This tread is delicate to all ex Kim Jio Kah residents, business owners/ hawkers, WLs, members of civil service, members of organize society, temple personel and customers.
Jalan Besar was a swamp land owned by both Richard Owen Norris (1830s~1865) and Syed Allie (1814~1858). Later in the 1920s, the then-swampland Jalan Besar was filled in with incinerator ash from Singapore's first incinerator built in the present Syed Alwi Road.
In 1926, the Municipal Council decided to name the newly opened roads after WWI personalities and battle-sites of the European conflict so as to remind the then-colony of Singapore of the conflicts in Europe. That’s how Flanders, Marne, Somme, Petain, Sturdee, Beatty and Kitchener get its name.
This starts a beginning of a new kampong settlement. The villagers began to grow Banana Trees and slowly the village emerges as a Banana Tree Plantation known as ‘Kim Jio Kah’ (Banana Roots).
The villagers whom cluster around the present day City Square Mall mark the early day FL Brothel. They built wooden partition cubicles in their own wooden hut hopping to earn extras. These cubicles were rented to WL who wanted to keep low-profile. These WLs were ex KS house WL or massage girl whom have aged, dance hostess or lah sa (dirty) bar hostess who didn’t promote to mamasan and housewives. The customers are low profile people (and some schoolboys) seeking discreet fun.
(Take note, KS became Kim Jio Kah style after GL took over. Before 90s, KTV niteclub didn’t exist. It was restaurant/ dance floor niteclub and lah sa bar.)
Milestone of the 1920s:
1) In 1923, New World Amusement Park located off Jalan Besar was opened by the enterprising sons of Ong Sam Leong (after who nearby Sam Leong Road is named), Peng Hock and Boon Tat. This is the present day barricaded area opposite (H18~30) and behind H57 Far Kor Sun Monkey God Temple.
2) Rubber factory was set-up in present day Sturdee Road empty plot diagonal to present day Kerrisdale condominium.
3) Rubber factory was set-up in the present day City Square Ressidence.
4) Beatty School was set-up at the present day SINDA.
Milestone of the 1970s:
1) Wooden hut brothel and resident was wiped out during a fire at present day City Square Mall.
2) Brothel was relocated to the opposite side of the old drain at the present day Flanders Square and Marne Road.
3) Residents were resettled in 1room HDB flat Blk21 at the present day Somme Park in-front of Kitchener Link and next to City Square Residence.
4) HDB carpark was built in the present day barricaded empty plot in-between Kitchener Link and Flanders Square.
5) URA carpark at Studio @ Marne and infront of H57 Far Kor Sun Monkey God Temple was built.
6) URA parking lots were drawn on Petian Road WWI heritage houses No2~44 Petian Road and Flanders Square. Except Marne Road.
Milestone of the 1980s:
1) In 1987, New World Amusement Park ceases business.
Milestone of the 1990s:
1) Raw and out calls slowly fade away as the DSC joint Anti Vice (present day Specialized Crime) yellow card system come into action in discreet. Kim Jio Kah became a discreetly gazette RLD.
2) Singapore WLs slowly fade away as the country became more prosper,
3) Blk21 and the HDB carpark was enbloc and barricaded.
4) WWI houses No2~44 Petain Road become a national heritage to be preserved.
5) Kim Jio Kah appears in a book ‘No Money No Honey’ written by David Brazil.
6) In 1999, Kim Jio Kah appears in the former Sammyboy forum using HTML1.0.
Milestone of the 2000s:
1) Illegal immigrants were found in barricaded Blk 21. Blk 21 was tear-down around 2003.
2) The pleasure toy/ enhancement drug uncle at the back alley share with Flanders Square and Marne Road ceases business after been arrested.
3) Kerrisdale condominium joins Kim Jio Kah.
4) Police CCTV was installed on one of the lamppost at Flanders Square.
5) In 2004, Kim Jio Kah appears as the present Sammyboy Forum using HTML3.0.
6) Around 2006, the last Banana Tree was removed and gave way to the new City Square Mall and City Square Residence.
7) In 2006, the Datok Kong Shrine that bless many WL was shifted to the outside left of H57 Far Kor Sun Monkey God Temple because the drain at H30 become a covered curb side pavement for the new road Kitchener Link. This stopped everyone from irritating until the drain railing corroded to noting. Kim Jio Kah was no longer discreet after the construction of Kitchener Link and City Square Mall.
8) In 2007, the heritage main gate New World Amusement Park was shifted to become the main gate of the present City Square Mall.
9) Somme Park was built on the former Blk 21.
10) Ex GL house WL joins Kim Jio Kah FL house WL through the connection of H26R14 (H7R9L1) Pauline and a member of GL organize society with members Kim Jio Kah organize society.
11) Kim Jio Kah organize society members retires after not been able to protect residents of Kim Jio Kah after the murder of Coco (ex Gigi of H30R5).
12) After the late Coco case, CCTV was required in the houses.
13) Studio @ Marne shoebox apartment joins Kim Jio Kah.
14) Residence @ Somme shoebox apartment in No3 Somme Road joins Kim Jio Kah.
15) Parc Somme shoebox apartment in No62 Somme Road joins Kim Jio Kah.
16) In between the even no. hse 2~16 of Flanders Sq & all odd no. hse of Marne Rd; the used to be canvas to keep everyone away from rain or shine are gone.
Milestone of the 2010s:
1) Odd number houses (except H57 Far Kor Sun Monkey God Temple) on Marne Road were enbloc by private developer for the new The Citron Residence shoebox apartment project. The new address is 1 Marne Road.
2) During the enbloc, H7 Phra Phom (Four Face Buddha) that bless ex-legendary girl like Jac, Kelly, Kathy (Yvonne), Chan Chan, & Super was relocated to H57 Far Kor Sun Monkey God Temple.
3) During the enbloc, Tu Di Gong Shrine was relocated to H57 Far Kor Sun Monkey God Temple.
4) Le Somme (under construction) shoebox apartment in No56 Somme Road joins Kim Jio Kah.
5) (To be continue)
Summary of the odd number houses in Marne Road of Kim Jio Kah for easy reference:
1) Odd no. hse past. H13 crease operation in the 80s after the owner past away.
2) Next was H15 in 2001. Only one slight meaty Cat30 WL went on and continues at Kico H10R12 present room till 05.
3) Other than H7 & 17, all close around 8pm. H1 close at 5~6pm for lunch break.
4) The very last WLs from H1 are Mun Mun H10R1, Eileen H10R3 & Anna H10R13.
5) The very last WLs from H5 are H12R3, 4, 5 & 7. A pair of twin sister retires after H5 come to an end.
6) H57 is always the Far Kor Sun Monkey God Temple.
Summary of the even number houses in Flanders Square of Kim Jio Kah for easy reference:
1) In the 80s or mid-90s, the following even number H6, 18, 26 & 28 has cease operation after their house owner pass away or give up. The ex WL from these house are probably age 80~90.
2) H26 comes back alive again only in 13 after moving from H7.
3) H12 cease in 00. Only a Malay WL moves to the present day H20 first room on the right. But was later alive again when H5 & H16 went H12 and H3 went H16.
4) (To be continue)