Built for a Jewish lady by the name of Ellison, the two-storey Ellison Building was frequented by colonial governors who would sit on the roof of the building to catch races at Race Course Road held every Sunday. A large billboard at the top of the building advertises bicycles made by Raleigh, a leading British cycle company that exported a large number of its bicycles to developing countries - Singapore and Malayasia included - during the 1950s. Located nearby at Mackenzie Road was Rex Cinema, opened by the Shaw brothers in 1946, before ceasing operations in 1983 when the company underwent a restructuring of its business.
