Wednesday 12 November 2014

The Siakson Spiral

Siakson Buidling, next to Bras Basah Complex.
THIS spiral staircase has always held a lot of charm for me. It has always captured my attention each time I passed by it in the bus to town. It is part of the Siakson Building on 3 Miller Street.I wish I know how Miller Street got its name. The earliest Eurasian enclave was around the area -- Waterloo Street, Bras Basah Road and Middle Road. So it could be named after an Eurasian. ( Cashin Street nearby, was named after the first Eurasian millionaire in Singapore, Mr E Cashin.who started his career as a lawyer's clerk.) I know of a few Eurasian friends with the surname, Miller. This is just my conjecture of course as I couldn't find any information on Miller Street -- yet.

Just an aside, there was a song popular in the 30s and 40s, made popular again by Manhattan Transfers in the 70s, called On a Little Street in Singapore. One of the singers who sang it was Glen Miller. But of course, it couldn't possibly be named after Glen Miller. After all, Frank Sinatra sang it too,and the street wasn't named "Sinatra". But Miller Street is indeed a "little street".

Anyway, I would not have done justice to myself, my ramblings and pictures on spiral staircases, if I did not include this spiral staircase at Siakson Building (which I have never stepped into and got myself a coach tour, by the way).

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