English School, circa 1847-48

Although once thought to be a view of Macao, this is unquestionably a painting of Singapore of around 1847-48 with, in the far left of the painting, Maxwell's House, erected to plans of George Drumgoole Coleman in 1826-27 for the merchant, John Argyle Maxwell, and to the right Government Hill, or Fort Canning, with the signal flags on the flags-staff beside the Residency House. In the centre of the painting is St. Andrew's Church which was erected in 1835-37, again to designs by Coleman, the tower and spire being added between 1841-45 by J.T. Thomson, the Government Surveyor. This was built without a lightning conductor and was struck by lightning several times before, in 1854-55, the whole church was demolished to make way for St. Andrew's cathedral, which was built between 1856-1861. There are some problems of perspective in the foreground of the painting, but the stone bridge and banyan tree are accurate, being also represented in a watercolour drawing by Thomson made in 1846, about the same time as the present painting.