BIBLIOASIA JAN - MAR 2019 VOL. 14 ISSUE 04 FEATURE In 1830, William Farquhar (1774–1839) wrote to The Asiatic Journal explaining Farquhar why he was due “at least a large share” iof the credit in forming Singapore.1 Yet, & it is Stamford Raffles (1781–1826) alone who is hailed as the founder of Singapore. This notion, propounded by his biographers, has been reinforced by constant repetition, official acceptance and the omnipresence of Raffles’ name in Singapore. In contrast, Farquhar’s pivotal role in the events leading up to the founding of the British settlement in Singapore in (Above) Colonel William Farquhar, c. 1830. Image source: Wikimedia Commons. February 1819 and during its nascent Raffles years has been vastly underrated. To (Above right) A portrait of Sir Stamford Raffles presented by his nephew, W.C. Raffles Flint, to London’s National Gallery Portrait Gallery in 1859. Image source: Wikimedia Commons. add insult to injury, Farquhar has been mocked, and his character and accom- The Untold Story plishments belittled over the years. ing School and paved the way for his recently included in the history curriculum To understand the origins of this employment at India House, while his of Singapore schools, the Raffles myth The founding of Singapore in 1819 and aberration in Singapore’s history, we later career and status were propelled has prevailed. A group of students who its early development have traditionally must turn to the biographies of Raffles. by his patron, Lord Minto, the Governor- re-assessed the roles of Raffles and Far- The first, The Life of Sir Stamford Raffles, General of Bengal. However, Boulger’s quhar in 2007 could not have expressed been attributed to Sir Stamford Raffles. written by Demetrius Boulger in 1897, “facts” have become part of the myth it better, concluding that Raffles was Nadia Wright claims that his role has been during the heyday of the British Empire, surrounding Raffles and helped create “the real founder of Singapore as all the exaggerated at the expense of another. would establish the trend of glorifying an enduring fascination with the man. history textbooks say so”, and because Raffles and disparaging Farquhar.2 Boulger was scathingly dismissive of any he had a statue erected in his honour role for Farquhar, declaring that Raffles and an MRT station named after him The First Biography on Raffles was the sole founder of Singapore and whereas Farquhar had nothing.5 Boulger portrayed Raffles as a hero who wholly responsible for its development.3 Indeed, landmarks in Singapore had risen from poverty, who was forced Such views were accepted and repeated such as Farquhar Street, Mount Far- to leave school prematurely to support without question by subsequent biog- quhar and Farquhar’s Strait have all his mother and sisters, and who rose raphers. disappeared.6 Singapore’s first and only to fame solely by his own efforts. None Farquhar’s role in Singapore has Commandant and Resident suffered the of this is true. been defended in the past by eminent converse of memorialisation: the “phe- Raffles’ father, Captain Benjamin historians such as John Bastin, Mary nomenon of forgetting”,7 a phrase coined Raffles, was a commander of vessels Turnbull and Ernest Chew. Bastin wrote by the 20th-century French philosopher until the late 1790s, and lived until that Singapore’s early success “must be Paul Ricoeur. 1811. When Raffles left school around attributed generally to [Farquhar’s] fos- 1795, some 16 years earlier, his father tering care and benevolent administra- Farquhar’s Accomplishments was still living with the family. Raffles tion”. Mary Turnbull noted that Farquhar in Malacca was privileged to have remained at a had nurtured the settlement through From as early as the 17th century, private school until he was 14 (most its precarious early years, while Ernest European trading companies competed children then would have left school by Chew argued that Farquhar had been for trade in the region. By the early 1800s, age 11) and to have obtained a highly neglected in the founding narratives of the British had secured trading posts at sought after position as an extra clerk Singapore, contending that Farquhar had Penang and Bencoolen (Bengkulu) while at East India House. been “left behind” by Raffles to run the the Dutch ruled Malacca, the Maluku Raffles owed much to the financial settlement and subsequently also “left islands and Java. Dr Nadia Wright, a retired teacher and now active historian, lives in 4 Melbourne. She specialises in the colonial history of Singapore and support and patronage of his wealthy behind” in history. The British, however, came to Armenians in Southeast Asia. Her book, William Farquhar and Singapore: uncle, Charles Hamond, who secured Although Farquhar’s role was peri- occupy Malacca serendipitously as a Stepping Out from Raffles’ Shadow, was published in May 2017. Raffles’ entry into Mansion House Board- odically raised in the press and more