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Lee Kuan Yew : Starting Up A Nation – In Pictures

byMary Rose - Citi IO

2015-03-24

1 minute read

Early Life. With his family outside their Norfolk Road home in 1936. Mr Lee stands between his parents and is accompanied by his younger siblings (first row, from left) Suan Yew, 3; Monica, 7; Freddy, 9; and Dennis, 11. Photograph : Remembering Lee Kuan Yew - website — Early Life. With his family outside their Norfolk Road home in 1936. Mr Lee stands between his parents and is accompanied by his younger siblings (first row, from left) Suan Yew, 3; Monica, 7; Freddy, 9; and Dennis, 11.
Photograph : Remembering Lee Kuan Yew – website

A Lawyer. On graduation day with William S. Thatcher, censor of Fitzwilliam House who offered Mr Lee a place at Cambridge. Photograph : Remembering Lee Kuan Yew - website — A Lawyer. On graduation day with William S. Thatcher, censor of Fitzwilliam House who offered Mr Lee a place at Cambridge.
Photograph : Remembering Lee Kuan Yew – website

With members of the Postal and Telecommunications Uniformed Staff Union, for whom he secured salary increases in May 1952. Photograph : Remembering Lee Kuan Yew - website — With members of the Postal and Telecommunications Uniformed Staff Union, for whom he secured salary increases in May 1952.
Photograph : Remembering Lee Kuan Yew – website

Mr. Lee during a mass spring-cleaning drive for National Loyalty Week in 1959 the year Singapore gained full self-government from the British. Photograph : AP — Mr. Lee during a mass spring-cleaning drive for National Loyalty Week in 1959 the year Singapore gained full self-government from the British.
Photograph : AP

Political Rise. Mr. Lee was hoisted by supporters after leading his People's Action Party to a landslide victory in the Singapore elections on September 21, 1963. Photograph : AP — Political Rise. Mr. Lee was hoisted by supporters after leading his People’s Action Party to a landslide victory in the Singapore elections on September 21, 1963.
Photograph : AP

Mr. Lee addresses a crowd after July racial unrest in 1964. Photograph : AP — Mr. Lee addresses a crowd after July racial unrest in 1964.
Photograph : AP

Family Man. At home with his family playing Chinese chess in 1965. Photograph : Getty Images — Family Man. At home with his family playing Chinese chess in 1965.
Photograph : Getty Images

Meeting the media at Radio & Television Singapore on the morning of 9 August 1965 after the Proclamation of Singapore’s independence was issued. Photograph : Remembering Lee Kuan Yew — Meeting the media at Radio & Television Singapore on the morning of 9 August 1965 after the Proclamation of Singapore’s independence was issued.
Photograph : Remembering Lee Kuan Yew

A Lifelong Romance. Lee Kuan Yew and wife Kwa Geok Choo.

A group photograph from the Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conference, including; Harold Wilson, Lee Kuan Yew, Harold Holt, Tunju Abdul Rahman, Hastings Banda, Lester Pearson, Milton Obote, Borg Olivier and Albert Margai, at Marlborough House, London, September 6th 1966. Photograph : Roger Jackson/Central Press/Getty Images — A group photograph from the Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conference, including; Harold Wilson, Lee Kuan Yew, Harold Holt, Tunju Abdul Rahman, Hastings Banda, Lester Pearson, Milton Obote, Borg Olivier and Albert Margai, at Marlborough House, London, September 6th 1966.
Photograph : Roger Jackson/Central Press/Getty Images

Mr. Lee visiting a housing project. Housing for every Singaporeans was among his top projects in the early days of Singapore as a nation. Photograph : Larry Burrows/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images — Mr. Lee visiting a housing project. Housing for every Singaporeans was among his top projects in the early days of Singapore as a nation.
Photograph : Larry Burrows/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Mr. Lee at work.

Mr. Lee catapulted Singapore into the global powerhouse that is is today.

