Keywords: singapore public domain publicdomain joo chiat joochiat shophouse backlane staircase stairs outdoor Text: Singapore Shophouse by Julian Davison These staircases made their appearance at the rear of shophouses from the mid-1920s onwards and were made using prefabricated modular construction techniques. One reason was to enable tenants' movement. Another was to facilitate the collection of night-soil from shophouses that weren't connected to the sewerage system. Night-soil collector could enter from the backlane and collect used pails from the upper storeys of tenement dwellings without having to pass through the main body of the building. Text: Singapore Shophouse by Julian Davison These staircases made their appearance at the rear of shophouses from the mid-1920s onwards and were made using prefabricated modular construction techniques. One reason was to enable tenants' movement. Another was to facilitate the collection of night-soil from shophouses that weren't connected to the sewerage system. Night-soil collector could enter from the backlane and collect used pails from the upper storeys of tenement dwellings without having to pass through the main body of the building. |