Cycling Along Cockman Street
Those were the days: when the traffic in Ipoh was rather scarce, and riding around the town on a bicycle was SAFE! Here we have some youngsters riding past the Lido Cinema. This Iversen building is no longer a cinema now; if I’m not mistaken it’s been turned into Florex Restaurant.
Playing in the cinema at that time (1958) was ‘Rock, Pretty Baby’. This movie starred Sal Mineo, John Saxon Shelley Fabares, Luana Patten and Edward Platt. It was a simple story about a teenager who, despite his father’s objections, formed a rock and roll band with his friends. He later tried his best to obtain bookings.
Did anyone out there watch this movie? Did the movie start a trend among the younger generation – as in starting their own band? Or, perhaps it started a fashion trend?
Yes I remember Lido Cinema, in 1970, my dad and me went to watch “The Battle of Britian”, those were the days. Now its a shopping complex.
I remember in my young..my dad bring us to watch superamn… always on long line…. got to wait…
I remember cycling to school (ACS Ipoh) though practically no one does that now. I also remember in the 1950s my uncle and aunt roller skating down Station Road (now Jalan Dato Maharajalela) to Panglima Street, Ipoh
I remember the best about Lido cinema is my dad took me to watch “The Longest Day” which played ~3 hours. There was a short break in between to allow audience walk out to the foyer and relax their muscles. I was still very young & dont remember the movie very well
Lido Theatre opened with the film “Trapeze” starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Gina Lallolobrigida (if I am not mistaken). Cathay Cinema opened at the same time. Forgot what was the film they showed.
The lady in sam foo , the pillion rider positioned in the rattan and wicker chair attached to the handle bars , the racket bag – shaped metal protector for the bicycle chain and cogs – these were familiar sights that survived into the ’60s .
I inherited one of such bikes in the ’60s , a very sturdy and durable workhouse which i not only used to go to school – NTPS JPP and ACS – and for extra-curricular activities but also on trips to Tanjong Rambutan Waterfall , Tambun Hot Spring , Kledang Hill , the Simpang Pulai Waterfall , the various caves , etc . For camping trips , we would place our haversacks and other essential items on the rear carrier rack . And of course , for quite many years , I was wearing shorts too – baggy and not too different from the ones worn by the boys in the photo . There were no T-shirts in those days(it was not cool to wear the Pagoda type T-shirt favoured by our grandfathers and the older male shop attendants) .
Going to the cinema was quite a thrill . We could only afford the 2nd Class seats and even then tickets were only available for the front 2 rows – very hard on the neck as one would have to lean far back to take in the whole screen . The ice cream sold at the cinema’s milk bar tasted exceptionally good , perhaps because it was the one and only I had in my young days in Ipoh . Nothing else to compare with .
Some of the cinemas sold hot dogs too . Again , I only had it once and it tasted very good .
Cathay Cinema was also another Iversen masterpiece and it opened on August 31st 1957, with the movie version of the Broadway musical, “The King & I”, starring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. I was very young at that time and at that age, the plot of the movie was just beyond my comprehension. Many years later, I saw the stage version on Broadway and the songs did reverberate in my mind, stoking memories of my childhood days in Ipoh. Incidentally, the remake of this movie, named ‘Anna & The King of Siam”, was shot in the Ipoh/Batu Gajah area and this later day version, with Chow Yun Fatt and Jodie Foster in the lead roles, hit the big screen in 1999. The coming of age of the multiplexes signaled the doom of the stand-alone theaters like Cathay, and sadly, this 1,174-seat movie palace was relegated to be a furniture showroom today.
Hi Ken, welcome back
yes, it’s sad that these stand-alone theaters have ‘faded away’. but strangely, many of them have been turned into furniture stores……(like Ruby and Rex).
In early 70s Woodstock was shown there albeit heavily censored. The stereo sound system was considered superb at that time.It was jaw dropping watching this iconic music event shown in stereo & in full colour glory.I considered this an eye opener as my TV then was black & white & I hear my music from a lo-fi rediffusion box.On the day I was there, the mostly teenage crowd became rowdy halfway. A few started to stand on their chairs to sway & dance along with the music.I swore I smelt marijuana smoke as smoking was still allowed inside then.What is missing in the photo are those mobile hawkers selling sweets, snacks & drinks. Opposite it were a few shops opened for bicycle parking for a fee.
My earliest first memory of Lido Cinema was in 1958 when I went for the show, The Vikings, starring Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis. That day stays forever in my mind because it was the first time I went on my own by bus from my village and I was merely 11 years-old.
yes i remember Lido when i was at st.micheals in the early 70′s we were given free tickets to watch ” The Ten Commandments ” starring Charlton Heston..i was 11 yrs old at tht time my dad dropped me off at lido
Hi Felicia,
You got the point there. Indeed, many of the stand alone movie houses were converted into furniture stores. I guess when the seats were removed, the auditorium must be very spacious, and there is ample room for displaying furniture. It is rather sad that not even one of these cinemas in Ipoh survived the onslaught of the multiplexes. Future generations will never be able to experience the full impact of movie entertainment on a 70 mm screen. In the US, some popular movie palaces were restored to its former glory and they are set aside to screen artistic (artsy) or eclectic movies. These graceful buildings are oozing with old-world charm and some of them come replete with antique pop corn machines and live organists to serenade the cinema-goers before the show starts. The warm and friendly atmosphere is quite different from that of a modern day compartmentalized movie theater.
