Literature on the History of South East Asia |
NARRATIVE . References : Online Secondary Sources . Online Primary Sources .
Bibliographic and Print Sources for earlier history, see Malacca -1511, Malacca 1511-1824, Johor for regional history, see also History of Labuan, Singapore see also Malay Peninsula -1895, History of Malaya, History of Malaysia |
In 1786 the E.I.C. acquired Penang (from the Sultanate of Kedah),
in 1819 Singapore (from the Sultanate of Johor) and in 1824
Malacca (from the Netherlands).
In 1826 these three possessions were combined
as the Straits Settlements, and they were placed under the Presidency of Bengal. In 1867 the Straits Settlements were declared a
separate Crown Colony. The Cocos (or Keeling) Islands (hitherto under
Ceylon) were placed
under the Straits Settlements in 1886, Labuan in 1906.
Frim 1942 to 1945 the Straits Settlements (except for the Cocos Islands) were under Japanese occupation. In 1946 the
Straits Settlements were dissolved. The Cocos Islands and
Christmas Island until 1957 were administered by
Singapore and
since by Australia. Labuan became part of
British North Borneo. Penang and Malacca joined the Federation of Malaya
(1946) and in 1963 the Republic of Malaysia.
Singapore in 1963 joined Malaysia, only to be expelled
from the latter in 1965. Timelines : Straits Settlements; Singapore Historical Atlas, Straits Settlements Page |
Country Profiles | Current |
from Wikipedia |
Historical |
J. Anderson, Political and Commercial Considerations Relative to the Malayan
Peninsula and the British Settlements in the Straits of Malacca, 1824, GB; also
IA Th.J. Newbold, Political and Statistical Account of the British Settlements in the Straits vol.1, 1839, IA, vol.2 1839, IA J. Cameron, Our Tropical Possessions in Malayan India 1865, GB The British Empire Series, vol.1 : India, Ceylon, Straits Settlements, British North Borneo, Hong-Kong (1899), IA |
Links, on History |
Timelines |
see here |
Historical Dictionary |
Singapore Infopedia F.P. Smith, A vocabulary of proper names, in Chinese and English, of places, persons, tribes, and sects, in China, Japan, Corea, Annam, Siam, Burmah, the Straits and adjacent countries 1870, IA N.B. Dennys, A Descriptive Dictionary of British Malaya, 1894, Sejarah Melayu Library J. Crawfurd, A Descriptive Dictionary of the Indian Islands & Adjacent Countries 1856, Sejarah Melayu Library |
Organizations | on Asian History |
International Association of Historians of Asia (IAHA) |
on Malaysia History |
Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (MBRAS) |
on Straits Settlements |
Singapore Heritage Society Penang Heritage Trust |
Accounts of History | Current |
from The Evolution
of Singapore; from Infoplease;
from Wikipedia The Straits Settlements, from Serajah Melayu History of Malaya to 1963, from Helicon Publishing Sanderson Beck, Burma, Malaya and the British 1800-1950 |
Historical |
Penang pp.123-137, Malacca pp.137-153, Singapore pp.153-170 in : R.M. Martin,
History of the British possessions in the Indian & Atlantic Oceans, 1837, GB;
also posted on Internet Archive F.M. McLarthy, Affairs of the Colony, Being a History Concerning the Straits Settlements and the British .. (1893), posted on Internet Archive R. St. John Braddell et al., One hundred years of Singapore 1819-1919 (1921), posted on Internet Archive Catastrophe at Singapore, pp.327-342 in : John Gunther, Inside Asia, 1942 War Edition, NY : Harper & Brothers (1938) 1942 J. Kennedy, A history of Malaya, A.D. 1400-1959 1962, IA |
Specific Periods |
Social History |
N. Hussin et al.,
Crimes in the Straits Settlements before World War II, Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 20 (1): 121 - 136 (2012) S.P. Yeoh et al., Urbanization and Urban Growth during Colonial Rule and Independence in Peninsular Malaysia, Review of Indonesian and Malayan Affairs vol.14 no.1 1980 |
