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| 3458 Boat Quay on Singapore River with OCBC Centre in background |
The Singapore River is approximately 3.2 kilometers long, runs parallel to Alexandra Road, through Singapore's central business district, and feeds into the Marina Reservoir in the southern part of the city. At one time, Singapore River was the very lifeblood of the colony, the trade artery, the center of commercial activity, the heart of entrepot trade, and the vessel of importance. Some parts of this area include quays such as Boat Quay, situated upstream from the mouth of the river.
Boat Quay itself was handling three quarters of the shipping service in the 1860s. Shophouses and warehouses flourished around the quays due to their proximity to trade during the colonial era, but presently house various bars, pubs and restaurants, as well as old shops. Its decline began in the 1960s, as mechanisation and computerisation gradually usurped the bumboat's role in the shipping industry. During the mid-1980s, after all the trading companies had moved out and the lighters removed, Boat Quay was devoid of activity, with the river deserted.
In the background can be seen OCBC Centre, a 197.7 m, 52-storey skyscraper completed in 1976. It was the tallest building in the country, and South East Asia, at that time. The building, an example of Brutalist architecture, a popular style in the 1970s, was designed by I. M. Pei & Partners together with now defunct BEP Akitek (Pte) Singapore. It is designed to be a symbol of strength and permanence, and its structure consists of two semi-circular reinforced concrete cores as well as three lateral girders which helped make construction faster.
About the stamps
The first stamp is part of the series issued on August 9, 1984 to mark The 25th Anniversary of Autonomous State.
• 1970 - National Day stamp (0.10 SGD) - It's on the postcard 3458
• 1981 - "Sports for All" stamp (0.35 SGD)
• 1969 - 100 000 Homes for the People stamp (0.50 SGD)
• 1976 - Wayside Trees stamp (0.75 SGD)
• 1981 - Opening of Changi Airport stamp (1.00 SGD)
• 1981 - Monetary Authority stamp (2.00 SGD)
The second stamp is part of the series Singapore Skyline, issued on February 25, 1987.
• Orchard Road (0.10 SGD)
• Central Business District (0.50 SGD) - It's on the postcard 3458
• Marina Centre & Raffles City (0.75 SGD)
References
Boat Quay - Wikipedia
OCBC Centre - Wikipedia
Sender: Pumipat
Sent from Singapore, on 24.02.2020
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