Then there were other epic or at least great films shown in one of the 2 neighborhood cinemas , Lido or Cathay further down the road , like -
“War & Peace”
“The Bridge on the River Kwai” by David Lean
“Ben Hur”
“Dr Zhivago”
“To Sir With Love”
“The Guns of Navarone”
and various James Bond films .
These films were very impactful before colour TV and later , video record players came to dominate the scene .
Ken. You make me long for the old days of cinema. The first film I saw (in UK of course) was the original Wizard of Oz. It was so exciting with the big screen and sound (at 6 years old) I chewed a hole in my new shirt. My mother was furious.
Hi mashi74,
Other ‘cheong hei’ films where the audience were given a break were “Ben Hur” and “The Ten Commandments” both starring the late Charlton Heston. He was in his prime then, as the unforgettable Ben Hur and Moses respectively. During the break we went to the wash room, walked around the foyer before we were beckoned in again.
When I was young my father forbid me to cycle. Being a young rebel at heart, I secretly learned how do. I received scratches and bruises here and there learning how to cycle. In the olden days the bicycles are tall for me. I happened to get a male bicycle and it is difficult to cycle with a bar across. I really persisted and was thrill when I boleh. What adventure and enjoyment.
Anyway I am still not allowed to cycle. So eventually I had to sit at the back of the bicycle saddle, of my friend. It is a hard metal meant to put your school bag there. Beggars are no choosers. She was so full of energy and strong, she took me to T.R. Waterfall, Menglembu, Old Town etc….. with the group of friends. Imagine my feelings all have bicycles except myself.
There is a happy ending. My friend who always gave me lifts on her bicycle went abroad. When she returned it my turn to give her lifts in my small mini car. One good turn deserve another. hahaha….
It is great that some of you recalled the first films to be screened at Lido and Cathay. Most of the cinemas are still around with the exception of Sun and Capital that were torn down. Odean and Majestic were the other two not mentioned here. There were of course some smaller cinemas in the New Villages, like in Kampung Simee, Menglembu, etc. In those days, cinemas were the main source of entertainment for many.
We look forward to the supporting shorts like catoons and news each time we went for a main show. The long winded shows had intervals in the middle for patrons to rest,eased themselves and get a bite. Trapeze and The King and I (Yul Braner’s version) were in Cinemascope (Curved wide screen) and later we even had Cinerama (70mm films projected on extra lig screens) but there were only a few films of this nature. We also had 3D and I think “House of Wax” screened in Rex was the first to be shown in Ipoh.
Talking about 2nd class seats that formed the first few rows just at the edge of the theatre’s stage. As children, we could only afford these seats (40 cents) and if the cinema was empty, we would sneak behind to watch after the show started.
Whenever I went to the cinema with my family, being the youngest and smallest,they would sneak me in, pass the ticket collectors and I would share seat with a member of my siblings. Those were the days!
On the other end of the spectrum, there would be the Reserved Seats on a balcony above the back portion of the hall. It used to cost 2 dollars Malayan/Malaysian then.
Buying tickets was a hussel and long queues would form for popular shows. There were also advanced booking when you could buy tickets for a later show the same day or days ahead.
Cinemas used to be and I suppose still is the place where dating would take place and something else (maybe)! The darkened environment and the projected show would add incentives! Many a couples sealed their relationships there, too. (Sealed with a kiss!)
Lovely fond memories. Maybe a series of pictures of all the cinemas in Ipoh could be posted here for all to see and remember.
Thanks.
Hi all. what great memories you all have shared!
i did manage to see a few movies at Cathay cinema before it closed. was too young to remember what movies they were, but yes – nothing like a cinematic experience!
i remember buying chips and coca cola before entering. also remember seeing a ‘carpet’ of kuaci seeds on the floor…probably left behind from the patrons of the earlier show
In late 60s during my secondary school days, where do we idle mischievious schoolboys get to watch a movie on the cheap & smoke to our hearts contend in aircond comfort?. In the darkness of the cinemas of course. Admission prices then were from $2, $1 & 65 cents. My pals & I with our limited allowances cant see shows on normal prices often[we still need money to buy ciggies you know] so this what we do. We go for afternoon shows when attendance is lower. We would hang outside the 3rd class section door.If any usher who is daring enough to do this will knowingly respond to our nods.Once the lights are off inside, he will signal us to follow him inside. With his torch he will lead us to the seats. Payment of usually 30cents per head would be handed to him at the door. This was the norm back in those days when these ushers illegally earn some extra income.Its a win win situation. We broke schoolboys get to see our shows cheaply & he happily ‘kow-teemed’
Ahha! Rosebud, this is where you all learned how to ‘kow-teem’ everyone from policemen to top civil servants nowadays! LOL.
