childhood

I’m sure you’ve heard of the Malaysian Red Cross Society, which later became the Malaysian Red Crescent Society. No, we’re not recruiting members….just wondered if anyone of you remember the badges from back then. Perhaps you were members of such clubs back in school? [As Ipoh Remembered has pointed out, the actual Red Cross badges have a red coloured cross, not white as in the above images]

On that note, here’s a little history from Wikipedia:

The Malaysian Red Crescent has its beginnings in 1948 as branches of the British Red Cross Society in the former British North Borneo (now the Malaysian state of Sabah) and Sarawak. In 1950, the British Red Cross Society established the first branch in Penang in the Federation of Malaya from which it rapidly expanded its presence in the other states.

Upon the independence of the Federation of Malaya on 31 August 1957, the branches in Malaya were reorganised as the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society and the society was officially incorporated by statute with the passing of the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society (Incorporation) Act 1962 by Parliament. On 4 July 1963, the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society received official recognition as an independent national society by the International Committee of the Red Cross and subsequently admitted as a member of the League of Red Cross Societies on 24 August 1963.

With the formation of the larger federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, the Malaysian Red Cross Society (Incorporation) Act 1965 to incorporate the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society and the branches of the Red Cross Society in Sabah and Sarawak under the name of the Malaysian Red Cross Society was passed by Parliament and gazetted on 1 July 1965. On 5 September 1975, the Malaysian Red Cross Society was renamed the Malaysian Red Crescent Society by the passing of the Malaysian Red Cross Society (Change of Name) Act 1975 by Parliament.

…what a rubber seed looks like! 🙂

Anyone used to collect them? Yes? No?

While we’re still on the topic of childhood memories, take a good look at this photograph. Is this a human centipede / human caterpillar? Was that what this game was called? I do recall playing such a game at school….and it was FUN 😉

How many of you remember this desk and chair from your school days? 😉

This is a photograph of a pure natural bristle toothbrush, made in England by Saxony. How many of you have seen such an artifact, eh?

This camera had 4 (yes, 4) lenses, and a built-in flash too. Yes, I’m talking about the Polaroid MiniPortrait 403.

Did you have your portrait taken with one of these cameras?

Back in the day, many of us were ‘recycling’ old tins and boxes. Like this W&R Jacob & Co biscuit tin – which was turned into a sewing kit.

What else did YOU ‘recycle’ or ‘reuse’ back then?

I wonder how many of you remember this advertisement. We got this off the back back of an old exercise book.

What other products were advertised on the back of exercise books during your school days?

During my school days, the backs of our exercise books had no adverts – just the Rukunegara and probably the school song 🙂

Ever wondered about the origins of your favourite laundry detergent / soap?  Such soaps once came in bars, before the modern powdered and liquid form. Which is why I’d like to draw your attention to the picture above.

Recognise this brand? Have any of you used it before?

We’ve heard from the car lovers, the food lovers, the history buffs too. Now, we’d like to hear from the music lovers…have you ever played the mandolin? The one shown here is said to be from the 1930s.

Did you own a Brownie Reflex? Do you remember the very first camera you owned?

If you’re one of those who took up photography as a hobby, we’d love to hear from you too 🙂

Here’s a nice one of happy faces, taken at the Main Convent (HIJ Convent) back in the late 1940s. We thank Marea Smith for sharing this lovely photograph with us. Incidentally, Marea is the girl standing in the back row, third from the right.

…even before those smaller Nokias too, THIS was what a hand phone looked like! Yes, it was heavier than a bar of chocolate. No, it didn’t have a tiny camera 😉 Do you remember this model?

….there was the ever useful Mortar & Pestle! Yes, I’m sure you all remember pounding away those herbs and spices in these 🙂

Once a famous grooming product for men, Potter & Moore’s Solidified Brilliantine is said to soften hair (including facial hair). Anyone remember this product?