“A Coolie Station” 37 Pagoda Street

In mid of 19^th and early 20^th century the coolie labourers were building Singapore. Most of them sailed from southern China to Singapore in overcrowded junks. On their arrival they were old to the highest bidder. The unsold labourers were kept cramped in dimly-lit airless rooms.  The man shared wooden beds and fresh water was an unknown motion. Sickness, violence and opium addiction came along with these conditions. Coolies (also called “piglets” or “ju zai”) were treated like captured animals.

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Pagoda Street was the location of many coolie holding stations. The most widely known amongst them was “Kwong Hup Yuen” situated at 37 Pagoda Street.