Lido and Cathay mostly screened English speaking movies, but sometimes the very popular sword fighting ones during the sixties would also be shown. Spillover from the other “Chinese” cinemas. Once a while, there would be concerts (Sakura and other Hongkong Stars) and also stage shows like Magic shows. When this happens, the ticket pricing will be reversed, with the front row seats the most expensive ( sometimes as high as $10) and the reserved seats upstairs will be the cheapest. In anticipation of large crowds, the St John’s Ambulance Brigade would be called to attend and those who went would get a free show. I remember in the sixties, during one such “Magic Show” the trick was someone being cut in half with a circular saw mounted on a table in the middle of the stage. I was told the magician used animal blood, and it was flying all over the stage. The SJAB in attendance on that day really had thieir hands full because the were scores of people fainted there and then!
Yes I too use to watch the 10 am matinees at Lido and Cathay cinema, I use to go there with my grand father, later I went with some friends from Anderson School for the 3 pm show and usually bought the 65 cents tickets to sit in the front rows, later when the movie started and if it was not a full house, quietly pretend to go to the toilets, then re emerging and go up to the 1.40 seats to pretend we had those tickets, OK tell me you guys didn’t do that !!
We did more that. Instead of buying the ticket we
pay the gate-keeper 50cents to sit the first front row
than as David Cheah mentioned, diasppeared at the back row.
when the light went off.
Schoolboy pranks. Ha Ha ha.
I only follow the initiator.
Nowadays with internet & spy camera like James Bond, you dont have to do that.
Dont get any ideas, ok ?
Hey Foo Fooi, of course we did the old 65 cents, toilet & upgrade to $1.40 seat trick(sound like Maxwell Smart). Even better, I went to the next step,( when funds are low ) did the walking in with a brave face, following others who showed the usher tickets and got in free and hang out in the toilet till all is seated. The danger here is if the cinema is full you could be in strive. The trick is go for movies that are not packed.
This is one trick that is still used my the current gen “y”.
James
The sixties were indeed the golden era of the cinemas! My family and I used to travel all the way from our small town, Tronoh, to watch the latest releases in Ipoh. I still remember my mother used to join the bus packages organized by her friend to Ipoh to watch a movie, see their idols ‘live’ on stage after the end of the movie (tang toi) and then to ‘siew yeah’(supper) at ‘koo kong chow’ or the restaurant at the Yau Tet Shin Market.The favourites at that time were Chan Boh Choo, Siew Fong Fong, Nancy Sit,Foong Po Po, Lam Foong, Lee Heong Kam and many more. that was the Cantonese era.
Later, we moved on to the Mandarin era of sword fighting shows starring Chang Pei Pei, Ti Lung, David Chiang in shows like One-armed swordsman, ‘Lung Men Hark Chan’ etc.
Of course there were also the love stories starring Yen Chen,Lam Fung Kiew,etc. not to forget the famous ‘Love Story’, My Fair Lady, Sound of Music and Gone With the Wind!
In the past NGOs used to get cinemas to let them have Charity Premiers when there is a good show. Love Story was one of them and the MGS IPoh Choir, under the directorship of Ms Cecilia Cheah sang during the function. Any Choir member of MGS Ipoh remember her. A tall lady that will turn anybody’s eyes, especially fellow teacher Mr. Ho Ho Choon who eventually married her and took her to Seremban!
Older MGS Choir members will also remember Ms. Devadason who left Malaysia for greener pastures in Perth, Australia. She was active during the 60s.
MGS Ipoh will son be featured in detail by me in this blog! Look out for it.
Pasir puteh school arrange excursion to Lido/cathay includes greats such as 10 commandments, Ben Hur ( both Charlton Heston )& Dr Zhivago to name a few. I think we got group disc. and paid half of the $1.40 special seats.
Then there came this block buster ( to me anyway, as i am sucker for good music) The sound of music. I must hv watched it 6 times in a year. Best work of Roger & Hammerstein, and i had crush on Julie A. Poor Christopher Plumber could not talk the producer to use his own voice in the song( edelweise ), he was not happy.
Then we grew up and watch Too Sir With Love & the controversial “Graduate” Anne Bancroft seducing Dustin Hoffman in 67 & 68. Those days Anne B crossing her legs and revealing the crotch had the audience gasping and the jaws drop!
katherine Wong, mmm sounds familiar, daughter of Wah Nam Rest? Not many girls dare to venture on bicycle to T R Waterfall. Good on ya> See those days we guys r too macho to hang out with gals. Stupid move.
Chu kheng
Hi all, reading your comments brought a great nostalgic “ride” down memory lane.
Bicycling was just about the only means of low cost personal transport back in the 50s before the ubiquitous Honda Cub turned up. Apart of course from shank’s mare, the only mode 2 of my ACS classmates from Menglembu and Lahat had recourse to. They would walk daily to and fro their homes – as far as 5 mi / 8 km away – to the school in Lahat Road. I wonder where they are now.
If you went out cycling at night, you made sure you had a filament bulb in the dynamo powered lamp bolted up front. And if you parked your bicycle at the covered stands at the back of either Lido or Cathay cinemas, you made sure you removed said bulb from the lamp before you left your carefully locked bicycle.
