Description
About the Author & Illustrator

Memories of Chinatown is a Singapore classic and is now republished with a new visual interpretation by watercolour artist Graham Byfield. Both a memoir and a narrative guide to the vibrant spirit of a bygone Singapore, it is written by much loved "walking treasure" and heritage tour pioneer Geraldene Lowe-Ismail. Blessed with a rich trove of stories and personal knowledge stretching over 50 years, Geraldene delivers a unique insight into the glory and past of one of Southeast Asia's truly original Chinatowns. For anyone interested in heritage architecture and culture, this is a fascinating read.
Geraldene Lowe-Ismail pioneered the development of professional tour guides and their training in Singapore over 50 years ago. Under the auspices of the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, she established a training course which still runs today. As a result, she is the proud recipient of the Board's Lifetime Achievement Award, its highest honour. The founder of "Geraldene's Tours", she has been wandering the nooks and crannies of Singapore ever since, recalling past memories of the earlier Singapore of her childhood. A true National Treasure, Geraldene is a walking encyclopedia of the oral history of the city-state having witnessed at first hand many of the momentous events and changes brought about by Independence in 1965. No one knows Chinatown and the other heritage areas of Singapore better - the sights, smells, and sounds of the streets and buildings. A committed conservationist, Geraldene is a founder member and prior office holder of the Singapore Heritage Society, now celebrating its own 30th anniversary.

Graham Byfield is a watercolour artist who specialises in what has been called “Architecture in Landscape”. He has produced a series of sketchbooks including London, Oxford, Bali, Singapore and Amsterdam which have all been successful internationally.

Authors

Memories of Chinatown