Ethnography |
Ethnic Communities, from Singapore Infopedia Straits Settlements, pp.510-511 in G.G. Chisholm, The world as it is; a popular account of the countries and peoples of the earth 1884, IA British Empire in Asia : Straits Settlements, pp.849-864 in vol.2A of J.A. Hammerton, Peoples of All Nations, c.1920, illustrated, IA D.W. Smith, European Settlements in the Far East : China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands, India, Borneo, the Philippines, etc 1900, IA; Straits Settlements pp.247-265 Cheng Siok-Hwa, Government Legislation for Chinese Street Societies in the Straits Settlements in the Late 19th Century World Huaren Federation, Malaysian Chinese M. Rerceretnam, Black Europeans, the Indian coolies and empire : colonialisation and christianized Indians in colonial Malaya & Singapore, c.1870s-c.1950s, thesis Sidney 2002 |
Religion |
C.R. Yeoh, Malaysia, Truly Asia ? Religious Pluralism in Malaysia |
Local History |
Article : History of Pulau Pinang (Penang), from Wikipedia Article : History of Melaka (Malacca), from Wikipedia Articles : History of Singapore, Singapore in the Straits Settlements, from Wikipedia R.S.J. Braddell, One hundred years of Singapore : being some account of the capital of the Straits Settlements from its foundation by Sir Stamford Raffles on the 6th February 1819 to the 6th February 1919 vol.1 1921, IA, vol.2 1921, IA G.M. Reith, Handbook to Singapore with Map, and a Plan of the Botanical Gardens 1892, IA C.M. Turnbull, Penang's Changing Role in the Straits Settlements , 1826-1946 |
Institutions |
Organisations, from Singapore Infopedia EngRailHistory, The Development of Malaya. A Line that Brought Prosperity to the Jungle |
Culture |
Biography |
Biographies, from Singapore Infopedia Wong Yee Tuan, Uncovering the Myths of Two 19th-century Hokkien Business Personalities in the Straits Settlements, Chinese Southern Diaspora Studies, Volume 5, 2011-12 |
Environmental History |
Indo-Malayan Ecoregion, from WWF |
Historical Data | Lists of Statesmen |
from World Statesmen (B. Cahoon);
from Rulers (B. Schemmel), scroll down for Straits Settlements Governors of the Straits Settlements, from Singapore Infopedia The India List and India Office List, 1905, GB British Governors of the Straits Settlements, from Penang Traveltips |
Statistical Data | Population Figures |
Singapore, from Population Statistics at Univ. Utrecht Malaysia, Administrative Divisions, from Population Statistics at Univ. Utrecht; data for Melaka, Pulau Pinang History of Census Taking in Singapore, from Statistics Singapore, scroll down Report on the census of the Straits Settlements, taken on the 5th April 1891, posted by NUS, by Sabrizain |
Documents | Historical Newspapers |
Newspaper Singapore (1831-2006) Search University of Malaya Common Repository for "Straits Settlements Government Gazette"; has numerous issues of 1922 Sejarah Melayu Librar, click : News & Dispatches. Has articles from 1783 to 1951 |
Online Yearbooks |
Newsreels |
British Pathe Wochenschau-Archiv (in German) Archief Beeld en Geluid : Polygoon (in Dutch) |
Image Databanks |
Systematic Collections General |
Sejarah Melayu Gallery National Archives Singapore, Picture Archive Singapore National Library Singapore, Singapore National Album of Pictures The Straits Settlements in Postcards, from Singapore Archives Online |
Systematic Collections Specialist |
Masruddin, Old Photos of Malaysia, uncommented Historic Photos of Liberation, Malaysia Militarum Rod38, Old Penang Island, photos; dotphoto : Old Penang Photos |
Accidental Collections |
Oriental Collections Items on Straits Settlements |
