Dear John

WHILE WE'RE COMMUNICATING by emoji these days, there was a time when we wrote actual letters to friends and relatives living far away.

But from the 20's to 60's, not everyone was literate. Enter the letter writer - highly sought-after professionals who made a living by penning down the thoughts of others, usually in calligraphic Chinese script. Mainly Chinese men setting up ramshackle stalls along five-foot-ways of old shophouses, these letter writers could be found in areas like North Bridge Road, Mosque Street, and later in Chinatown Complex.

Equipped with brushes, ink, paper and abacus, these men could begin their day at 8am, and work until 8pm. People approached them to not only write down their messages, but also to read out letters received, compose couplets, and even issue marriage certificates. In the 1930s, the rate was about 20 cents per letter, but it rose to as much as 50 cents or even a dollar in the 1960s, depending on how long it was.