Jalan Besar

Jalan Besar (literally Malay for "large road", but taken to mean "Main Road") is a street in the northeastern part of the Central Area in Singapore, which is its central business district. The street itself falls under the Kallang urban planning area in the context of the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Etymology and history

Jalan Besar only appeared in the 1880s, when the Municipality constructed it through nipah land and called it Jalan Besar, meaning "big or wide road" in Malay.

The area belonged to Richard Owen Norris from the 1830s to 1865, before he moved to Paya Lebar. Later, Syed Allie (1814-1858) bought 70 acres of land in this area and filled in what was predominantly swamp land.

The site where Beatty School was and the HDB flats are was a big expanse of open ground. A rubber factory stood on the field, and another in Kitchener Road. The place was full of snipes and a favourite haunt of hunters.

The other side of Jalan Besar between Lavender Street and Syed Alwi Road was swamp land. Flying ducks, snipe, fish, mud lobsters and multi-coloured snakes thrived there. The area was slowly reclaimed by dumping refuse. In 1923, the New World Amusement Park located off Jalan Besar was opened by the enterprising sons of Ong Sam Leong (after whom nearby Sam Leong Road is named), Peng Hock and Boon Tat.