While we were taking pictures and fooling around at the bridges, some of us couldn't help but notice that Rella always seemed emotional and upset at these bridges.

"Bridges connect lives", these were the wise words of Rella's Dad and she couldn’t help but find it so true, as these bridges were literally going to connect her life to Raffles. All of us felt rather guilty at this point of time and so we listened as she shared the stories of these bridges to us...

Elgin Bridge was built in 1862 and was named after Lord James Bruce Elgin. He was the eighth Earl of Elgin, and served as the Governor-General of India from 1862 to 1863. The iron Elgin Bridge had to be dismantled in 1925 in order to be widened. But the name remained and the new concrete Elgin Bridge was reopened in 1929.

A signature had been inscribed on the Singapore Municipality plaque, and it could be found beneath the cast-iron lamps. This signature belongs to a famous Italian sculptor, Cavalari Rudolfo Nolli, who was the designer of the lamps.

It turns out that the Read Bridge was named after William Henry Read, a Scottish businessman who came to Singapore in 1841. Read was the first non-government Member of Parliament in colonial Singapore and he had contributed prominently to public service.

“Did you know that Read Bridge has another name too? It is also called the Malacca Bridge because of the nearby Kampong Melaka. It was where the Malays from Malacca first settled upon the founding of Singapore and was also the collection point of fuel and other imports from Malacca.” Rella whispered in a tone of awe. “The bridge also used to be where the Chinese migrant workers, especially the Teochews, gathered at the end of a long day of work to listen to storytellers reading legends and the news as the audience was largely illiterate. Just like I used to listen to dear Raffles telling me about his awesome conquests!” At this point, a dreamy look came over Rella as she started reminiscing.

“Look, you can see the Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka there! It is the oldest mosque in Singapore, standing since 1820, as a remembrance of the first Malay Kampong Melaka! Do you know who founded it?” Rella pointed at the mosque in the near distance excitedly. “Hmm... Omar...” We hazarded a guess. Rella laughed, “It’s Syed Omar bin Ali Aljunied! He was an Arab merchant from Palembang.”

“Oh... What about the Ord Bridge, Rella? Tell us more about it!”

According to Rella, Ord Bridge was built in 1886 and was named after Colonel Sir Harry George Ord, who was the first Governor of the Straits Settlements after it achieved its status as a Crown Colony and was entitled the right to make its own laws. There was previously a foot bridge at this site called ABC Bridge or Ordnance Bridge, as it was the landing point for weapons and ammunition which were stored at Magazine Road.

One of the oldest Chinese temples in Singapore, the Tan Si Chong Su Temple, stands across the bridge. The temple is a National Monument.