If you didn’t, you were fairly sure that it would be nicked since the hinged front reflector of the lamp could be easily unclasped. I speak from experience. Then you would hurry home by the light of street lamps, fearing that a cop would collar you for riding around at night without a light!
Katherine Wong’s “male bicycle” (comment 17) reminded me of my own attempts to learn to cycle on such a beast down in Peoples’ Park off Treacher Street (Jalan Bijih Timah). The park was lovely green lawn those days and like all the other kids, what I did was to hold the handlebars with both hands while standing on the left side.
Sticking my right leg through the triangular opening and pushing down on the pedal, I managed to make it move more or less in the direction I wanted. After innumerable falls onto to the very forgiving grass, I eventually got the hang of it.
Here’s some detail about those two classic Iversen designs:
Allowing cinema patrons to take a break through those 3-hour blockbuster movies (comment 4) entailed locking the “collapsible” iron gates around the perimeter so as to prevent unauthorized entry. I remember tying a handkerchief on the armrests, something that many others also did, to prevent our seats from being usurped by mistake or intent.
AFAIR both cinemas were almost completely finished inside and out with 3/4 inch (18 mm) square mosaic tiles of various hues and sheen. This made them rather expensive to build but the upside was that you did not have to concern yourself with repainting over the years. They still look fairly clean for their age.
Another public building that also had a similar finish is the Asia Life Building down in Old Town, somewhere along Belfield Street (Jalan Sultan Yusuff). From its covered verandah, the town padang may be seen gleaming across the road.
I had an ACS classmate who lived in Cockman Street (Jalan Dato Oon Jaafar) and he told me he once picked up a few of the unused tiles as souvenirs though I doubt he kept them.
Coca Cola was then the new taste on the block at a time when F&N (Fraser and Neave) dominated the soft drinks market. I don’t remember trying it out but Kelvin thought it was quite bitter.
Talking about soft drinks, do any of you remember the “still” (meaning without fizz) orange by Sinalco?
Thank you all once again for the “ride”.
Peter, i’ve not seen nor heard of that Sinalco orange drink. perhaps, if you or anyone else has a picture of it (or, an empty bottle would be a bonus too!) we could put it up? you say this drink was without the ‘fizz’, was it like your average orange juice?
Hi Felicia,
Have you ever seen or heard of a product guys loved to use back in those days, especially going out for a date or to the cinema for a movie?
It was the Tancho pomade, the transparent light green coloured hair gel that guys would apply to their hair to hold them in place. It has a funny kind of smell. It came in a small white colored jar with dark green cap. Circular in shape and kept inside a yellow colored box with the word ‘Tancho’, well my dad and brother used them a lot!
Any guys out there use this before?
Hi Ipohgal. no, i’ve not heard of this hair gel you mentioned. i remember my dad used to use Code-10 or sometimes Brylcream……and my brother followed suit later.
speaking of hair, seems like the mohawk and punk-style have come back in fashion….hahaha…..;-)
Hi ipohgal ,
I did use Tancho in my Lower Sixth days . It had the effect of holding the hair style well in place at the time of application .
But left unwashed overnight , one’s hair became stiff the next day and one had to apply much strength to run the comb through the hair . Unfortunately , once one of my combing strokes was over-vigorously executed and the teeth of the comb left a deep abrasion on that tender part of my ear adjoining my head .
That and the Tancho ingredient caused a very bad infection which gave me a couple of sleepless nights . No more Tancho for me thereafter . Brylcream was a better substitute .
Felicia I remember my father and brothers used the Brylcream and another gel green in color. The gel has a very strong smell and it is so sticky on the hair that when a fly landed it will be stuck there. Hahaha…. Those will the days when the man cut the hair very short and the paste their hair flat too.
The only wear white shirts and white trousers. Their trousers are so baggy that you can put one chicken on each side of the legs.
There are pratically no fashion for men during the 60s.
Only we female were much better of. We can go to the tailors to make dresses from the designers books. We have the beautiful and sexy cheongsam, baju kebaya etc.
The men only catch up with fashion lately in the years.
Peter Wang you are lucky learning how to cycle and fell on the grass. Poor me learn how to cycle in the back lane. Imagine the pain I had to endure when I fell on the road and into the back lane small drain. You can envision the cuts and the bruise I had. Anyway forbidden food always taste better. When I finished my lesson I will have to rub the “tik tar chow” and put plasters on my legs and hands. For you information I went cycling on a mountain bike in Meru and Clearwater some months back. Imagine my thrill and amazement I can balance and still cycle after so many years.
))
Hey Katherine Wong, good for you!
Here’s one of those “500 Things” you just have to try before you die.
Get going and take your hands off the handlebars and see how far you go before you collapse in helpless laughter or sheer terror. On lush green grass of course! When you feel confident enough, try it on the open road sans traffic. It’s exhilarating!
Here’s another: get on your bike and have a friend place another alongside yours. Hold yours steady with say, your left hand and your right hand at the middle of the other handlebars.
Now proceed to cycle while taking the other with you for a ride. Now be real careful and make sure they don’t collide! That’s how we used to bring along a spare to someone who needed it. Of course you could always perch your friend on a horizontal cross bar but that’s kacang as we used to say and still do.
