Something for our ‘experts’….
Here’s more from Keith Nelson’s collection. Are these part of a garden/park? Or, could they be part of a temple (note: second picture)?
April 2013
November 2011
As Different as Chalk and Cheese
Here we have two contrasting Ipoh photographs from Sophie. The first she calls “Dressing for the 1940’s to 1950’s. It is no wonder that Ipoh got the name for having all the pretty girls. Just look at these!
Sophie describes the photo as
“Dressing for 1940’s to 1950’s.
Four young ladies, two of them are sisters. The second from left is my mother.”
And next comes an intriguing old bottle in which Sophie’s father used to keep nails and screws..
But this is where you are reader comes in for try as I might I cannot identify what it once held. Can you?
Sophie tells us;
“The height of the bottle is 4 inches plus.On the side of the cover it’s written ( Do not accept if this band is broken) so I guessed it’s something we can eat.It is Cola Cream not Cold Cream! Hope you can identify the bottle now.”
August 2011
Is this…..
….the Abdul Samad Building? (see picture below)
Was this what the building looked like in the early 1900s? Or, perhaps its an entirely different building altogether?
We’d like your ‘expert’ opinions on this one………
This picture is taken from the collection of the late Percival Moss, who tailored the uniforms for the Malay States Guides.
July 2011
The Sunday Shocker
You, our smart readers from across the world have so far managed to identify almost anything we have thrown at you. Now we are becoming so well known that we are being sent some photos that could be anywhere in Malaysia, like this one.
But actually it is thought to be in the Ipoh area although it might just come from the Cameron Highlands. The clue must be the distinctive colouring of the facia and the Air Conditioned transfers on the windows. I really cannot see any more even when the picture is enlarged, so WYSIWYG.
Who’ll be first to enlighten us?
Well, by special request of sm (below) here is a full frontal (pardon the expression) of the Star Barbers.
So what are the differences and where is the original picture situated?
May 2011
Something Different – A Whatsit
This item was used by an Ipoh based, Kinta Valley surveyor in the 1950s. What is it? Sadly we have no budget for prizes – indeed, very little budget for anything, but if you get it right at least you can walk tall among your friends as the man who knows his Ipoh artifacts.
A second picture clue will be posted tomorrow if nobody has guessed it correctly.
So – Whatsit?
Well guys, you are all too smart for me and so I don’t need the second picture clur, do I? However the least I can do is put up the original item in both the closed and open position. So here it is.
So what about the most popular place in which it was probably used?
March 2011
Words Fail Me.
We received the following email and pictures this morning and thought that we should share it with all you heritage supporters out there. No doubt you will be as lost for words as I am – or will you?
HI all! This is one of my favourite kampung houses just outside of Terong, Perak, on the way to Lumut. It is right on the road side & I have taken pics of it over the years and was totally shattered to find it has been turned into a swiftlet house with speakers blasting like crazy. The swiftlet house pics were taken on Friday. Perak is being over run by swiftlet farms. Pantai Remis Sungei Kerang, all a mess! This particular change looks like a joke right? Total disrespect of such a beautiful example of Malay heritage!
Care to share your thoughts with our correspondent?
June 2010
“Oh No! …………..”
“Oh No!” I can hear you say, “Not the clock tower AGAIN!”, but please be patient because this postcard sent to us as a scan was bought here in Ipoh in 1955 and there is something quite different about it.
“Different! What is different?”
Well, out of the many similar pictures we have seen from the inauguration in 1909 to today, we have never seen the wooden building at the bottom left of the picture. So please enlighten us by telling us what it was and when it was there.
We know that with so many readers with great memories of Ipoh, somebody will be able to tell us.
February 2010
A Relic of the Japanese?
This picture was taken today at one end of the northenmost bridge that spans Temenggor Lake in North Perak. There is an identical one at the other end. Could this be what we used to call a “Pill Box” built by the Japanese as a machine gun post or was it built by the British to unsuccessfully slow down the little men on their bicycles? If not for either of these then what was the purpose?
This time we really do not know the answer and wait eagerly for some assistance from the experts.
However, if it is truly from the war and occupation by the invaders then surely it qualifies as heritage and perhaps should have some notices/information boards available and be maintained for future generations to learn from.
December 2009
….they say the pretty girls come from Ipoh!
This lovely lass is said to be seated at the balcony of an old shop house in Ipoh. We’re not sure where about this place is, so some help would be nice. According to the kind soul who gave us the picture, one of the buildings in the background is the HSBC bank – which is along Belfield Street, in Old Town.
Anyone out there with more ideas / thoughts ?
October 2009
The “Haves” and “Have-Nots” of 1908
Here we have an old photograph said to be Tin Miners out for a spin in their new motor car. Clearly they were the “Haves” of Malaya at the time, but surely it was a pretty tasteless thing to do – driving into a Kampong to display your wealth to the natives. Not to mention filling their clean air with petrol fumes.
But don’t get excited for we believe this was a deliberately posed photo to be put on a postcard and sent overseas to demonstrate the progress of Malaya to the world.
But does anyone have any idea whether the above is true or is it all a load of rubbish we have been fed?
July 2009
An Important Street in Ipoh in 1950
This photograph came with the caption “An important street in Ipoh in 1950”.
However we cannot name it nor decide why it is said to be important. Can you?
Don’t be shy just drop us a line by clicking om “Leave a comment” under these words. We guarantee not to use your email for any purpose. We simply ask for it to try and cut down on all the automatic spam we receive.
June 2009
The Police Payroll is Delivered to Malim Nawar, 1950
During the Malayan Emergency from 1948 to 1960 Communist attacks on roads and railways were a regular part of living in Malaya, particularly where transfer of cash was concerned.
Consequently the railways introduced the Wickham Armoured Railcar as protection, but for the military and police isolated from the rail service it became normal to fly in the payrolls as the picture shows. There is a post on the Wickham Railcar already on this blog (Search ‘Wickham’) and also on our database archive.
But can anyone identify the aircraft?
January 2009
Chinese Chess?
This is said to be a Chinese Chess set and is made from paper. Each strip has two Chinese characters on it. If anyone knows how to play this game, we would be pleased to receive instructions or any comments or stories about playing the game.
Chinese Gambling Tokens?
In the great days of Perak mining when Kinta Valley was the world’s biggest producer of tin, gambling was one of the main evils (alongside opium, women, alchohol and the Secret Societies) that faced the hardworking mining and railway coolies, as well as the rich Towkays who often lost their fortunes.
While we are not absolutely sure that these are bone gambling tokens, but that is how they were described when we obtained them and as they are of different sizes and denominations that may be a correct assumption. However, it has also been suggested that they are something to do with a Chinese ancestors altar and may be made of ivory. Should anyone know more we would be glad to hear from them. The photograph shows 32 of the 49 in the set and covers all the different sizes.