In 1830, the Straits Settlements became a subdivision of the Presidency of Bengal under British India, a status it held until 1867.^[15] That year, it was transformed into a distinct Crown colony managed directly by London's Colonial Office. Singapore, as part of the Straits Settlements, flourished as a crucial trading hub and saw rapid urban and population growth. It served as the capital and governmental center until World War II, when the Japanese Army invaded in February 1942, suspending British rule.