Henry Charles Caldwell was partially raised in Singapore and spent the better part of his working career there as an officer of the court. Below is an excerpt from the book “Singapore Street Names: A Study of Toponymics” by Victor R Savage and Brenda Yeoh describing his house and his work.
Part of [Henry Charles] Caldwell’s house forms the major front facade of the left side of the gothic church now known as CHIJMES, an acronym for ‘Church of the Holy Infant Jesus.’ The house was built in 1840 by George Coleman and was commissioned by H C Caldwell, the senior sworn clerk to the Magistrates. It was one of the last buildings that Coleman completed. Caldwell House is one of only two houses dating back to the 1840s/1850s that remain in the colonial district — the other being the old Parliament House that was built for the trader, John Maxwell, by G D Coleman in 1826-1827.
In 1854, a group of Sisters from the Holy Infant Jesus Order (also known as Les Dames de St Maur or CHIJMES) set up home in Caldwell’s house and opened a school within a short span of two weeks. By 1892 the convent had 360 pupils, 200 orphans, 30 poor women, 26 babies and over 40 Sisters. The convent also became an orphanage with babies abandoned at the doorsteps of Foundlings Gate (now preserved as the Gate of Hope). In 1983 the Town Convent (CHIJ) finally closed and shifted to Toa Payoh. Henry Charles Caldwell held several government positions as sworn clerk (1836-1839). senior sworn clerk (1839-1855), and registrar (1855-1856). He left Singapore in 1856 because of financial difficulties.
Footnote: I conveyed this information to my genealogist friend Gill Wallis in England who has been helping (make that guiding) me with the Caldwell family search. She writes back:
“I couldn’t believe it when I clicked on Henry’s Singapore House. I cannot say I can remember the house exactly ( It is now an art gallery ) in Chijmes. But we always go to Chijmes when in Singapore ( last there in 2011 ). I’ve searched through all my old photos hoping I’d taken one but I didn’t. I have a book written by a young Singaporean girl who spent the war behind the convent walls of what is now called Chijmes. It is called A Cloistered War by Maisie Duncan. However I googled ” Photo of Caldwell House in Chijmes ” and you get several images which give you an idea of the architectural style. Chijmes stands for Church of the infant Jesus, I believe. Apart from the art gallery there are several restaurants and craft shops. The church has been turned into a wedding chapel. At least it was when we were there Gill”