It was the heyday of the mighty British Empire. In the colony of Singapore, a young man from a prominent local family rose to become a successful businessman, Teochew community leader, and member of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements. Straddling both East and West, he lived an exciting life marked by public service, profit and parties. This remarkable man was leader and legislator, Seah Liang Seah. This book tells the incredible story of the man behind Liang Seah Street and Bendemeer, as well as the stories of his Straits Chinese contemporaries, such as Tan Jiak Kim, Dr Lim Boon Keng and Sir Song Ong Siang, and the larger social and economic history of Singapore in the 19th and 20th Centuries.