Not a Singaporean but I did spend 3 years working in Singapore in the early 80s. I worked in Maxwell Road, and everyday I would pass this trishaw rider. He was an older man with weathered skin, lying back in his trishaw, taking a nap in his spot next to the market. To the casual eye it seemed a pretty relaxed life. Not until I took up cycling later in life did I realise how hard it must have been to ride these trishaws - heavy, fixed geared, and very un-aerodynamic. Rest and recuperation is very important to anyone who rides for a living. I did not know it at the time, but I was witnessing the end of an era. The trishaw rider would have been among the last of his kind. So too were the tough samsui women in their distinctive black clothes who lived in Chinatown. And the labourers who worked on tongkangs in the Singapore River. They would be gone within a decade, and so too would memories of them had it not been for the artists and photographers featured here. Prof Tan is right - the people who perform the menial tasks many Singaporeans overlook are still among us. They should not be invisible; they are your everyday heroes.

CNA has just done it again. this series is a very informative, emotional, and down-to-earth retelling of Old Singapore and its path to being an Asian Tiger economy.

This 3 part series allowed me to understand and appreciate this rich albeit fleeting era of Singapore way more than the years of social studies curriculum I had in my school days. Thank you CNA for bringing light to these local artists who have been chronicling and paying homage to the early pioneers who sacrificed so much in the past to allow Singapore to be what she is today. I plan to discover more about these artists and view these masterpieces myself when the circuit breaker ends :)

I was born in the 50"s and had been through the sixties, so I can relate to the hardships during that decade. My dad was a carpenter, fixing doors and other wood works in newly built flats and apartments. I had worked with him before during the school holidays and it was hard work.

my dad was born in the 60's, showing him this might bring back memories

I’m watching this series again and again every week cuz I just luv it sooo much. All my classmates also watch this as it was recommended by my social studies teacher.

My Dad was posted to Singapore 1961. I lived in South Buona Vista road and as a 9 year old I took in all the sites, sounds and smells of everything. The Market, with a snake charmer and a man who stuck knives in his leg with no bleeding. the cinema, street venders, where I would by my nazi gorin or ice ball. I'd watch live street theatre, fire crackers, Lee Kwan Yu campaigning in our village of Pasir Panjang, the funerals, monsoon drains, finding a stray kitten in the drain and taking her home and washing her under the tap where Amoy did the laundry outside. Wonderful days where wealthy Indian, Chinese and Malasians and poor cousins lived side by side in kampongs and beautiful houses. I believe it has all become sterilised and soulless these days as money and greed take over. I will never forget such an amazing magical time with such a brilliant community. Thank you Singapore.

A thumbs-up for the love story!

This has been a fantastic trilogy of documentaries. Special credit should go to the attempt to create authenticity in the languages used for the dramatisations. All I could wish for is a second season of 'A Frame in Time', and a 'Making of' documentary for this first series.

Love the series cause it gave me insight of Singapore history and how we pull through

Hopefully we can have a greater appreciation of our migrant workforce after this!

Those are part of our everyday day life till today 😅 From Nagaland

it teaches me about history and art

I have enjoyed this series so much!

Miss the bechak rides of 70s miss Singapore

Those were the days limited 'automation and mechanisation'. Purely 'human labour' "yeow siew teh mia!" the local curse swearing or sumpah in Malay.

It's the Pioneer Gen, Merdeka Gen, and Majulah Gen who lived through those hard times. Merlion Gen, those born in the 1970s, were better off.

i have no guilt feelings for what i am after paying about 37 years of Income Tax to the Revenue House. Yet, i must respect those 'eat for free, use for free' still unsatisfied of what they are.

Those speak 'Cantonese*' think more of Hong Kong rather tha China Mainland. Hence, one by name of Dr Sun from Canton* to overthrow the Manchurian Qing Dynasty from Dr Sun's Villa at Ah Hood Road, Colonial Singapore.

The story teller guy sounds like an auntie

Old pic 😤😂

Good effort! But very telling is the lost skill in using dialects. The spoken Cantonese is consistently 'off' even for Singaporeans.