result of the Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1788, 02 03 BIBLIOASIA JAN - MAR 2019 VOL. 14 ISSUE 04 FEATURE which stipulated that if a war should Farquhar dramatically turned Malacca’s Bannerman was unconvinced, for permission to establish a post in The Dutch were furious at Raffles’ General of the Dutch East Indies, con- break out, either party could occupy economy around, implemented British citing the costs involved, but he did Singapore. Tengku Long agreed and actions. So was the British government tinued to insist that Sultan Hussein had the colonies of the other to protect laws declaring the slave trade a felony, forward Farquhar’s suggestions to the Raffles installed him as Sultan Hussein which was engaged in negotiations with no right to allow the British to establish them against enemy invasion. This and fought for the town’s survival. It is Marquess of Hastings, the EIC’s new Mohamed Shah of Johor. the Dutch over their respective spheres a post, and demanded that the British occurred in 1793 when France, already implausible that Farquhar would have Governor-General who administered Raffles then signed a treaty with of influence in the East. The Dutch pro- withdraw from Singapore. at war with Britain, attacked the Dutch changed from being a competent ruler British interests in the Far East. Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul tested, and reports were received that Republic. William V, the Dutch ruler in Malacca to an incompetent one in Hastings faced further pressure to Rahman, the local chief of Singapore, on they would retake Singapore by force. Farquhar’s Work in Singapore was overthrown and fled to England in Singapore. act from the merchants in Calcutta and 6 February 1819. This treaty allowed the Although Bannerman tried to persuade While the politicians argued, Farquhar 1795. There, he ordered Dutch officials Following the Congress of Vienna in then from Raffles, who had arrived in the EIC to lease land for a trading post. It was Farquhar to leave at once, he refused to got down to work. Few of Raffles’ to hand their bases over to the British 1815, the British were obliged to return Indian city. Hastings decided to build upon tiny – extending only from Tanjong Katong abandon Singapore: Farquhar knew this supporters have given Farquhar credit for safekeeping and to stop them from Malacca to the Dutch. Merchants in Pen- the strong footing obtained by Farquhar’s to Tanjong Malang, and inland for about was Britain’s last chance to obtain a new for building the settlement from scratch falling into French hands. The under- ang, whose trade had flourished during commercial treaty and sent Raffles on a one mile. The rest of the island belonged base in the region. with precious little money, and limited standing was that the British would the British occupation of Malacca and two-fold mission: first, to settle a dynastic to Malay nobles and even within the In the meantime, Sultan Hussein manpower and resources. Yet Farquhar return these Dutch territories when Java, were worried that their inroads into dispute in Aceh, and then, to establish British post, British regulations did not and the Temenggong regretted having achieved the near impossible: he cleared peace was eventually restored. new markets might be curtailed after the a new post at Rhio (Riau). Because of apply inside their compounds. signed the treaty. They wrote to Sultan over 650,000 square yards of jungle and Into this fractious scene entered Dutch reclaimed their possessions. Along Farquhar’s experience and expertise, Raffles did not purchase the island Abdul Rahman and to his viceroy asking swamp, built a reservoir and aquaduct, Farquhar and Raffles. Farquhar and with Farquhar, the merchants pressed Hastings appointed him to take charge of of Singapore, nor acquire it for Britain as for forgiveness and accused Raffles of defence works, accommodation and Raffles were employees of the power- Colonel John Bannerman, the Governor any new post, but made him subordinate often claimed. Indeed, the acquisition having coerced them into signing it. Farqu- facilities for the troops, and roads and ful East India Company (EIC), formed at of Penang, to protect British commercial to Raffles, who was based in Bencoolen, was far from guaranteed. After appointing har persuaded the nobles to retract their small bridges. The population grew the turn of the 17th century ostensibly interests in the Eastern Archipelago Sumatra, at the time.10 Farquhar Resident and Commandant as statements, and due to his early actions, significantly as men from Malacca who to trade with India and Southeast Asia, (present-day Indonesia).8 Raffles and Farquhar met in Penang ordered by Hastings, Raffles gave Farqu- the post remained in British hands – at knew and respected Farquhar flocked but which eventually became a powerful and on 19 January 1819, Raffles’ small har a list of instructions and departed least for the time being.