I never bothered in recent years with wearing a safety helmet even though my mountain biker friend insisted I did. Until an acquaintance died a day after falling while playing tennis.
The lesson to learn? Our brains are like soft tofu and a concussion doesn’t do it any good, so wear a safety helmet at all times you’re out cycling.
Felicia, I was told the other day that “still” or fizz-free orange may be available though I cannot confirm this.
When I looked in Google, here’s what I picked up:
“Sinalco is a brand of non-alcoholic drinks founded in 1902, with sales in more than 40 countries.
In 1902, German scientist Friedrich Eduard Bilz invented “Bilz Brause”, a sherbet powder, and started to sell it in partnership with industrialist Franz Hartmann. As imitations started to appear, they held a prize competition for a brand name, and chose “Sinalco” (an abbreviation of the Latin sine alcohole, “without alcohol”). As one of the first beverage brands, Sinalco came to be exported worldwide, particularly to South America and the Middle East. The red circle trademark was registered in 1937. A distinctively-shaped bottle was launched in the 1950s, and updated at the end of the century.[1] Sinalco is the oldest soft drink brand in Europe.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinalco
They’ve kept the same bottle shape as you can see here.
http://www.sinalcohellas.gr/products/en_sinalco_orange.html
But then I realize I may have been mistaken when I remember that the logo was green not orange. Aha, they’re still in production.
“Green Spot is a non-carbonated non caffeinated orange-based soft drink that is sold in Venezuela, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries.
Developed in 1934 in the United States after the introduction of Orangeade, the brand established operations in Thailand in 1954. While the brand is no longer popular in the United States, the current brand is now focused on the Asian market.
Formerly only available in bottles, Green Spot is now also sold in a 325 ml can with carbonation (fizz).
Green Spot was once popular in Hong Kong, but it has since ceased to sell their bottle drinks and tetra pak boxes are sold in small quantities. The drink can be found at Asian food store Hoo Hing in Essex, England. The softdrink was for sale in The Netherlands as well. In 1962 the Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers emptied a bottle in the sea near Petten. He managed to make it an international news item.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Spot_%28soft_drink%29
Thanks for instigating me!
thanks for the links, Peter. now, some how the name Green Spot sounds familiar….
And Kickapoo Joy Juice ?
Hi LMS136,
Glad to hear that there was someone out there who also used Tancho hair gel besides my dad and elder brother!
Although the smell is kind of funny and I could not find the exact words to describe it but I loved it! It reminded me so much of my dad, especially after he just had a bath and wanted to go out. Until this day, I still remember this particular smell and missed it very much. There is still a jar left in my dad’s home in Ipoh and it was unfinished.
Guys in those days normally goes to the roadside or back lane Indian barber to have their hair cut. Their favorite was the crew cut – short and comfortable for the hot weather. Only those well to do would go to the girlie salons.
Another product which you will rarely find nowadays is the small block of bath soap green in color and the paper wrapper shows a colorful bird, I think it was a parrot if I am not mistaken. My whole family uses this kind of soap back then and it was good on the skin. But I have forgotten the brand of this bar of soap.
Ah yes, my grandma and mom also used to pour hot starch all over the guys’ (that is my dad and elder brother) white shirts before putting them out under the hot sun. That was to make the white shirts smoother after ironing. Did your mom also do that to your white shirt? But nobody does that anymore. They learned the trick from the dobby shop several doors away. That dobby shop is called Tong Ah Dobby Shop and it was still operating until today. I think it was at 194 Hugh Low Street, three shops away from 188 Hugh Low Street.
Hi Ipohgal. yes, that dobby shop you mentioned is STILL there! and, the last time i passed by, business was roaring….
Hi LMS136 again,
Kickapoo Joy Juice? I have drank them countless times when dad’s coffee shop was still in operation. Besides Kickapoo, we also loved to drink F & N and Miranda. There was a time when you could find colorful Disney characters like Snow White & Seven Dwarves, Cinderella and a host of other Disney icons printed on a piece of thin rubber placed just underneath the metal cap of the bottled drinks. We collected many of these pictures but too bad Mom threw them away during annual spring cleaning many years ago.
Hi Felicia,
Yes, Tong Ah Dobby Shop is still very much alive and kicking! I think it has been almost half a century since they first started. My dad was on very good terms with the ‘old boss’ as they were around the same age and he always came over for a bowl or two of the ‘tau foo fah’ but the old guy had since passed on. I remembered Dad used to call him “Ah Kau Suk” which means Uncle Kau.
The dobby business was now taken over by his sons. I think this dobby shop is the last existing business along this row of shops opposite the police station. The rest had either closed down or taken by other newer ventures.
Ipohgal, i’m just curious: in the same row of shop houses, there is one particular shop that caught my eye recently. this shop is opposite the Eastern Decorators. on the left of this shop is the Esso petrol station. the design of this shop is almost similar to your former place (188 Huge Low). it’s been painted red and is now a boutique (i think). do you know what it was before?