Queen Elizabeth II with Lee Kuan Yew at Buckingham Palace in 1969. Photograph: Joan Williams/REX — Queen Elizabeth II with Lee Kuan Yew at Buckingham Palace in 1969.
Photograph: Joan Williams/REX

Mr. Lee of the People's Action Party toured the constituencies in Chinatown to thank voters for their support in the general election in Singapore in 1972. Photograph : AFP/Getty — Mr. Lee of the People’s Action Party toured the constituencies in Chinatown to thank voters for their support in the general election in Singapore in 1972.
Photograph : AFP/Getty

Mr. Lee speaking to a packed lunchtime rally crowd at Fullerton Square in Singapore in 1976. Photograph: Jerry Seh/AFP/Getty Images — Mr. Lee speaking to a packed lunchtime rally crowd at Fullerton Square in Singapore in 1976.
Photograph: Jerry Seh/AFP/Getty Images

Mr. Lee, left, welcoming then-Chinese vice premier Deng Xiaoping in Singapore on November 12, 1978. Mr. Lee once told Deng: ‘Whatever we have done, you can do better because we are the descendants of the landless peasants of south China.’ Photograph : Zhang Guiyu/Xinhua/AP — Mr. Lee, left, welcoming then-Chinese vice premier Deng Xiaoping in Singapore on November 12, 1978. Mr. Lee once told Deng: ‘Whatever we have done, you can do better because we are the descendants of the landless peasants of south China.’
Photograph : Zhang Guiyu/Xinhua/AP

Mr. Lee (seated) and Mrs. Lee with officials on a boat ride around the Singapore River in 1987. The river had just undergone a clean-up project undertaken by 11 ministries and statutory boards. Photograph : ST File Photo — Mr. Lee (seated) and Mrs. Lee with officials on a boat ride around the Singapore River in 1987. The river had just undergone a clean-up project undertaken by 11 ministries and statutory boards.
Photograph : ST File Photo

Mr. Lee thanking voters who elected him as member of Parliament for the Tanjong Pagar constituency in Singapore on September 11, 1988. Photograph : AP — Mr. Lee thanking voters who elected him as member of Parliament for the Tanjong Pagar constituency in Singapore on September 11, 1988.
Photograph : AP

Alone in the chambers of Old Parliament House after the last Parliament sitting there on September 6, 1999. Photograph : Chin Fook Chew/Zaobao — Alone in the chambers of Old Parliament House after the last Parliament sitting there on September 6, 1999.
Photograph : Chin Fook Chew/Zaobao

Newly appointed Lee Hsien Loong, right, shaking hands with his father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, at the presidential palace in Singapore on August 12, 2004. Photograph : Wong Maye-e/AP — Newly appointed Lee Hsien Loong, right, shaking hands with his father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, at the presidential palace in Singapore on August 12, 2004.
Photograph : Wong Maye-e/AP

Mr. Lee, shaking hands with former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad at the latter’s office in Putrajaya, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur on 2005. Photograph : Bazuki Muhammad/AFP/Getty Images — Mr. Lee, shaking hands with former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad at the latter’s office in Putrajaya, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur on 2005.
Photograph : Bazuki Muhammad/AFP/Getty Images

Mr. Lee giving his wife two final kisses as she laid in her casket at the Mandai Crematorium in Singapore on October 6, 2010. Kwa Geok Choo, 89, died on October 2. Photograph : Terence Tan/AFP/Getty Images — Mr. Lee giving his wife two final kisses as she laid in her casket at the Mandai Crematorium in Singapore on October 6, 2010. Kwa Geok Choo, 89, died on October 2.
Photograph : Terence Tan/AFP/Getty Images

Planting a mempat tree at Farrer Circus on 16 June 1963 to launch the tree-planting campaign (top), and continuing the unbroken annual tradition on 16 June 2013 at Holland Village Park (bottom). Photograph : Remembering Lee Kuan Yew - website — Planting a mempat tree at Farrer Circus on 16 June 1963 to launch the tree-planting campaign (top), and continuing the unbroken annual tradition on 16 June 2013 at Holland Village Park (bottom).
Photograph : Remembering Lee Kuan Yew – website

One of his last major public appearances was at the age of 90, when he attended celebrations for Singapore's National Day, marking 49 years since he signed the deal which had filled him with such dread. He died on March 23, 2015 at the age of 91. Photograph : BBC — One of his last major public appearances was at the age of 90, when he attended celebrations for Singapore’s National Day, marking 49 years since he signed the deal which had filled him with such dread. He died on March 23, 2015 at the age of 91.
Photograph : BBC

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