Trolleys in Malaysia : Penang, from Tram Views of Asia Trolleys in Singapore, from Tram Views of Asia |
Universal Collections Items on Straits Settlements |
Archival Deposits |
A Sense of History: a select bibliography on the history of Singapore,
Official Records NUS Libraries, Executive Government (before 1867), Executive government (1867-1965) The Straits Settlements : Annual Reports 1855-1941, advertisement posted by Archive Editions Tamotsu Nishizawa, Historical Statistical Materials on Malaya in London Search Janus for Straits Settlements Search National Archives (UK) for Straits Settlements Search New Zealand Electronic Text Centre for Straits Settlements |
Laws |
In[dex] to the Laws of the Strait[s Settlements] from April 1867 to 28th February 1882
1882, IA The Acts and Ordinances of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements 1867-1886 vol.1 1886, IA, vol.2 1886, IA The acts and ordinances of the Legislative council of the Straits Settlements, from the 1st April 1867 to the 7th March 1898, IA Cases Heard and Determined in Her Majesty's Supreme Court of the Straits Settlement 1808-1884 vol.1 : Civil Cases 1885, vol.3 : Magistrates' Appeals 1886, vol.4 : 1885-1890 Civil, Ecclesiatical .. Appeals 1890, IA |
Historiography |
Document Collections |
Historical Maps |
see here An atlas of the southern part of India, including plans of all the principal towns & cantonments, reduced from the grand trigonometrical survey of India, shewing also the Tenasserim provinces, 1854, posted on Internet Archive, has Malacca, Singapoor map J.G. Bartholomew, A Literary and Historical Atlas of Asia 1912, Sejarah Melayu Library |
Historical Encyclopedia Entries |
Secular |
entry Straits Settlements, from EB 1911;
from Meyers Konversationslexikon 1885-1892, in German see also articles on Singapore, Malacca, Penang |
Religious |
Economic |
J. Chr. Nelkenbrecher, Allgemeines Taschenbuch
der Münz-, Maass- und Gewichtskunde für Banquiers und Kaufleute (General Manual on Coinage, Measurement and
Weights, for Bankers and Merchants) Berlin 1832, in German, entries Malakka, Prinz Wales oder Pulo Penang, Sincapore, posted by DTBSWS E.G. Balfour, The cyclopaedia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia, commercial, industrial, and scientific; products of the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms, useful arts and manufactures (1885), vol.1, vol.2, vol.3, posted on Internet Archive; search for Straits Settlements Chapters : Penang, or Prince of Wales Island, pp.402-405, Malacca pp.405-408, Singapore pp.408-412, in : R.M. Martin, Statistics of the colonies of the British empire in the West Indies, South America, North America, Africa, Austral-Asia and Europe, 1839, GB Ottomar Haupt, Währungs-Politik und Münz-Statistik, Berlin : Walther & Apolant 1884, in German, posted by DTBSWS, chapter Ferner Osten Nopitsch, Wilhelm Hermann, Kaufmännische Berichte, gesammelt auf einer Reise um die Welt mit der Kriegs-Corvette Galathea (Mercantile Reports, collected on a Journey on the War-Corvette Galathea in the Years 1845, 1846 and 1847), in den Jahren 1845, 1846 und 1847, Hamburg : Besser & Mauke 1849, in German, posted by DTBSWS, Pulo Pinang pp.33-39, Singapore pp.40-54 |
Geographical |
