Tyersall Park

Early colonial years

About three to four decades after Singapore was established as a Straits Settlements trading port in 1819, the adjoined estates consisted of Woodneuk and Tyersall at Tanglin were first owned by the English trader Captain John Dill Ross^[1] and the lawyer William "Royal Billy" Napier^[2] respectively as their private residences.

The first mention of Tyersall in the Singapore newspaper was on 5 November 1860, where the wife of William Paterson, the merchant of Paterson, Simons & Co.^[3] gave birth to his son in the Tyersall House as reported by the Singapore Free Press.^[4]

The estates would later brought over by Abu Bakar in the late 1850s. He would later moved his residence there from Teluk Belanga upon his reign as the Temenggong in 1862 and made Woodneuk House as his official residence (Istana).^[5][6]

In 19 November 1881, the Maharaja of Johor Abu Bakar held the first drag hunt in Singapore with his hounds around Tanglin area, including Woodneuk and Tyersall.^[7][8]

It was revealed later in 21 May 1883 that the first telephone line in Singapore had been in operation between Tyersall House and Woodneuk House (or Istana Woodneuk), before the opening of telephonic communication between Singapore and Johor by the Oriental Telephone Company on the following month.^[9] In 7 September 1887, the Tyersall Drag Hunt Club had been established there by the Committee as well.^[10]

In 1890, Sultan Abu Bakar had Napier's former house demolished to built his palace on its former ground.^[11]

Istana Tyersall (1892–1935)

The Istana Tyersall, or Tyersall Palace, was completed and had a grand opening by the Governor of the Straits Settlements Sir Cecil Clementi Smith in 3 December 1892, where the Sultan would held his reception to several historic events and parties. The palace was known to be first building in Singapore to be supplied with electricity.^[12][13]

Following his will made on 14 April 1895, Woodneuk was bequeathed to his fourth wife, Sultana Khadijah, and the rest of his premises were being made the State property of the State of Johor. The Sultan departed Singapore in the mail steamer Pekin for Europe in 23 April 1895.^[14] Upon his death of pneumonia in South Kensington, London, in 4 June 1895,^[15] the Tyersall and its premises were soon handled over to his son upon his reign as the Sultan Ibrahim of Johor in November 1895. The new Sultan however, would preferred to stay at the Woodneuk House.

In 24 April 1899, the Sultan Ibrahim devoted a training ground for polo players from Singapore Polo Club when the racecourse is not available for their training.^[16] The training ground which later known as the Tyersall Polo Ground.

In 30 September 1899, Singapore Polo Club hosted the first Horse and Dog Show there,^[17][18] followed by the second one in 14 July 1900.^[19][20]

Sultan Ibrahim later took over Woodneuk following the death of Sultana Khadijah in 1 February 1904.

In 11 September 1905, a fire broke out at Istana Tyersall at midnight and was put out on the following day by 6.00 am, saw the palace’s ballroom and billard room wrecked, with several furnitures and art collections within them badly burnt.^[21][22] The palace was abandoned following that incident.

In 1907, the Sultan gave his permission to the Singapore Hunt Club to use the Tyersall Polo Ground to held gymkhana in 10 February 1907.^[23] Later, He gave his permission to the Singapore Automotive Club^[24] to held the first motor gymkhana which involved thirty cars in 18 October 1907.^[25][26]

In 30 November 1910, the meeting was held at the Straits Chinese Recreation Club's pavilion clubhouse in Hong Lim Green, Singapore, announced that the Sultan was willing to lease the premises and the ground for 21 years at the rental of S$150 per month for the first 7 years, S$250 per month for the next 7 years, and S$350 per month for the last 7 years, all which have been approved by the Committee and members of the Club.^[27]

In 7 December 1910, the Tyersall Country Club was formed at the meeting attended by the members of the various clubs of Singapore and chaired by the Governor of the Straits Settlements Sir John Anderson at the abandoned Istana Tyersall,^[28]

The Club proposed the plans to become the lessees of Tyersall Palace (Istana Tyersall), to determine the issue of debentures and other matters, which included the dividing of its halls and apartments, the rebuilding of its ballroom and the erection of the new buildings nearby.^{[29] [30][31][32]} However, later in the early 1912, this scheme was reported to have fallen through during the meeting at Tanglin Club.^[33]

The last use of Tyersall Polo Ground by Singapore Polo Club as a training ground was 9 January 1915.^[34] In 1924, the road known as Garden Road which divided between Tyersall and Singapore Botanic Gardens was renamed to Tyersall Avenue.

