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.
I’m sure many of you recognise the bridge in these two pictures.
A lot has changed, hasn’t it? The bridge doesn’t look like this now – and the traffic has increased too! Can anyone guess the year these pictures were taken?
Looking forward to your comments 🙂
A watch tower? Or maybe (yet) another clock tower? I’m sure you’ve noticed this tower, which is still under construction. The question is: Why? We’re clueless ourselves – why build, not 1 but 4, towers along the Hugh Low Bridge? If you have more information on this project, do let us know!
This arch was set up over the Hugh Low Bridge, in Ipoh, somewhere in 1947. This was before the grand parade – which was held in support of the Kuomintang Party (led by General Chiang Kai Shek).
Notice the three flags at the top of the arch: the Perak Flag, the Kuomintang Flag and the Union Jack. To what we know, this parade was jointly sponsored by the Chinese Assembly Hall members and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
How many of you out there remember this arch? Anyone witnessed the parade, or maybe took part in this parade?
This postcard shows the Victoria Bridge, which is the oldest railway bridge in Malaysia. The bridge was officially opened on the 21st of March 1900 by Sultan Idris Murshidul’adzam Shah of Perak and FMS High Commissioner Sir Frank Swettenham.
The 11th Independent Field Squadron Royal Engineers was building a bridge in a kampung, in 1958, as one of their Malayan Emergency operations in Taiping. The villagers were looking on curiously, wondering what was going on.
Nothing has changed in 50 years – Malaysians still love to watch what is happening, particularly road traffic accidents of which we have far too many.
