Episode Details

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. Kan Seng Chut joined the Singapore Harbour Board’s apprentice programme in 1962 as locals began to replace the expatriate engineers. He talks about his determination to become the chief engineer of a ship and the challenges of working on a ship at sea, such as friction with engineers of other dialect groups such as the Hainanese (he is Cantonese). He explains how one can gain the all-crucial ‘feel’ of the engine from years of sailing.

Part 1 | https://youtu.be/0uBWysUostU

Part 2 | https://youtu.be/dDXJqIZEsnU

Part 3 | https://youtu.be/F877qyiKwWA

00:00 Introduction

01:54 My Family & Career

11:14 To Become a Chief Engineer

15:14 Singapore Harbour Board

22:02 My First Ship

31:27 The Hainanese ‘Gang’

37:28 Challenges for Marine Engineers

43:59 The Longsai

50:08 Feel of the Engine

Welcome to Chronicles of Old Singapore. This is Dr Loh KS, the people’s historian, and I speak to people on their memories of Singapore before it became a global city.

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Write to lkshis@gmail.com if you have any of these stories:

• Old places or kampongs.

• Communities – their way of life & culture.

• Childhood & schools.

• Work or business.

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