeting the staff of the Embassy during a reception hosted by Ambassador D.H.M. baron Speyart van Woerden and his wife, 1991
According to the Ambassador in 1971 the house was most pleasing, but had too little bedrooms, the dining room and reception area were too small and the garden was beautiful but, because of the height differences, it could hardly be used. But instead of buying something else that would house both residence and Embassy, as was suggested, the residence got renovated and extended with a swimming pool and air-conditioned glass pavilion. From now on, most events took place in there. In case of really big events – like the reception in honour of Dutch Prime Minister R.F.M. Lubbers in 1991 – the cook and housekeeper got help from the Dutch Club’s staff. The Ambassador’s driver managed the traffic flow on the driveway and the parking along the road.
In the 1990s, the former driver’s room on top of the garage – that was hardly used by him – became a guestroom. It was here that the Nigerian wife of businessman Johannes van Damme, whose execution because of drug trafficking in 1994 temporarily brought a ‘grey veil’ over the diplomatic ties, stayed while saying goodbye to her husband. Later on, the guestroom got frequented by visiting Dutch musicians and artists – like Rian de Waal and Corstiaan de Vries – who sometimes gave a small concert or show in the residence itself too. Today still, the former driver’s room has this cultural function. Meanwhile, the glass pavilion at the back of the residence gave way to the present open pavilion, that mimics the brick arches that give this architectural heritage such a Dutch feel.