Istana Woodneuk (1935–present)

In 1932, a new palace Istana Woodneuk, or Istana Wooden York to the State of Johor, was rebuilt on its former site on another hill not far away and completed in September 1935 as the replacement for the Sultan Ibrahim and his new wife Sultanah Helen.^[35][36] The dilapidated Istana Tyersall was reportedly been demolished under the tender issued from the Sultan in 1935.^[37]

World War II

In 1939, the Sultan Ibrahim, based on Johor at that time, had allowed part of Tyersall to be used by the Indian Army to be stationed and converted as a military camp area with many vehicles in a mechanisation effort in preparation for World War II.^[38] The estate, or grounds, was referred as Tyersall Park, Tyersall Camp, or Tyersall Park Camp in the news and to the military stationed there.^[39][40] In 8 August 1939, the Second Battalion of Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders under Lieutenant Colonel Ian MacAlister Stewart arrived in Singapore from India^[41] and later moved to Tyersall Park in December 1939 as part of 12th Indian Infantry Brigade.

The 12th Indian Infantry Brigade headquarters, and the Indian Military Hospital, which consisting of the cluster of thatched huts built by the contractor A. G. Dobb and Co.^[42] for the 4/19th Hyderabad Regiment, were set up at Tyersall Park.^[43][44]

In 7 August 1941, the Maharaja of Patiala Yadavindra Singh, during his two-day visit in Singapore to inspect its defences, visited the Indian Military Hospital at Tyersall Park on the Thursday afternoon.^[45]

In 29 January 1942, the 210 Royal Marines, who were the survivors of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, moved to Tyersall Park to join with the 250 Argylls, and later in 3 February 1942, they were amalgamated into a composite battalion known as the Plymouth Argylls (in reference to the Argylls affiliation to the Plymouth Argyle Football Club and that all the Marines were from the Plymouth Division).

Japanese invasion of Singapore

In 9 February 1942 during the Battle of Singapore, the Plymouth Argylls left late in the morning towards the Tengah airfield.

The Istana Woodneuk, under the name of "Tyersall Palace",^[46] was temporary served as the 2/30th Battalion AIF headquarters under Major General Gordon Bennett.

In 11 February 1942, the 2nd Battalion of Gordon Highlanders moved to Tyersall Park from the bombed Birdwood Camp at Changi, and departed for Bukit Timah to battle with the invading Japanese Imperial Army.

After the blast of Japanese mortar attack which indicated that the nearby junction of Holland Road and Ulu Pandan Road were held by the Japanese Imperial Army, Major General Bennet withdrawn his headquarters from Woodneuk to Tanglin Barracks.

The Indian Military Hospital, despite having Red Crosses painted on the roofs, was destroyed by fire caused by the incendiary bombs deliberately dropped by the Japanese fighter planes, and it was later estimated that about 700 medics and patients had reportedly burned to death in the area.^[47]

Later on the following day in 12 February 1942 in the afternoon, the surviving Plymouth Argylls arrived back at Tyersall Park, only to find themselves involved in a major rescue operation there.

Japanese occupation of Singapore

Following the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, in 17 February 1942, Piper Charles Stuart was ordered by the Japanese to march the surviving Plymouth Argylls out of Tyersall Park to Changi.

Tyersall Park would later served as one of the seven Indian Army personnel interned POW camps in Singapore under Lieutenant Colonel Gurhux Singh of Jind State Forces, who was under the supervision of the Japanese Imperial Army until 1945.^[48]

Post-war era

After Singapore was liberated in 1945, the Supreme Allied Command South East Asia (SACSEA) headquarters was set up at the Tyersall Park. 58 members of the Women's Voluntary Service were also stationed there.^[49] The Istana Woodneuk was briefly occupied by General Sir Miles Dempsey and later by Commander-in-Chief Sir Montagu Stopford in 1946 until November when SACSEA was disbanded.

In 16 January 1947, the palace was occupied by Governor-General of Malaya Malcolm MacDonald and his wife.^[50][51] By 1948, the palace was returned to the Sultan for his official residence in Singapore.

In 1954, the Tyersall Park was leased out for military use, in 1959, the estate returned to the Sultan of Johor, later on, the Johor State Council approved $5,000 for the maintenance and upkeep of Tyersall Park in 17 April 1959.^[52]