Dalhousie Obelisk

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

When was this obelisk built and for what purpose?

After dropping by the Asian Civilization museum, we headed to the Dalhousie Obelisk! The Dalhousie Obelisk was built to commemorate the second visit of Marquis of Dalhousie in February 1850.  Marquis of Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India (1848 to 1856), whose visit to Singapore on 17-19 February 1850, was received in great anticipation of a change in local administration, particularly in reducing expenditure.

This is evident from the inscriptions (in Jawi, Chinese, Tamil and English respectively) on each side that reads: "Erected by the European, Chinese, and Native Inhabitants of Singapore to commemorate the visit in the month of February 1850, of the Most Noble the Marquis of Dalhousie, K. T., Governor-General of British India on which occasion he emphatically recognised the wisdom of liberating commerce from all restraints under which enlightened policy this Settlement has rapidly attained its present rank among British Possessions and with which its future prosperity must ever be identified".

This leads my group to naturally infer that the obelisk also serves as a reminder to all merchant and Singaporeans of the benefits of free trade!

Unfortunately, nothing of concrete material was materialized from Marquis of Dalhousie’s visit.

Where was it originally located?

It is generally agreed that the obelisk was originally located at the Dalhousie Pier at the mouth of the Singapore River, where the Merlion Park used to be. It then relocated to Empress Place near the Asian Civilisation Museum, to make way for the construction of Connaught Drive, and it has stood there from 1891 since.