Happy Thaipusam!
Enjoy this nostalgic photo from 1957.
Happy Thaipusam from all of us at:
January 2018
Outside Grandma’s house…
Today’s blog picture is from Sybil de Roquigny (via email). She tells us that this is the embankment (with a flight of steps) in front of her grandmother’s house; if you stand at the top, you get a good view of the Kinta River. Sybil’s grandmother – Chow Yoon Soo – was the second wife of Leong Eng Khean, and she lived at No. 8 Clayton Road. The house of course is no longer there. It was demolished and now standing in its place is Cititel Express. This picture was taken in 1950.
Heng Kee Paper Merchants
Before you ask, yes…we’ve checked on Google maps, and this shop doesn’t seem to exist now. Perhaps it has been replaced by another business….or maybe it now goes by another name. If so, do you know what happened to Heng Kee Paper Merchants?
Meeting the ‘king’
No, not another Royal…not the King of Rock & Roll either. We’re talking about the King of Fruits! Yes…the DURIAN!
courtesy of Ngai
This photograph was taken in 1995, according to our donor. From the buildings in the background, can you guess where this place is?
Fisher Price Music Box
Have you ever had a musical box? This one pictured here is a Music Box Teaching Clock, which plays the tune “Grandfather’s Clock” while teaching the young ones how to tell the time the fun way!
144 years later…
…from tomorrow, anyway. Yes…tomorrow – 20th January – will mark 144 years since the Treaty of Pangkor was signed.
picture from: Twentieth Century Impressions of British Malaya
Unfortunately we do not have a photo of the Treaty signing. This photograph was taken on Pangkor Island, 9 months after the treaty was signed, in September 1875 when Sir William Jervois visited Perak. At that time Perak was already in the hands of J W W Birch, the First British Resident. This photo is therefore 143 years old.
In the photograph surrounding the seated Sir William Jervois, who was a military engineer and Governor General of the Crown Colonies of the Straits Settlements, are (from left to right): Dr A F Anderson, Captain W Innes, Major J F A McNair, Lt H E McCallum, W Knaggs (in a suit), J W W Birch (standing on the Governor’s left), Captain Speedy (on the steps and bearded), Frank Swettenham (nonchalantly leaning against the handrail).
Dinner with Royalty!
special thanks to Anonymous
Do you know these VIPs? Ok, we’ll make it easier for you 😉 Seated on the extreme right is none other than S P Seenivasagam.
Next to him is of course Sultan Idris and the lady beside him is his Consort (Che Puan Negara Aminah). And how can we forget Lau Pak Khuan – seated in the centre!
Do you know any of the others in the photograph? Or…perhaps you recognise the background and are able to tell us WHERE this photo was taken?
Another SMI Play?
Let’s see if the Michaelians remember this one (see pictures below):
Recognise the costumes? The actors? The title of the play?
I only recognise Bro Pius Kelly, standing in the back (between the ‘gentleman’ with the top hat and the ‘maiden’).
Smile, Teachers!
Is your teacher in this group? If yes, do point him/her out to us? The only one I recognise here is Bro Ultan Paul.
Another view of Clayton Road
Yes, this IS Clayton Road – named after Mr R J B Clayton who retired as British Adviser in Kelantan, in November 1930. He was also the brother of Tubby Clayton, founder of Toch H during the Great War.
11 kilos?
Yes, that’s what I’d like to ask our local coffee drinkers out there. How come this particular bag of coffee came in 11 kilos? I always thought such goods were packed in either even numbered weights or in multiples of 5 (or basic 1 kilo or 1/2 kilo). Could it be a misprint? Or, did this factory just want to stand out and be different…by selling coffee powder in 11 kilo bags 😉
“Care for a biscuit?”
This was not a posed photograph. In fact, this was a common scene during the Second World War – when expatriates stopped at the Ipoh Railway Station, on their way to Singapore. When Penang was invaded by the Japanese in 1941, all European Service Families had to be evacuated.
It may not be clear, due to the low resolution of the photograph, but did you notice the Huntley & Palmer biscuit tin?
Guess the place!
Yes, this was taken at a funeral…no, we’re not in a morbid mood this Wednesday 😉
We’d just like to draw your attention to the building in the background (behind the bus and cars). Familiar?
Happy New Year!!!