Hi Felicia,
Yes I remembered very well, it was once a photo shop called the Phoenix Photo Studio. No wedding photos, but only specialising in IC, passports or family group photos. We all went there for our IC or passport photos. The owner of this shop also send his photo cutting blades for my dad to sharpen. He was a regular customer of dad.
Okay, let me recall as much as possible the trades along this row of shops. Maybe you are interested to know. Let me start from 188 HLS and upwards ending at the petrol station.
1. Nam Foong Coffee Shop
2. Indian provision shop
3. Tong Ah Dobby Shop
4. Lido Dobby Shop
5. Lai Kong Men’s Tailor Shop
6. Stationery Shop
7. Tyre Shop
8. Pet Shop specialising in birds and fish only
9. Men’s Tailor Shop (half shop),newspaper & magazine shop (other half)
10. Local travel agency (half shop), Chinese medical hall (other half)
11. Punjabi provision shop, one of their son read news on national TV
12. Phoenix Photo Studio
I might have missed one or two shops and this was how it was in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Later some shops were taken over by a newspaper agency (Utusan) and another by an accounting firm (Loh & Loh) if I am not mistaken. Around 2000s, some shops were abandoned or further taken over by yet other business ventures.
Just along the side lane of Phoenix Photo Studio was a very delicious wanton mee stall that opens at night. It was operated by one of the sons of a wanton mee stall along the junction of Clare and Osbourne Street in the late 1960s and which later moved to the hawkers centre opposite Odeon Cinema. My sisters and I often pack wanton mee for supper. I was about 6 or 7 at that time. After supper, it was time for Rediffusion late night stories before hitting the pillows at 11 pm.
Hi Katherine,
I think the green hair gel your dad and brothers used were the same ‘Tancho pomade’ I had mentioned earlier.
Hahaha, you are right about the men’s baggy blousers and trousers in the 60s. Looking back at my dad, brother and uncles’ black and white photos taken during that era, I wonder why it was all white. Was it a trend then or because white color is cooler for our hot weather. I have yet to come across a photo showing a guy in darker shade.
Yes, the trousers are indeed baggy! By the 1970s, photos shows the trousers had taken a new twist – bell bottoms and guys began to sport side burns! Hahahaha….those were the fashion of the past!
Ipohgal I remember the starched clothings. The uniform we wore were so hard that when we took off the uniforms, it still can stand on its own on the floor. My brother used to wring it so much that it became a crumbled mess before he wore it. It is indeed very difficult to wear the starched uniforms. When it touched our delicate skin it was not comfortable. I pity my brothers trousers. Saw them walking like a penguin in order that the hard uniform short pants will not rubbed against their young sensitive thighs and hurt them. hahaha…..
Anyway those starched clothings are very well ironed with no creased at all. Especially my pinafore uniform with three pleats front and back. We wore a white starched blouse and a pinafore uniform on top with a belt. Our uniform is not fit for todays wheather. In the past the wheather is much cooler. Our classrooms are without fans.
Hi ipohgal ,
The Tancho effect was very popular , particularly for some who liked to proudly display the Elvis Presley hair style but then came the Beatles with their mop-ish hairdo . So a switch to the softer tone hair cream . Now , it’s onwards to the gel , more forgiving but certainly capable of giving one’s hair “body” and structural shape . Some men can be peacocks too even as we found the beehived hair do amusing ….hahaha
I had more than my fair share of Indian cuts , cheap , ruthless and fast . No point indicating to them the kind of hair style you found in the many tattered magazines they generously provided for one to while away the time . The end result was predictable . They might just as well emptied out a half coconut shell , placed it on your head , cut around the fringe and level down the tuft on the crown of one’s head .
I had a phobia for their neck twist , fearing that for the rest of my life I would be looking at people either past my left or right shoulder . I opted out , no discount given for that though .
I once asked for a crew cut in Form 3 which must have left me with a porcupine head . My mum dragged me back for a re-do achieving the effect of a sparse desert-condition vegetation overlay . No more venture into that after the experience .
Starch white shirts and trousers were the order of the day . Mum did a good job . Very smart , not very comfortable . But it didn’t help if your worldly possession was only 2 suits . One had to wear the same uniform 2 days in session . The second day saw the uniform degenerated into a multi-creased , thoroughly crumpled and limp condition . Worse still , if one was caught in the rain ! We had to use the fan and the charcoal iron to make sure that the clothes dried out for the next day . So you would understand why Tancho and deodorant were used for distraction and camouflage . That was even In Sixth Form when there was no air-conditioning in the classroom .
I tried a DIY once . Clumsily , my inner , lower left arm somehow connected with the upstanding , fiery hot bottom face of the blazing charcoal-fueled iron . A moment of searing pain , the smell of burnt meat and a half palm-sized scar was my distinguishing feature for the next 2 decades . It had faded away since .
Later in university , in the Territorial Army unit , I had to launder my khaki drill uniform , starching and ironing it , and the length we went to to have our boots polished to the extent that we could see the reflection of our face on the toe caps .
What a relief when synthetic material was introduced into the market and later used for Army uniform !
