A 300 feet long counter in this Historic Building
While we enjoying the sun-ray casting down through the skylight bringing down joy of the day and a smile splashing over high tea set in this Jade Restaurant. Do you have the thoughts of the nostalgic past of this General Post Office ever emerge your mind?
With thousands of incoming and outgoing mails waving at us a day, the human flow of this post office is no doubt, self-generating.
The now Fullerton Hotel was built in 1928, it was a General Post Office then. The post office was converted into a hotel in 2001 under the URA conservation plan.
In the past, postal counters used to stretch from one counter to the other. It took up to a 300 feet long, and was reputed to be the longest counter in Southeast Asia. The current location of the Jade Restaurant took the place of the former but with a very different ambience all in all.
This is a scene of a new stamp issue on 9th July 1972. The picture show a large crowd buying postage at the counters while others are affixing stamps on their ready mails.
The architectural elements of this historic building speak a story of its own early days, and it keeps going. No one can ever stop it…
March 5, 2013 at 12:21 am
amazing architecture. Great story. That’s what great about old things. The history. 🙂
March 5, 2013 at 12:24 am
Wow! You are really a fast reader!
Thanks, Karen! 🙂
March 5, 2013 at 3:54 am
Thank you for passing by.
March 5, 2013 at 9:14 pm
You are welcome! Your jokes always make my day! 🙂
March 5, 2013 at 11:52 am
Great post, Sydney. I love the contrast between the old photos of the post office and the new one of the Jade Restaurant. Very interesting.
Cathy
March 5, 2013 at 9:21 pm
Thanks, cathy! Yes, contrasting between black n white and color, give a new life to the story! 🙂
March 5, 2013 at 2:54 pm
I was impressed to read the counter length.
I second the Cathy Ulrich’s comment
March 5, 2013 at 10:46 pm
Yes, is amazing! 🙂
March 5, 2013 at 3:25 pm
The symmetrical rectangles stand out. Very nice architecture.
March 5, 2013 at 10:46 pm
Thanks! 🙂
March 5, 2013 at 9:16 pm
Love the history behind this beautiful restaurant. Thanks for sharing those old photos. Wonderful glimpse into the past. 🙂
March 5, 2013 at 10:49 pm
🙂
March 6, 2013 at 9:36 am
Unless you told me the two places were in the same location, I would never have guessed it. Amazing! I hope they display the photos somewhere in the building so contemporary visitors can see what it used to look like. Thanks for sharing this!
March 6, 2013 at 1:03 pm
Yes, those pictures were hanging on the wall! But I believe not many people notice the story behind! 😦
March 6, 2013 at 9:53 pm
Yes! A wonderful story and a wonderful building! Too many people, towns and cities are too eager to tear down the old, rip out the heart of history and the memories of those who lived it, and then erect the newest and the soulless. I am one of those who also feels strongly not just about the structures but the empty spaces between the structures. Alas, those, too, are sacrificed every day for more, more, more. Thanks for visiting me at Be Whole Now, Sydney. Whenever I see your name, I also picture your smiling face!
March 6, 2013 at 11:37 pm
Rachel, thanks for sharing your thought with me!
I feel the most heart drop, is when I see forest tear down just to scarifies for the developing of the economy! 😦
But lucky enough, this is one the historic building being conserved by the Authority.
I’m so glad to see and share with the world this lovely story!
Thanks for your appreciation and have a nice day! 🙂
March 8, 2013 at 11:17 am
where you get those old picture? nice.
March 8, 2013 at 9:44 pm
Is hang on the Hotel Fullerton’s wall. 🙂
March 8, 2013 at 9:50 pm
ooo. i see. they keep its historical picture