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Adelphi Hotel
By Marsita Omar written on 2006-04-07
National Library Board Singapore
Comments on article: InfopediaTalk
The Adelphi Hotel was first established in possibly
Commercial Square (Raffles Place) in 1863. The hotel grew and
it moved to High Street and then to Coleman Street. The hotel
became one of the principal hotels in Singapore in the late
19th century, together with Raffles Hotel, Hotel de
L'Europe and Hotel de La Paix. On 25 June 1973, the
hotel had their grand farewell to mark the last day of the
hotel's operation. The Adelphi Complex (1985) now
occupies the site.
History
The Adelphi Hotel started operations in 1863 possibly in Commercial Square but when the premises could not cope with the hotel's growing business, the hotel shifted to High Street. It moved again, to Number 3 Coleman Street, the residence of Singapore's first-trained architect, George Drumgoole Coleman. The hotel was still housed at this location in the 1870s. In the 1880s, it moved to Numbers 1 and 2 Coleman Street, on the corner of North Bridge Road.
Around 1904, Messrs Sarkies, Johannes & Co. purchased the property and improved the small hotel beyond recognition. It was entirely rebuilt with a dining hall that could seat 400. There were 100 bedrooms with bathrooms attached and even a tennis court. The Billiard Room and the Reading Room on the ground floor were paved with white marble giving it a splendid effect for coolness and cleanliness. Adelphi became one of the 8 major hotels at the turn of the century, in the same league as Raffles Hotel, which opened, in 1887. The Adelphi Hotel was also the place where General Yamashita met with Singapore's 400 community leaders, the first direct contact with Singaporeans in a bid to get their confidence in the new regime. During the Japanese Occupation, the Adelphi Hotel was renamed the Nanto Hotel.
Closing Chapter
After serving for 110 years, the Adelphi Hotel closed in 1973. On the last day, 25 June 1973, the hotel had a grand farewell party at its premises. The hotel's management made a nice gesture for proceeds from that night went to the Singapore Cheshire Home for the handicapped. The closing of the three-storey Adelphi Hotel marked the closing of Singapore's oldest hotel. The historical building was demolished in 1980. The Adelphi Complex, a less impressive 10-storey hotel-shopping-cum-office block, built in 1985 now stands on the site of the old Adelphi Hotel.
The demolition of such a historic landmark invited suggestions that it was not necessary. What was done to preserve Raffles Hotel could have been applied to the Adelphi Hotel and that Singapore's oldest hotel could have been saved. Adding modern wings to the original building could have been an option.
Author
Marsita Omar
References
Beamish, J., & Ferguson, J. (1985). A history of Singapore architecture (p 36). Singapore: Graham Brash.
History
The Adelphi Hotel started operations in 1863 possibly in Commercial Square but when the premises could not cope with the hotel's growing business, the hotel shifted to High Street. It moved again, to Number 3 Coleman Street, the residence of Singapore's first-trained architect, George Drumgoole Coleman. The hotel was still housed at this location in the 1870s. In the 1880s, it moved to Numbers 1 and 2 Coleman Street, on the corner of North Bridge Road.
Around 1904, Messrs Sarkies, Johannes & Co. purchased the property and improved the small hotel beyond recognition. It was entirely rebuilt with a dining hall that could seat 400. There were 100 bedrooms with bathrooms attached and even a tennis court. The Billiard Room and the Reading Room on the ground floor were paved with white marble giving it a splendid effect for coolness and cleanliness. Adelphi became one of the 8 major hotels at the turn of the century, in the same league as Raffles Hotel, which opened, in 1887. The Adelphi Hotel was also the place where General Yamashita met with Singapore's 400 community leaders, the first direct contact with Singaporeans in a bid to get their confidence in the new regime. During the Japanese Occupation, the Adelphi Hotel was renamed the Nanto Hotel.
Closing Chapter
After serving for 110 years, the Adelphi Hotel closed in 1973. On the last day, 25 June 1973, the hotel had a grand farewell party at its premises. The hotel's management made a nice gesture for proceeds from that night went to the Singapore Cheshire Home for the handicapped. The closing of the three-storey Adelphi Hotel marked the closing of Singapore's oldest hotel. The historical building was demolished in 1980. The Adelphi Complex, a less impressive 10-storey hotel-shopping-cum-office block, built in 1985 now stands on the site of the old Adelphi Hotel.
The demolition of such a historic landmark invited suggestions that it was not necessary. What was done to preserve Raffles Hotel could have been applied to the Adelphi Hotel and that Singapore's oldest hotel could have been saved. Adding modern wings to the original building could have been an option.
Author
Marsita Omar
References
Beamish, J., & Ferguson, J. (1985). A history of Singapore architecture (p 36). Singapore: Graham Brash.
(Call no.: RSING 722.4095957 BEA)
Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1988). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets, places (p. 369). Singapore: Times Books International.
Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1988). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets, places (p. 369). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: R SING 915.957 EDW- [TRA])
Liu, G. (1999). Singapore, a pictorial history 1819-2000 (p. 123). Singapore: Archipelago Press in association with the National Heritage Board.
Liu, G. (1999). Singapore, a pictorial history 1819-2000 (p. 123). Singapore: Archipelago Press in association with the National Heritage Board.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 LIU-[HIS])
Turnbull, C.M. (1996). A history of Singapore: 1819-1988 (p. 197). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
Turnbull, C.M. (1996). A history of Singapore: 1819-1988 (p. 197). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 TUR)
Tyers, R. K. (1993). Ray Tyers' Singapore: Then and now (p. 48). Singapore: Landmark Books.
Tyers, R. K. (1993). Ray Tyers' Singapore: Then and now (p. 48). Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 TYE-[HIS]).
Chen, A. (1990, April 1). Our lost treasures. The Sunday Times, Sunday Plus, p. 2.
Yarvin, N. (1996, April 26). The Japanese occupation of Singapore (CDB100620). Retrieved March 29, 2006, from yarchive.net/mil/singapore_japanese_occupation.html
List of Images
Chen, A. (1990, April 1). Our lost treasures. The Sunday Times, Sunday Plus, p. 2.
Yarvin, N. (1996, April 26). The Japanese occupation of Singapore (CDB100620). Retrieved March 29, 2006, from yarchive.net/mil/singapore_japanese_occupation.html
List of Images
Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1988). Singapore: A guide to
buildings, streets, places (p. 369). Singapore: Times
Books International.
(Call no.: R SING 915.957 EDW- [TRA])
Liu, G. (1999). Singapore, a pictorial history 1819-2000 (p. 123). Singapore: Archipelago Press in association with the National Heritage Board.
Liu, G. (1999). Singapore, a pictorial history 1819-2000 (p. 123). Singapore: Archipelago Press in association with the National Heritage Board.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 LIU-[HIS])
Tyers, R. K. (1993). Ray Tyers' Singapore: Then and now (p. 48). Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 TYE-[HIS])Tyers, R. K. (1993). Ray Tyers' Singapore: Then and now (p. 48). Singapore: Landmark Books.
The information in this article is valid as at 2005 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
Subject
Architecture and Landscape>>Building Types>>Historic Buildings
Hotels--Singapore
Arts>>Architecture>>Public and commercial buildings
All Rights Reserved. National Library Board Singapore 2004.
