Palace of Ghosts: Singapore's Untold History

One of the National Museum of Singapore’s most treasured artifacts is a large, full-length portrait of Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham. For many museum visitors, perhaps those unfamiliar with the history of the region, it may not be the subject of the painting that draws attention—rather, it is the artist: John Singer Sargent. That Singapore even possesses a work by this world-renowned painter is remarkable in itself. And yet the subject of the painting happens to be one of the most controversial and scandalous figures ever to walk the corridors of power in Singapore and Malaya—and a man who plays a pivotal role in Palace of Ghosts . A close up of the portrait of Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham by John Singer Sargent from the Collection of the National Museum of Singapore Find our more: read the book He is introduced in the book’s Dramatis Personae as follows: “ SIR FRANK ATHELSTANE SWETTENHAM (1850–1946). Swettenham was Governor of the Straits Settlements between 1901 and 1904, and r...

The island of Labuan in todays West Malaysia was, along with Singapore, once part of the Straits Settlements. Although, in itself, it is not a part of the story of Palace of Ghost s, events connected to it were to play a role in some of the important outcomes in the story. As told in an earlier posting, William Napier is one of the key characters appearing early in the story of Palace of Ghosts . He made two sojourns in Singapore and the catalyst for his second visit was when the tiny island of Labuan became a Crown Colony of Britain in 1846. Today, few people outside of Malaysia, and many of those within it, know much about the place, if anything. It is safe to say that William Napier probably wished he had also never heard of it either, or even better, wished he had never even set foot on it. Napier’s Labuan misadventure is not a vital element of the central narrative of Palace of Ghosts and is therefore largely omitted from the book. However, there are several threads that link the...