On Labuan (1906-1946) : On Malacca (1824-1946) : Article : Malacca, p.118 in The Edinburgh gazetteer, or geographical dictionary 1822, GB Malacca pp.392-393, in C. Malte-Brun, Universal Geography, Or, a Description of All the Parts of the World, 1827, GB Article : Malacca, p.188 in vol.1 of W. Hamilton, The East Indian Gazetteer, 1828, GB Article : Malacca, p.474 in R. Brookes, A new universal gazetteer, 1832, GB Article : Malacca, capital of kingdom Malacca, in : G.Th. Landmann, A universal gazetteer; or, Geographical dictionary of the world (1836), GB, unpaginated On Penang (1786-1946) : Poolo Penang p.393, in C. Malte-Brun, Universal Geography, Or, a Description of All the Parts of the World, 1827, GB Article : Prince-of-Wales-Island, or Pulo Penang, p.418 in vol.1 of W. Hamilton, The East Indian Gazetteer, 1828, GB Article : Prince-of-Wales-Island, or Penang, p.614 in R. Brookes, A new universal gazetteer, 1832, GB Article : Prince-of-Wales-Island, or Penang, in : G.Th. Landmann, A universal gazetteer; or, Geographical dictionary of the world (1836), GB, unpaginated On Singapore (1819-1946) : Article : Singapoor, p.562 in vol.1 of W. Hamilton, The East Indian Gazetteer, 1828, GB Article : Sincapour, p.680 in R. Brookes, A new universal gazetteer, 1832, GB Article : Sincapoor, in : G.Th. Landmann, A universal gazetteer; or, Geographical dictionary of the world (1836), GB, unpaginated On Wellesley Province : Article : Wellesley Province, p.708 in vol.1 of W. Hamilton, The East Indian Gazetteer, 1828, GB Straits Settlements, pp.487-499 in vol.8 of E. Reclus, Universal Geography, n.d. [1876-1894], IA |
Ethnographical |
Malacca pp.179-180 in S. Morewood, A Philosophical and Statistical History of the Inventions and Customs of Ancient and Modern Nations in the Manufacture and Use of Inebriating Liquors, 1838, GB |
Historical |
Parliamentary Debates |
Hansard (British Parliament) |
Tour Guides |
Travelogues |
Memoirs |
Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore Story, 1999, 680 pp., memoirs of Singaporean PM until 1965, has chapter on Japanese occupation |
Institutions | Archives |
National Archives of Singapore Arkib Negara Malaysia |
Musea |
Penang Museum,
Penang Islamic Museum Virtual Museum Melaka National Museum Singapore Labuan Museum |
Monuments |
Libraries |
National Library, Singapore National Library of Malaysia |
National Symbols | Flags, Coats of Arms |
Flag, from FOTW |
Coins, Banknotes |
Banknotes of the Straits Settlements, from Ron Wise's
World Paper Money Coins of the Straits Settlements, from Coin Pictures |
Stamps |
Rare Straits Settlements Stamps, from Sandafayre Stamp Gallery;
Straits Settlements stamps 1867-1902, from Stamps Catalogue 1840-1920
by Evert Klaseboer |
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND PRINT SOURCES Bibliographies . Online Libraries . Thesis Servers . Online Journals . General Accounts . Specific Topics . Historical Dictionaries . Statistical Data . Yearbooks |
Bibliographies | general |
Datenbasis Internationale Beziehungen und Länderkunde
(Data Base on International Relations and Country Studies) (site in German, most titles listed in English;
numerous entries; publications mostly since 1970) RHS Bibliography UK National Archive Online Library ISBN Database |
on Straits Settlements |
Catalogue of Publications on the history of Penang, from Penang
Library (Malay language website; most titles in English) A Sense of History. A Select Bibliography on the History of Singapore, from NUS Library Publications of Singapore Heritage Society, of Penang Heritage Trust Reprints of MBRAS |
Historical Book Catalogues |
Classified Catalogue of Books, Pamphlets, Maps, Views etc. Relating to Asia,
pp.503-543 : Straits Settlements etc., n.d. (c.1900), Sejarah Melayu Library |
booksellers |
Nutmeg Publications. Malaysian Heritage Publications Books on Malaysia, from Orchid Press mymalaysiabooks |
Online Libraries | general |
Internet Archives Gutenberg Library Online e-corpus |
on Straits Settlements |
Search DBNG Search New Zealand Electronic Text Centre South East Asia Digital Library (project) South East Asia Visions, at Cornell Search Leiden University Repository (NL, Open Access) ISEAS Working Papers, Back Issues 2000-2003 National Library Singapore, Singapore Pages Sejarah Melayu Library Digital Library Malaysia |
