Boustead Institute was a building located at the junction of Tanjong Pagar Road and Anson Road in Singapore which initially served as a hostel for seamen. It later housed the Toby's Paradise bar, and was demolished in the 1970s.
History
The institute was completed in June 1892.[1] The construction of the building was funded with the money wealthy businessman Edward Boustead bequeathed upon his death in 1888 to finance the construction of a building for the seamen.[2] It was formally opened on 2 July by the governor of the Straits Settlements, Cecil Clementi Smith.[3] The institute stood at the junction of Tanjong Pagar Road and Anson Road, and faced the Tanjong Pagar Police Station.[4]
During the Japanese occupation of Singapore, the building was converted into the Harbour headquarters. By the end of the occupation, the building had been completely stripped.[5] In 1946, the building was temporarily converted into a courthouse for minor war crimes. The War Crimes Court No. 2 was located on the institute's second floor while the War Crimes Court No. 7 was located on the institute's ground floor.[6] The institute officially reopened on 1 May 1947. The building was renovated and redecorated in May 1951.[5]
In 1958, the building was sold to Chan Wing Seng and his brother Chan Wing Fook. Following this, a bar, Toby, was established in the building. A year later, it became the Paradise bar.[7] The building was demolished in the late 1970s to make way for port expansion works.[8]
