Singapore Colonial Records

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Singapore

Colonial Records

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• National Archives of Singapore

British Colonization (1819-1942)

Early European influences on Singapore included the Portuguese and Dutch. However, no colonization appears to have been attempted in Singapore until the British. In 1819, the British established a free port in Singapore which caused for a rapid growth in its population. In 1824, the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance ceded Singapore and neighboring islands to the East India Company and a British governor was installed. Singapore was included in the Straits Settlements in 1826, became the capital in 1836, and a crown colony in 1865. During World War II, Singapore was surrendered to the Japanese in 1942. In 1945, Britain regained control of Singapore and it became a crown colony in 1946 when the Straits Settlement dissolved. Singapore gained independence from Great Britain in 1965 and became the Republic of Singapore.

Record collection	Years covered	Record type	Language	Who is in the records
The Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC), 1384-1858	1826-1856	Wills	English	Until 1858, all wills had to be proved by the church and other courts. Most of the individuals in these records were relatively wealthy.
British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, Singapore at Findmypast - index & images ($)	1838-2005	Births and Baptisms	English	Children born to those working within the armed forces, merchant navy, and consular forces, as well as, civilian ship passengers.
British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages, Singapore at Findmypast - index & images ($)	1881-1977	Banns and marriages	English	British armed forces members and civilians who were married abroad and at sea
British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials, Singapore at Findmypast - index & images ($)	1879-2005	Deaths and burials	English	Members of the British armed forces who died while serving their country overseas, British civilians who died while traveling or working overseas, and individuals (including seaman) who died at sea.
British Civil Service Evidence Of Age at Findmypast - index ($)	1842-1934	Civil Service applications and paperwork	English	Individuals who worked for, or applied to join, the British Civil Service.
UK, Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969, Singapore at Ancestry - index ($)	1910-1961	Birth, baptism, marriage, death, and burial records	English	Records in this collection come from a variety of sources. Events include both British and non-British nationals
Indexes to wills, administrations, inventories and estates, 1618-1909 FS Film 2046673 Items 1-4	1877-1911	Probate	English	Index to treasury deposits, Bombay, 1822-1895 Index to estates advertised by administrators general, 1877-1911 Index to wills, administrations, inventories & accounts, Straits settlements (Prince of Wales's Island, Singapore & Malacca, etc.), 1728-1853 Index to wills, administrations, inventories & accounts, St. Helena, 1705-1836
British & Indian armies in the East Indies (1685-1935) FS Catalog 959 M2 ISBN 0902633953	1685-1935	Burial and military service	English	History of British and Indian armies in Sumatra, Java, Sarawak, Malaya and Singapore from 1685-1935. Includes names of officers and men buried in these areas. Also includes name lists of persons in some military units which served in these areas.