Thesis Server |
Open Access Theses and Dissertations Registry of Open Access Repositories, Malaysia Malaysian Theses Online |
Online Journals |
Directory of Open Access Journals Electronic Journals Online |
modern, on SE Asia |
W.S. Tiew, Malaysian Historical Journals (1847-1966):
A Bibliometric Study, Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science vol.8 no.1 July 2003: pp.19-43 Journal of Southeast Asian History 1960-1969, Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 2009-, from Cambridge Journals Online (require registration) ASEAS (Austrian Journal of South East Asian Studies), open access, 2008- Asia Insights, from NIAS, 2002- Southeast Asian Studies 1963-, mostly in Japanese Explorations, 1997- Graduate Student Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, CSEAS, Univ. of Hawaii |
on Straits Settlements |
General Accounts |
Nicholas Tarling, The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia, 4 vol.s, Cambridge : UP (1992) 1999, KMLA Lib.Sign. 959 T188c Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th edition, Macropaedia, Vol.27, pp.765-769 Article Southeast Asia : Singapore KMLA Lib.Sign. R 032 B862h v.27 |
Special Topics |
C.M. Turnbull, The Straits Settlements 1826-1867. Indian Presidency to Crown Colony, London : Athlone Press 1972 [G] A.J. Stockwell, British Expansionism and Rule in South-East Asia, pp.371-394 in : Andrew Porter (ed.), The Oxford History of the British Empire, Vol.III : The Nineteenth Century, Oxford : UP 1999, KMLA Lib.Sign. 909.0971241 O98o v.3 |
Historical Dictionaries |
K. Mulliner, Historical Dictionary of Singapore, Rowman & Littlefield 2002 Amarjit Kaur, Historical Dictionary of Malaysia, Lanham Md. : Scarecrow 1993 |
Historical Atlas |
HASEA : Jan M. Pluvier, Historical Atlas of South-East Asia, Leiden : Brill 1995 [G] Siam, the Malay States and Britain, 15th to 20th Centuries, pp.247-253 in : G.S.P. Freeman-Grenville, Historical Atlas of Islam, NY : Continuum (1991) 2003 [G] |
Statistical Data |
IHS : B.R. Mitchell, International Historical Statistics. Africa, Asia & Oceania 1750-2000, London : Palgrave 2003 [G] |
Yearbook Entries | Britannica Book of the Year | 1913 pp.625-626, 1942 p.627, 1943 pp.662-663, 1944 p.664, 1945 pp.663-664, 1946 p.702 |
Statesman's Year-Book | 1889 pp.889-906, 1895 pp.158-165, 1898 pp.158-165, 1901 pp.172-180, 1902 pp.178-183, 1904 pp.180-186, 1905 pp.181-190, 1906 pp.184-190, 1907 pp.187-192, 1910 pp.157-163, 1912 pp.163-169, 1918 pp.160-165, 1919 pp.165-170, 1924 pp.164-170, 1925 pp.166-172, 1926 pp.170-176, 1928 pp.171-177, 1929 pp.171-177, 1932 pp.174-180, 1933 pp.177-183, Malaya : Straits Settlements 1937 pp.192-199, 1942 pp.184-191, 1943 pp.182-188 |
(New) Int'l Yearbook |
1898 p.751, 1899 pp.754-755, 1900 p.842, 1907 pp.745-746, 1908 p.670, 1909 pp.673-674, 1913 p.654, 1914 pp.667-668,
1916 p.660, 1918 p.623, 1919 p.640, 1920 p.656, 1921 p.679, 1923 p.729, 1925 pp.669-670,
1928 p.717, 1930 p.737, 1932 p.771, 1933 p.770, 1934 p.673, 1935 p.688, 1938 pp.708-709, 1939 p.741 British Malaya, 1932 p.116, 1933 p.111, 1934 p.101, 1935 p.103, 1938 p.107, 1939 p.95, Events of 1940 pp.90-91, 1941 pp.82-83 |
Americana Annual | 1927 p.808, 1928 p.737, Malaya, British 1930 pp.464-465, 1931 pp.459-460, 1932 pp.432-433, 1933 pp.452-453, 1934 pp.352-353, 1935 pp.425-426, 1936 pp.427-428, 1937 p.427, 1938 pp.410-411, 1939 pp.461-462, 1940 pp.473-475 |
Other | Funk & Wagnall's New Standard Encyclopedia Year Book 1932 p.482, 1933 p.487, 1934 pp.488-489, 1935 p.487, 1936 pp.469-470, 1937 pp.468-469, 1938 p.472, 1939 p.488; British Malaya 1932 pp.95-96, 1933 pp.126-127, 1934 pp.109-110, 1935 p.102, 1936 p.89, 1937 p.87, 1938 p.89, 1939 p.80, 1940 p.76, 1941 pp.81-82 |