By Kho Su Yian
In 2022, we acquired some issues of a publication called Straits Produce. What may catch the attention first would be the covers of each issue.
The covers are comical, literally, and have a quirky humour, while still showcasing some of the eponymous produce such as palm and banana trees.
Cover of the earliest issue of Straits Produce in the library collection, Issue 5, April 1895
The later issues had a standard cover, with an East-West fusion of a Laughing Buddha next to a court jester, and different advertisements for each issue adorning the perimeter.
Cover of Straits Produce, Volume 6, Number 4, July 1928
The exception is the latest issue we have in our collection, quite possibly the last or one of the last issues published, as Straits Produce ended publication in the mid-1930s. The cover foregrounds an obviously Asian woman, and the background is a collage of photographs. A very poignant swan song if this was the last issue published.
The latest issue of Straits Produce in the library collection, 1936
Satire is an enduring genre in the United Kingdom, perhaps having its roots in Jester’s Privilege (some references to Jester’s Privilege are available in Dr Doran’s 1858 publication History of Court Fools), with magazines such as Punch (online version), or the venerable Grub-Street Journal (link from Internet Archive, selections available in library subscription). The 1700s and 1800s saw a proliferation of such satirical titles, and Straits Produce, beginning in 1868, was very much in the fashion of the period. A good reference for this period of satire is Diana Donald’s The age of caricature : satirical prints in the reign of George III.
The style of writing between the 1893-95 and the 1927-1930s issues are markedly different. The critical sharpness of the earlier issues is much more tempered in the later ones, with more commentary on social mores and parodies of young British girls and boys writing back to London about their exotic and sometimes disappointing experiences in the Orient. The writers themselves perhaps were aware of this shift in tone, and the following comic makes the point.
Illustration of Straits Produce as a clown, from Straits Produce Volume 9, Number 1, October 1930
Speaking of comics, the illustrations and caricatures are worth a look, as there are different styles and some may seem familiar. It appears some internet memes have a longer lineage that we realise! This following comic is an ancient precursor to the “What My Friends Think I Do/What I Really Do” meme (Knowyourmeme.com link about this meme)
Cartoon, from Straits Produce Volume 9, Number 1, October 1930
What also catches my eye in the later issues are the ads. It is amazing how many brands I recognised and are still in existence today. Bosch spark plugs, Borneo Motors, and Cold Storage are all still thriving today. Some names bring a pang of nostalgia, such as John Little:
John Little advertisement in Straits Produce, Number 5, April 1895
Some of the writers had foresight in addition to wit. One example is the prediction this author had that air travel and transport would become commonplace and Singapore “must get in on this business at the very earliest opportunity”.
Aside from appreciating the comics, anecdotes and commentary, Straits Produce provides a lot of fodder for research and rumination. The satirical title can be researched in relation to other notable publications such as Punch or Private Eye, or even Mad Magazine, or modern satirical websites such as The Onion or Waterford Whispers. Those interested in information on satirical comics and works in Southeast Asia can also check out Lim Cheng Tju’s Drawn to Satire: Sketches of Cartoonists in Singapore and Asian Political Cartoons by John A. Lent. The former takes a look at eight comic artists in Singapore who were active in the late 1920s and 30s, such as Tchang Ju Chi, to artists born in the 1930s who are still active today, like Koeh Sia Yong and Shamsuddin H. Akib. The latter looks at the development of political cartoons in Asia, complemented with numerous interviews with comic artists from the different Asian nations.
The comics and illustrations are worth studying as well, not just for the art styles, but how they can convey satire without risking being sued for libel, a narrow line to walk. This tightwire approach to satire can be traced back to libel laws, publishing licensing and other governmental efforts to regulate publishers in the mid-1600s to 1700s in the UK, that influenced satirical works to become more evasive and oblique (Bricker’s Libel and Lampoon: Satire in the Courts, 1670-1792 is a good reference for this topic)
Commentaries on the economics of the Straits Settlements, in particular the rubber production, can be useful to researchers looking at the industries of the colonial period. The many jokes and anecdotes are illustrative of the social outlooks of that time, at least from the perspective of the colonial British. For instance, one could use Straits Produce as a complement to research on the Straits Settlements Government Gazette from 1867-1942 as the publication’s period of publication parallels the papers nicely.
Straits Produce is a publication that rewards close reading, with little surprises in every issue. Some jokes seem well worn to us but were perhaps fresh for that era. Many issues are evergreen, such as marital woes, sports, conflicting perspectives on new technologies (the motor car and airplane then, AI and cryptocurrency today) and just a general dissatisfaction with life. The publication provides us with a glimpse of our past, but also reminds us that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
All images in this article are taken from the magazine, Straits Produce.
References
The project gutenberg ebook of the history of court fools, by dr. (John)Doran. (n.d.). Retrieved 5 March 2025, from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/59618/59618-h/59618-h.htm
Lemon, M., Mayhew, H., Taylor, T., Brooks, S., Burnand, S., F. C, & Seaman, S., Owen. Punch. In Punch.
Hillhouse, J. T. (with Internet Archive). (1967). The Grub-street journal. New York : B. Blom. http://archive.org/details/grubstreetjourna0000hill
Donald, D. (1996). The age of caricature: satirical prints in the reign of George III. Published for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art by Yale University Press.
What people think i do / what i really do. (2012, February 10). Know Your Meme. Retrieved 5 March 2025 from https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/what-people-think-i-do-what-i-really-do
Lim, C. T., & Koh, H. T. (2023). Drawn to satire: sketches of cartoonists in Singapore. Pause Narratives.
Lent, J. A. (2023). Asian political cartoons (1st ed.). University Press of Mississippi.
Bricker, A. B. (2022). Libel and lampoon: satire in the courts, 1670-1792 (First;1; ed.). Oxford University Press.
Great Britain Colonial Office. (1867). Government gazette (Straits Settlements), Straits Settlements government gazette, 1867-1942 CO 276. (p. v. : ill.; 4 3/4 in.). The National Archives.
