Matilda House

Coordinates: 1°24′18.5″N 103°53′55.5″E / 1.405139°N 103.898750°E / 1.405139; 103.898750

Matilda House is one of the oldest houses in Singapore. Located in Punggol, it is very close to the Soo Teck LRT Station. Built in 1902, it originally belonged to Mr Alexander Cashin, whose family history in Singapore can be traced back to the early 1840s. It has entrances on two sides of the main building, an open balcony at the front facade, and a long verandah.

Matilda House was given conservation status by Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority in February 2000. Despite redevelopments in the surrounding area, it stands as a reminder of the past to the residents of Punggol. It was a frequent haunt for photographers, especially for those who want to take night shots of the place, until the site the house was sold in 2012 for redevelopment.

The house is now part of a new residential condominium complex, A Treasure Trove, which was completed in 2015. The facade and interior are restored and had converted into a clubhouse.^[1][2]

History

Matilda House before government acquisition

Background

Completed in 1902, it was built by Alexander Cashin for his wife. The house was named after Alexander's mother, Matilda and hence the name, "Matilda House". It was a single storey tropical bungalow with four bedrooms and servant quarters attached. The house was set within a garden with fruit and coconut trees and also includes a horse stable, tennis courts and a small fishing village on the side near the sea. It served as a weekend retreat for the Cashins.^[3]

Howard Cashin

The ownership of the house was passed onto Howard Cashin, where he resided in with his wife and children after returning from England, where he studied law in 1953. In 1960s, the ownership was then passed to his brother, Joseph Cashin, where Joseph lived in with his sister and mother.

Government acquisition

In 1985, the government acquired one million meters square of land in Punggol, including the Matilda Estate, which the house was a part of and the Cashins were asked to move out of the property.^[4] Given conservation status on February 21, 2000, the land around the building was cleared, and the house was the only building standing. Due to disuse and lack of maintenance, the house fell into ruins and inspired rumours of it being haunted and that it cannot be demolished.^[5] It was referred as "Ghost House" or Istana Menanti (The Waiting Palace).

In 2010, the site which the house sits on was put on for sale.^[6]

Re-development

In 2012, the site on which the house sits on was sold to property developer Sim Lian Group, which is planning to develop the site into a residential condominium known as "A Treasure Trove". The sale conditions included the need to retain and restore the building and integrate it as part of the housing project. The house was eventually converted into the condominium's clubhouse in 2015 and houses amenities such as function rooms and a gym for its condominium residents.^[7]

Popular culture

The house was featured in a 1980s television serial, Tenko, which are about the experiences of British, Australian and Dutch women who were captured after the fall of Singapore in February 1942 during World War II.

See also

• Singapore national rugby union team

References

External links

• Urban Redevelopment Authority webpage on the Matilda House Conservation Area
• Decoding Punggol Kampong House