In Pictures: A slice of Armenian life in Singapore

More than a century ago, a clutch of Armenian families in Singapore pooled their money to build a parsonage to complement their church, which had been completed in 1835. Today, volunteers from the community help to tidy it up regularly, even as dry rot and rising damp conspire to weaken this still-handsome building. Earlier this month, the community gave photojournalist Desmond Lim rare access into its interior, ahead of its transformation into a museum next year.

Updated

Published

Sep 17, 2015, 05:00 AM

The well-preserved wooden dining set in a corner of the 110-year-old parsonage has been there since the building's early days in the 1900s.

This room on the ground floor of the two-storey parsonage is chock-a-block with maps of Armenia and Armenian artefacts, and photo albums of the community here. Volunteers from the community will turn the entire building into a museum and library by next y — This room on the ground floor of the two-storey parsonage is chock-a-block with maps of Armenia and Armenian artefacts, and photo albums of the community here. Volunteers from the community will turn the entire building into a museum and library by next year.

A meeting room on the ground floor of the parsonage in Hill Street. On its walls are portraits of leaders in the Armenian faith, and pictures from the Armenians' culture and history.

This set of antique containers for the vanity table was left to Madam Loretta Sarkies by her father, Mr Arathoon Sarkies. While few among these items are of Armenian origin, they take pride of place in Madam Sarkies' home.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.