Matilda House 3.19

Matilda House is one of the oldest houses in Singapore. Located in Punggol, it is very close to the Soo Teck LRT Station. Built in 1902, it originally belonged to Mr Alexander Cashin, whose family history in Singapore can be traced back to the early 1840s. It has entrances on two sides of the main building, an open balcony at the front facade, and a long verandah.Matilda House was given conservation status by Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority in February 2000. Despite redevelopments in the surrounding area, it stands as a reminder of the past to the residents of Punggol. It was a frequent haunt for photographers, especially for those who want to take night shots of the place, until the site the house was sold in 2012 for redevelopment.The house is now part of a new residential condominium complex, A Treasure Trove, which was completed in 2015. The facade and interior are restored and had converted into a clubhouse.HistoryBackgroundCompleted in 1902, it was built by Howard Cashin for his wife. The house was named after Alexander's mother, Matilda and hence the name, "Matilda House". It was a single storey tropical bungalow with four bedrooms and servant quarters attached. The house was set within a garden with fruit and coconut trees and also includes a horse stable, tennis courts and a small fishing village on the side near the sea. It served as a weekend retreat for the Cashins.Howard CashinThe ownership of the house was passed onto Howard Cashin, where he resided in with his wife and children after returning from England, where he studied law in 1953. In 1960s, the ownership was then passed to his brother, Joseph Cashin, where Joseph lived in with his sister and mother.