We used the same soap too . I suppose what’s good for the goose is also good for the gander
To all the girls who lamented the lack of fashion sense amongst the boys :
You know why we wore “whites” ? We couldn’t afford the more fashionable and expensive synthetic material for non-school use . Anyway , we consoled ourselves that the Royal Navy and the Royal Malaysian Navy looked smart in their tropical white uniform . Do you agree , ika ?
Why did the baggie pants hung around so long before being phased out? Again , it was a question of affordability . My richer classmates , they were in the minority , had moved way ahead of us to teddy pants and drain pipe trousers . Katherine , you mixed with the wrong crowd !
Hi ipohgal ,
Kickapoo in our younger days fired up our imagination that it would give us a kick up in life , into being strong and wild . The disillusion set in too quickly . Those Americans and their marketing gimmicks ! They are still into that but harder to find suckers these days .
Too bad your mum found it wise to spring clean and remove the trivialities . Against such universally wide spread thinking , any that remains today would fetch a handsome scarcity value
Hi people…missed you guys…really busy at the office lately.
Ipohgal, in response to comment no. 40…the soap is called Popinjay. I used it too when I was a wee kid, sometimes interchanging with Cussons Imperial Leather soap (why on earth was it called Leather…the leather part I don’t understand together with the sticker on the soap, hehehe).
I remember seeing Popinjay not too long back, perhaps at an all-Indian groceries store. Yeah, good memories, same with the bedak sejuk in the smallish square box with the picture of the rosy-cheeked lady. That had a nice smell.
Hi 5candles ,
Thanks for the memory jotter . It was as you say , very likely called “Popinjay” , and gave a pleasant fragrance .
I suppose lather would be more apt but as it was an Imperial item , I can imagine that both apply as the “blue blood” of yonder days would need thick , if not leathery skin , to perpetuate their rule .
Hi both LMS136 and Katherine
Hahahahaha….tears almost came out from my eyes from laughing so much reading both your recalling those good old days!
I was still quite small then and could not understand what the fuss is all about when both grandma and mom starched all the men’s white shirts, the children’s school uniforms and grandma’s own ‘mah cheh style’ outfits. I could only watch curiously when they hung those clothings on bamboo poles and then spent hours ironing them with the charcoal iron until they sweats all over! So tedious and laborious, all for the sake of having a smooth and crispy effect!
Surprisingly there was a small sundry shop in Bercham new village that still sells Tancho pomade and the green bar of soap with the picture of a parrot on the paper wrapper. I saw that last year when I went back to Dad’s house to tidy it up. It didn’t cross my mind then to buy one each but I will do that next time, for old time sake! For keep sake. I am sentimental over such things now.
Talking about hairstyles of yesteryears, crew cut were normally found on young school boys while the macho Elvis style sat rather well with the grown up men. For the young girls, we normally spots long shoulder length hair with fringes covering our foreheads and we loved to use broad hair bands made from velvet cloth. Sometimes we tied our hair in a pony tail with a big colorful and shining ribbon. And for the grown up ladies, mom initially spots the ‘abalone’ style and later switched to the beehive, loaded with tons of hair spray!
Talking of the Indian barber’s neck twisting, I had one last year – the first and the last time, as I suffered from stick neck. Heck, he did a good job and the stiff neck was gone but it was so very painful I almost yell out! All the guys in the barber shop was laughing at me and I was so embarrassed but it was good on my neck. All else failed and then I thought of this!
For those who wears spectacles, the fashion of the era was the plastic black colored thick rimmed types that came in rectangular shape for the guys and oval shape for the girls. I saw these from black and white family photos – many of my aunts and uncles wearing them!
Honestly speaking, white is a better choice of color, smarter and kinder to the eyes too. In those days, both primary and secondary school boys wears white shorts and long pants respectively but now it was in dark green. I would prefer white but then it was a challenge to keep them clean.
Ah, coming to Kickapoo drinks. Customers in dad’s coffee shop would jokingly refer it as “Kai Kah Poh” or ‘mistress’ in Cantonese. The drink is yellow in color while the glass bottle comes in dark green with a cartoon bathing in a wooden tub of bubbles. Was it Poppeye? The picture was in yellow too, if I am not mistaken.
When we finally moved house, we had so much things to clear and that was when some childhood keep sakes such as toys or trivial things were thrown away. Miscalculations on Mom’s part. Should have keep them.
Anyway, thanks for the good laughs and happy memories!
Hi 5 candles,
Yes, the name ‘Popinjay’ does ring a bell! And the square box of face powder is called ‘Hoi Tong Face Powder’ made in both Hong Kong and China. The Indonesian version is an imitation though.
Ah, the Imperial Leather or Lather, was very refreshing and I loved it’s creamy foams. Cheers!
Hi ipohgal ,
If I were you , I wouldn’t let either your hubby or your son use the Tancho left over by your dad after all these years . They could either end up with a huge Afro hair growth or more likely , no hair at all
Thanks for the “kai kah poh” reminder . We would cheekily ask for that although in the first place , we didn’t even have a wife . These days , when they ask for that , it is certainly not that drink that they have in mind .
Those days , my female classmates , the hair do was also ok but the thick spectacles gave them an owlish appearance which did much injustice to them . In any case , quite a number of the girls in class were a year to a year and a half older than me , and the remaining few were all marginally older . I suppose that made them a bit more mature than we were .
