Pulau Brani

Historic use

The bulk of the island was occupied by the Malayan Command Ordnance Depot until 1937 when a new purpose built depot was constructed at Alexandra on the mainland.

The Straits Trading Co. built a tin smelting factory on Pulau Brani in 1890 to process the tin ores mined in mainland Malaya. The factory was on the island for more than 70 years before it had to move out to make way for the Brani Naval Base in the late 1960s.

The British army had their maritime (water transport) base here, first with the RASC and then the RCT. Many families lived in the married quarters on the island. Primary children attended the British army school located near Buller Jetty, as did the children from army families on Blakang Mati (now Sentosa). Secondary age children had to go to the mainland by ferry, attending the Alexandra Schools at Gillman Barracks, then after 1964 either Bourne (in the Gillman buildings) or the brand new St John's Comprehensive in what is now the United World College in Dover Road.