Statue of Queen Victoria

Seah often led the Chinese community in colonial ceremonies, including an address in English, delivered “in true rhetorical style, with distinctness of utterance” to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee in 1887. He is primarily responsible for commissioning a marble statue of the queen for Government House.

The statue of Queen Victoria was unveiled in the grand dining room of Government House (today the State Room of the Istana) on 26 February 1889. The base is inscribed:
This statue of Queen Victoria was presented by the Chinese community of Singapore, in the year of Her Majesty’s Jubilee, to be placed in the Government House as a memorial of the loyal affection of Her Majesty’s Chinese subjects, and of their gratitude for the benefit of her rule.