The Indian neck treatment would only give temporary relief . I would suggest that you try the Crane Head and Dragon Head movements taught by Qi Qong masters . These help , certainly in my case and of course , one is completely in control rather than be left to the tender mercy of the strong arm barbers
Hi LMS136,
No, I do not intend to buy the Tancho for family consumption, more for keep sake and yes, I would like to buy one and put it in my dad’s columbarium since he loved it so much!
Yes, you are right, girls do grow mature faster than the boys but I think it was all in the genes. As a matter of fact, most of my family members looked much younger than their actual age. Infact my dad looked like he is in the late 70s when he passed on at 88. He has very few grey hairs and even lesser wrinkles. However, all that changed during the last few months of his life due to severe sickness and medications. Same with mom and the rest of my aunts and uncles.
The Indian neck treatment was indeed a temporary relief. Although the pain on my neck was gone but it recurred and eventually it was the acupunture treatment at Tung Shin Hospital that finally did the trick. The stiff neck came about from my constant sleeping facing one particular side. Qi Qong? There was one in my area, but all the students are very elderly males and if I were to join in, I would stand out like a very sore thumb! A bit shy to join lah! hahahahaha….
Hi ipohgal ,
Ok , many of the Qi Qong groups tend to be populated by older folks who realized quite belatedly the benefit of this traditional form of health maintenance .
We are fortunate to have a very committed group cutting through the age groups . It helps to make one young , not only in looks but also in activity level , and certainly would help to avoid expensive medical bills .
How about if it can put 20 years back into one’s life ?
Good enough incentive ?
It is only natural we want not only to look nice but also to smell nice. Call it personal grooming. When I started working in the early seventies, my favorite toiletries were Cuticura talcum powder, Tancho stick for the armpit and Old Spice or 4711 cologne.
Hi PT. yes, i remember the Old Spice and 4711 Cologne
nothing like a classic scent…
Felicia, unfortunately there are no more such name in the market today. Another product by Old Spice was the hair cream which come in a bright red plastic tub and white lid.
PT, i don’t know about Old Spice….but on rare occasions, i have seen the 4711 Cologne (i think the packaging has varied a little from the original). a distant relative bought a bottle from Germany not too long ago.
I was spending some time reading all the entries here and I noticed no one mentioned ‘Red Lion’ orange drink, a rival of ‘Green Spot’!
Re ‘Tancho’ yes I remember that brand and I must have used it at least once (the whole jar – can’t waste not finishing something we get then – rather poor) but the other brands especially Code10 was my favourite. I still use Brylcream today, once in a while!
Old Spice, O yes, how can we forget Old Spice! No young man would go on a date in the 60s aand 70s without a splash of Old Spice after a shave! 4711 mainly for the ladies but if you need a quick relief from rash, try it! It will sting you real good too!
Talking of soap, Popingjay (green) was popular as it was a hard soap and durable, Imerial was softer but creamier. Lux was most popular during those 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond, even now. Of course some would use ‘Pear’ a transparent ember coloured soap with a stealthly scent. Nobody would dream of bathing with ‘Sunlight Soap’, would you? LOL.
Starching cotton clothes and the use of ‘blue’ to whiten white shirts and pants go together. This ‘blue’ stuff comes in a block or packet and a little goes a long way to ‘whiten’ your whites. However, don’t add too much! I can’t recall the most popular brand but I think practically all households used it.
So, such nostalgia! Anymore to add?
Another tragic failure of Ipoh to maintain its buildings. Both the Lido and the Cathay were designed by my father, B M Iversen and I wept when I visited in 2009. At least the Lido has been kept going – albeit as a restaurant – but oh, horror – what have they done to the Cathay!
Hi Mashi74 from posting #4,
For your information, “The Longest Day” was never played at Lido.
It has always been played at Cathay with the intermission.
I know sometimes it is easy to mistake which of the 2 theatres
showed what movie as they are just next to each other.
“Kickapoo Joyjuice” was an extremely potent and often explosive illicit brew concocted by the characters, Hairless Joe and Lonesome Polecat in the comic strip, L’il Abner.
what an interesting tale, Mano! i never knew that…although as a kid, i prefered Kickapoo to Coca Cola
Yes Lido cinema.the first show was the the great circus which featured the song..”look for a star”
we even have cheap matinee shows on sunday ..and when show like Ben Hur was shown..they gave students concession for tickets provided you wore school uniform to watch the show..great memories ..cherished meories..!
foogwt- I am sure there was a singing competition held at the Lido theatre and the winner was someone (forgot his name) who sang ‘Look for a star”
Have a look at http://www.ipohworld.org/search8/result.asp?strid=1332 Dominic and all will be revealed.
Breaking news: Old Lido cinema caught fire while renovation work was being carried out on the 03-06-12. http://mykampung.sinchew.com.my/node/195224?tid=5
According to report, there was no extensive damage to the building.
Tshui,
What is the status of Lido right now? Are repairs to the roof
being done yet?
Thank god that Lido is now repaired after the fire.
My friends in Ipoh told me that it has been reopened
as a snooker center.