Lillian Newton photograph collection on Singapore

The photographs, by various photographers, cover a number of subjects. 1-58 are Singapore scenes, including some photographs of family and friends, and have been catalogued to item level; 59-113 relate chiefly to Lillian Newton's career as dancer and teacher; 85-104, mounted on cards presumably for display, show costumes and scenes from her dancing school. 114-117 are miscellaneous portraits, and 118-129 are photographs mounted on sheets of paper (illustrations cut from papers, etc. have not been listed) used to illustrate talks to Women's Institutes etc.

Lillian Allan Newton was the youngest of the four children of Howard Vincent Newton (1852-1897) and Elizabeth Newton (nee Robertson; 1862-1954). The Newton family tree (copy included in the collection) reaches back to the early 16th century and includes Sir Isaac Newton among its branches. Howard Newton went to Singapore in 1877 and became assistant municipal engineer; he resigned in 1896 to take up an appointment in Bombay where he died from cholera the following year. Newton Road, Singapore, is named after him. Lillian Newton was born at Bridge of Allan, Scotland, on April 26, 1894, when her parents were on leave in the U.K. Some months later the family returned to Singapore. Lillian attended the Raffles Girls School and eventually became a teacher there. She and her sisters took part in numerous amateur dramatic performances and Lillian's talent as a dancer won frequent praise in the Singapore press. In 1921-1922 she studied dance in London under Flora Fairbairn of the Legat School, and in 1922 she opened her own School of Dancing in Singapore. One of her young pupils, Sally Gilmour, was to become leading danseuse with the Ballet Rambert in London. Lillian Newton and her mother left Singapore in 1925. Lillian died in 1977.

Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Presented by Miss Newton, together with documents and other items, circa 1976.

Includes index.

A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.

Photographs are in good condition unless otherwise stated.

Miss Newton also donated a typescript book and other family memorabilia which is held at RCMS 108.

To view images from this collection:

Y30311B/1 - The Harbour

http://www.dspace.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/1810/1203/1/RCSPC-Y30311B-001.jpg

Y30311B/2 - Singapore River looking towards Fort Canning

http://www.dspace.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/1810/1204/1/RCSPC-Y30311B-002.jpg

Y30311B/13 - [Beach Road] Raffles School, Raffles Hotel. Drill Hall

http://www.dspace.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/1810/1205/1/RCSPC-Y30311B-013.jpg

To use these images or to obtain a copy please refer to our Terms of Use:

http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/rcs_photo_project/gallery1.html

This collection level description was entered by PJ using information from the original typescript catalogue.

Newton, Lillian Allan