Joelynn K.
Google
Origins & The Town Convent (1854)
• The Mission: In 1852, Father Jean-Marie Beurel recruited the Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus (IJ Sisters) from France to establish a school for girls in Singapore.
• Establishment: Led by Reverend Mother Mathilde Raclot, the sisters arrived in 1854 and took up residence in Caldwell House. Within ten days of their arrival, they began teaching students, marking the birth of the "Town Convent."
• Growth: The site eventually grew into a self-contained city block that included primary and secondary schools, an orphanage, and a chapel.
2. Architectural Landmarks
The complex features two buildings that are gazetted as National Monuments:
• Caldwell House (1840–1841): Designed by Singapore’s first architect, George D. Coleman, it is the oldest building in the complex and the second oldest in Singapore. It originally served as a private residence before being purchased for the convent.
• CHIJMES Hall (The Chapel) (1904): Designed by French priest Father Charles Benedict Nain, this Gothic Revival chapel is the centerpiece of the complex. It features soaring 19-meter ceilings, 648 column capitals carved with motifs of birds and plants, and 30,000 pieces of Belgian stained glass that depict scenes from the Bible.
3. The "Gate of Hope"
One of the most poignant parts of CHIJMES' history is the small wooden gate on Victoria Street known as the Gate of Hope.
• For over a century, unwanted or abandoned babies (often girls or those from poor families) were left at this gate in the middle of the night.
• The sisters would take them in, regardless of race or religion, providing them with food, shelter, and an education. Today, a replica of the original gate remains as a memorial to this mission of compassion.
4. Modern Transformation (1983–Present)
• Relocation: As Singapore modernized and the downtown area became more commercial, the convent schools (CHIJ and St. Nicholas Girls' School) moved to their current premises in Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio in 1983.
• Deconsecration: The last Mass was held in the chapel on November 3, 1983, after which the chapel was deconsecrated.
• Restoration: After a massive conservation project that won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award, the complex reopened in 1996 as CHIJMES. The name "CHIJMES" is a play on the school's initials (CHIJ) and the sound of bells.