ABSTRACT
Lying near the mouth of the Singapore River, the site of Clarke Quay was the centre of commerce in the city during the late 19th century. It was named after Sir Andrew Clarke, Singapore's second Governor and Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1873 to 1875, who played a key role in positioning Singapore as the main port for the neighbouring Malay states. The development of a new commercial centre for Singapore led to gradual decline and decay of this district. In 1993, a major conservation project was launched by the government, in which a five-block section of the river-front, Clarke Quay Festival Village, was the focal point.
