I am 70 years old and lived in Whampoa for 40 over years. I moved here from Owen Road. I left school when I was 13 years old and started working since. I worked until 26 years old and got married. I have 3 children from my marriage. When my eldest daughter was 5 years old, my husband passed away. I was 38 years old at that time. My husband and his relatives used to own a provision shop. I stayed there with my children and looked after the shop. After it closed, I worked elsewhere and brought up my 3 children. My son and eldest daughter are married. My youngest daughter is single and living on her own. I spent my time looking after my eldest grandson when he was born. Now he’s studying overseas. I like living in Whampoa. It is convenient. I also travelled to Bukit Batok to visit my younger brothers. Or to Potong Pasir to visit my cousin. I also take part in the community centre’s activities and was in the morning exercise group before it stopped because of the virus in March. The sewing machine was a wedding dowry given by my aunt. It has been with me for over 50 years. It has been very useful over the years. I sewed the kindergarten uniforms of my children and mended their primary school uniforms. The machine has not broken down so far. Sometimes I would make simple repairs here and there. I clean the house and 5 table fans on my own. I don’t ask my daughters. I’d like to continue using the sewing machine until I’m no longer around. I’m not sure how my children will deal with it. They don’t know how to use it. They asked me to sell the sewing machine. They said it’s too big and takes up space in the flat but I wanted to keep it.

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I’ve stayed in Whampoa for over 20 years. I was married on the 8th day of the 8th month on the lunar calendar. The sewing machine was my marriage dowry. There was also a charcoal iron and some iron basins. It used to be operated by a foot pedal but it took up too much space and I got it converted to a hand-operated machine. This took place a long time ago. The base is very heavy. When I was younger, I made clothes with the machine… children’s clothes like pajamas, school uniforms…but not anymore now because of my eyesight. I still use the sewing machine to mend clothes, make alterations or make pillowcases. They are easier and not as complex. I also used to make curtains before Chinese New Year. I kept a blouse which I made with the machine as a memento. I put in a lot of work to make this blouse. It took me a few weeks to make. I drew the paper pattern on the floor of my former flat in Redhill. I can still wear it! I have others but gave them away to relatives going back to China. Not many people wear this kind of clothes anyway.

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“Mr. Lai: I am 76 years old and my wife is 69 years old this year. We’d like to share with you the hand-operated Singer sewing machine. Mrs Lai: We have it for many years, since when I was a kid during my mother’s time. I think at least 60 over years ago. After my mother’s passing, I don’t use the sewing machine as much. The sewing machine reminds me of my mother when she was alive; of her using the machine. She would use the machine to make her own clothes, like the traditional Chinese collar clothes and her own pants until she was in her 80s. But after she fell ill, the sewing machine became idle. I find the hand-operated machine not as easy to use compared to the foot pedal version. Now we have electrical sewing machines. When I was a kid, she would also make skirts and blouses for me. Especially before the Chinese New Year, she would make a couple of sets for me while listening to the Chinese Opera on the old Rediffusion box. My mother bought the cloth from a shop in Jalan Besar. We used to live there at Cavan Road. This sewing machine was bought when we lived there. We bought it from a friend living in Tanglin. It used to be fixed onto a table but my mother was not used to it, maybe the heights of the sewing machine table and chair were incompatible. She sewed while sitting on the bed. So now I’ll see if my 2 daughters would like to keep the sewing machine. They are still considering. Here is a bottle for the machine oil. You pour it in here to let the parts move smoothly. You only use the oil when you feel the parts are not moving well. But not too much oil because it might stain the cloth. I don’t think anyone would know how to repair this sewing machine if it breaks down now.”

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“Mr Goh: Yes, this sewing machine is around 46 years old. It was bought by her mother then and given to her before our marriage. Before getting married to me, my wife was a dressmaker. She made all these dresses for other people. At that time, in the 1970s, there weren’t shopping malls and not that many varieties to select from. So, all these women who wanted to change every now and then, when things are no longer in fashion, they would get people to make new dresses. After our marriage, this machine was with us so that she could make anything we needed. The good thing was when I needed some alteration to the length of my pants or pajamas, she could do it very easily. [Mrs Goh walks over and joins the conversation] They would like to ask you about the history of the sewing machine.

Mrs Goh: I don’t know. It was bought and given by my mother. I think it was bought in Xiao Bo [North Bridge Road]. It was not actually part of my dowry. It was previously bought and used by my mother. It has been in use since 1955 to about now. After my mother stopped using it, she gave it to me. It has been about 61 years. Before I got married, I have already been using the sewing machine; I used it to make clothes for other people, especially for women’s fashion. When I got married, my mother actually did buy me another Singer sewing machine. However, that machine was already gone; I sold it away. I sold that one away as it was not as nice to use as this much older Singer sewing machine.

The engine of this machine is quite special; it is concealed inside. Its table can be opened up and set up for sewing. The wood is of very good quality. It is unlike other versions of the Singer sewing machine. I do not have any plans to give away this sewing machine. I intend to keep it as much as possible. Perhaps, at a much later date, I will give it away to my daughters. However, they don’t really know how to sew, and I have also forgotten the complicated parts of dressmaking. I learned the skill long ago, around 1965. After I learned, I asked my teacher if I could help out. It was very popular to learn dressmaking then and my class was made up of a few students. At that time, many people would buy magazines and books about dressmaking. After getting married, I had very little time to continue this hobby.”

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