Han Chin Pet Soo is open! Book now at www.ipohworld.org/reservation
Han Chin Pet Soo is open! Book now at www.ipohworld.org/reservation

February 2018

October 2017

“Kinta in Ipoh”

By |2017-10-25T08:55:47+08:00October 20th, 2017|Categories: history, Identify Photographs, Memories, Natural Heritage, nature|Tags: , , , |

kinta in ipoh

 

That’s what the caption of the photograph said. This is a rather interesting view of the Kinta River, with the houses on both sides of the bank. If you squint, you can see the bridge too. Which bridge this is, your guess is as good as mine 😉 Special thanks to the National Archives, UK, for this photograph.

 

UPDATE: We believe that the bridge in the background was the once wooden structure of the Hugh Low Bridge; therefore the village shown was most likely Kampong Laxamana.

June 2016

February 2013

May 2011

Kinta Valley from the Air 1975

By |2011-05-01T19:23:13+08:00May 1st, 2011|Categories: Memories, Natural Heritage|Tags: , , , |

Courtesy of Jerry de Witt, this photograph taken from a MAS aircraft in 1975 clearly shows the Kinta River winding its leisurely way across the valley on its way to Teluk Intan. But don’t miss the tin mines – those large brown patches alongside the river – for in 1975 there was still a tin mining industry here, albeit approaching its “last legs”. Look carefully and you can probably spot a dredge or two clanking away and wresting the black gold from the ground.

Not so long ago was it, just 36 years, but today even though fortunes were made locally we don’t even have a suitable marker of any sort in Ipoh to remember those days gone by or, as Dr Ho Tak Ming put it, when tin was king.

June 2010

British Residency in Ipoh

By |2010-06-30T04:48:31+08:00June 30th, 2010|Categories: Identify Photographs, ipoh, Memories|Tags: , , |

This postcard is somewhat a continuation from our previous post about the Kinta River.

The picture here shows the entrance of the British Residency; the date was rougly in the 1920s. I doubt the building is still there (if it is, it’s probably in ruins)…but does anyone know where it was? It is said to by somewhere along the Kinta River, but WHERE along the river is what we’d like to know…

The Kinta River

By |2010-06-21T03:42:24+08:00June 21st, 2010|Categories: Identify Photographs, ipoh, Memories|Tags: , , , |

This is a special request for those who asked for pictures of the Kinta River. The picture above is taken from a 1905 postcard – showing the British residency along the river. The British Resident at that time was E W Birch (the eldest son of J W W Birch), who served from 1904 – 1910.

Here we have some Michaelians having fun. This picture was taken in 1955, and this part of the Kinta River was in Tambun – which was quite a famous haunt for those who wanted to cool off on a hot day!

Notice that back then, trees and shrubs were a common sight; giving any passerby a serene feeling. Even the water was clean, minus the odour and the coffee-colour it has now!

Do you have such memories of the once beautiful river?

Way back when….

By |2010-06-14T03:43:38+08:00June 14th, 2010|Categories: ipoh, Ipoh Town, Memories|Tags: , , , , |

…the Sun Cinema was still in one piece!

This picture we have here is from around 1985, a little after the Sun Cinema closed its doors to the public. It was located at the corner of Brewster Road and Hale Street (behind the building was the Kinta River). Incidentally, sketches of this cinema were done by our very own cartoonist Lat (in ‘Town Boy’).

Built in 1917 as the Oriental Cinema, by Leong Eng Khean (the son of Towkay Leong Fee), it was leased in 1920s to Run Run Shaw (of the Shaw Brothers). Shaw renamed it the Sun Cinema. Meanwhile, the Oriental Cinema rented the Harima Hall (1910-1917).

Sun was managed by Ho Ah Loke and in November 1929 showed ‘The Rainbow Man’ – the 1st of the “talkies” (movies with sound). ‘The Rainbow Man’ used a travelling movie company; after its success, Ho Ah Loke installed his own equipment. By the 1930s, Sun was deemed the most modern “talkie” theatre in Malaya!

Sadly, it closed down in 1983 – only to be replaced by a car park…..

March 2010

February 2010

Renovation or Restoration That is the Question

By |2010-02-22T08:16:19+08:00February 22nd, 2010|Categories: Ipoh Town|Tags: , , , , , |

Many people do not understand the difference between renovation and restoration, but in simple terms restoration means to return something to its original state (as near as possible) while renovation allows one to change, modernise, adds bits and pieces and generally end up looking nothing like the original. A good example would be Elizabeth Taylor versus Michael Jackson. She had her face restored many times we are told, to retain her youthful beauty, whereas Michael definitely renovated his – also several times!

But what has that got to do with the house above which sits close to the Kinta River bank. Well, looking at the new roof of modern tiles, this is certainly a renovation not restoration. We do not know anything much about this house, other than what the below notices show.

If I understand this correctly the renovation was approved in 1999. Now I remember with horror the renovation to my home in Ipoh where the planned 3 months took 1 year and 5 months with the cost more than doubling, but at least it didn’t take 11 years to get as far as completing the roof. But of course it is not anyone’s fault (it never is) but I wonder what the contractor thinks?

But the point of all this is that wouldn’t it have been nice to keep this house as an original model of its particulat style? Restore rather than renovate. After all this is in a very desirable location close to the river, but away from traffic and should fetch a tidy sum when sold on the open market. It would be even more attractive with the outside features retained but modernised inside to suit our high standard of living necessary these days.

To conclude, I say to those who have an old property in need of repair, consider carefully before you touch the building, restoration will be more expensive in the short term but the long term benefits will certainly be worthwhile. Once renovated it has gone for ever.

October 2009

Croc, the Menace

By |2009-10-23T14:26:00+08:00October 23rd, 2009|Categories: Ipoh Town, Memories|Tags: , |

This photo shows a crocodile that was shot in the Kinta River which runs through Ipoh Town. The hunter was an European (referring to the hunter’s attire ) who helped the villagers  to put an end to this crocodile’s menace. And the villagers were so excited to see the dead gigantic croc. We will be happy to hear from you, if you have information regarding this picture.

Peace and Tranquility in Idyllic Perak

By |2009-10-04T02:38:41+08:00October 3rd, 2009|Categories: Memories|Tags: , , |

This photograph, courtesy of Peter Smith, an Australian miner who was employed in Kampong Gajah in the 1960s, was taken with a 16mm camera – two pictures on one 35mm transparency (slide) frame. It is amazing that so many years later it still prints out so clearly.

The Kampong house pictured is on the bank of the Kinta River in the Batu Gajah area and shows a typical Perak scene at that time. Unfortunately these old Malay houses continue to disappear as the occupants give up their idyllic and traditional  abodes and opt for the ubiquitous link house in some crowded suburb. It is no wonder they all “Balik Kampong” at every possible opportunity.

Go to Top