In addition to my Instagram post about this historical place, here is additional information (included with information from Instagram).
This house, which is now used as AMITY Global Institute, is the only “Four Grand Mansions” that stands today. It was built by businessmen, or referred to as Teochew Towkays, in the late 1800s, making the building an example of traditional Teochew architecture. This stunning architecture was a monument for not only early Chinese immigrants, but also occupants who committed to the welfare of SG residents. Tan Yeok Nee, who was the owner of the house, was one of the wealthiest man (Teochew merchant) and worked as a textile paddler and in different businesses and farms. For more information, check out my blogpost on this place! The house was built with a belief held: to help attract wealth and ward off the evil. According to Roots.sg, “the house had its back against Oxley Hill and a stream (present-day Stamford Canal) flowed in front of it, across the low-lying grounds of Dhoby Ghaut.” In 1938, the residence, after Tan Yeok Nee moved out, was taken by the Malayan headquarters of Salvation Army, who made it into an organization , founded in 1865 by London-based Christian organization, to help the underprivileged. In 1942, the mansion was taken control by Japanese, and was damaged by bombs, used by storage space by Japanese, and looted. It was after WWII when they started to restore the mansion and turn it into a Salvation Army; however, the Salvation Army has relocated and is not part of the mansion anymore.
