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….born in Singapore in 1909, went to an Anglo-Chinese School in Swatow, China, before returning to study at the Raffles Institute at age 16. He was actively supporting the Chinese by organising relief funds and the boycott of Japanese goods after the Japanese attacked in 1937. His commitment to Chinese resistance increased with the Japanese […]

We thank Prof Dr Lee Kok Onn for sharing this with us. Anyone remember this textbook?

…you saw/used an iMac? Better yet, do you remember the iMac G3? Let’s refresh your memory with this picture (below).

We’re 66! Can you believe it? Happy Independence Day!

According to this article (from Times of Malaya & Straits Echo, dated 16 September 1950), Mr Addis took over from Sir Ralph Hone – as Deputy Commissioner-General for Colonial Affairs South-East Asia. Major-General Ralph Hone was once the Chief Civil Affairs Officer responsible for the Peninsula; this was of course during the British Military Administration.

We thank Chee Ong Ngai for sharing this interesting envelope with us.

According to The Yamato News, back in February 1942 a new hospital was opened in Ipoh. Based on the above article, this move was started by the Indian Committee (assisted by Dr G. S. Venketesan) and backed by the local representatives of the Nippon Government. Could this have been the General Hospital in Ipoh (Hospital […]

Back in 1987 (on the 30th on June, to be exact), this building (pictured above) was officially opened by His Majesty the Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah. Any Taiping folks here? Perhaps you might remember this…

We thank Chee Ong Ngai for this picture of Sir George Maxwell. In case you were wondering, Maxwell Road was not named after him; it was named after his brother Eric.

Here’s some trivia for you, taken from The Yamato News. This newspaper dates back to 13th February 2602 (which actually means 13th February 1942). We thank Chee Ong Ngai for sharing this with us. If you’re wondering about the strange date (2602), then click here for the explanation.

This photo was not taken in Ipoh, but it is rather interesting. I’d like to draw your attention to the sign, which simply reads as: “You are now entering Malacca Settlement White Area”. Did we have “white areas” in Ipoh too at some point? We thank Chee Ong Ngai for sharing this photo with […]

Here’s another excerpt from The Yamato Times. This one is an advertisement by P. S. Jamnadas & Co.

This is a photograph of one of the cars which was participating in the London to Sydney Marathon. The drivers were Rick Bates and Jenny Brittan. The cars were gathered in the centre of Ipoh, near the Municipal Building (Dataran Dewan Bandaraya Ipoh) before they took off on the next stage of the rally. One […]

Yes, this is a sample of a 1 cent note. Some of you might remember this. (Sorry, no prizes for guessing WHOSE face is printed on the note 🙂 )

We thank Chee Ong Ngai for this one. Pardon me if I’m wrong…but are those Japanese characters, written above the English words? If so, this picture could have been taken during the Second World War (or a little after).

We thank Chee Ong Ngai for this picture. It is said to be the headquarters for the Perak Battalion of the FMSVF. (I wonder if the building is still around…)

Here’s a rare find from Chee Ong Ngai. This is the Posts & Telegraphs Office in Tanjong Rambutan. (wonder what’s become of this building…)

We thank Chee Ong Ngai for sharing this photograph with us. He also gave us the names of the two pretty ladies in the foreground: “1 November 1953 : The attractive Naseh sisters, Dewi (nearest camera) and Jamilah, “Hello Girls” in the Ipoh telephone exchange, find little time for chit-chat in their busy six-hour day […]

This booklet published for the use of military personnel only in May 1967 contains movies that will be screened in numerous military cinemas for example The Leowen in Terendak Camp, New Globe, and Globe. This booklet also has all the information on the day and the time of the movie and the British Forces Broadcasting […]

Yes indeed…according to this article (below) from Times of Malaya & Straits Echo.

This picture was taken from the ACS centenary magazine, probably before the start of the school play. We thank our donor Ong Su-Ming.

We thank Chee Ong Ngai for this picture, which is part of a postcard. Here we have Market Street, from Court House Road. You can also see FMS Hotel. Incidentally, we have this postcard in our collection (along with a little history to it).

We have here an example of uniforms worn by the Federation Armed Forces. From left to right: Walking-out Dress, Ceremonial No.3 Dress, and Battle Order Dress. We thank Ipoh Remembered for sharing this photo with us.

Mark your calendars. Perak Academy will be hosting a talk on The Perak Royalty & Nobility, on 20th March 2023. The talk will be at 8pm, at Mamut Meeting Room (1 Jalan Lasam, 30350, Ipoh). Light refreshments will be served at 7pm. For more information, call Perak Academy at 016-412 3742 or email contact@perakacademy.com

When was the last time you saw such an advertisement? I for one have never come across such creativity! We thank Chee Ong Ngai for this picture.

Some of you may already recognise this at the Rex Cinema, in Kampar. We thank Chee Ong Ngai for sharing this picture with us.

Here’s another rare find from Chee Ong Ngai. This is said to be Sikhs (from the Perak Armed Police) engaged in a game of wrestling.

We thank Harvant Lisa Harper for sharing this picture with us. She also had this to say: This is the army regimen house by the Ipoh Specialist Center. It was at one time occupied by the British. My dad was the guard there. Then the Japanese took over. Before they got there, he told me […]

Does he look familiar? No? What if I told you there’s a building named after him, along Dairy Road (now known as Jalan Raja Musa Mahadi)? In case you’re still puzzled, this gentleman is none other than Prof Dato’ (Dr) Ungku Omar bin Ahmad. We don’t know much about his personal life. However, thanks to […]

This house (in Pasir Salak, Perak) was said to be built in the 1980s, to resemble the house of the late Dato Maharajalela. It later fell into a sorry state (as seen above). But, the good news is……it was later restored! If anyone could shed more light on this restoration project, we’d love to hear […]

With the Malaysian General Elections just around the corner, here’s another interesting find (from the family of the late Ali Pitchay): an Oath of Secrecy, taken by election candidates!

What’s this funny looking contraption, you ask? Why, it’s a one-man battery-operated street cleansing vehicle! Back in the 1960’s Ipoh had a well deserved reputation of being the cleanest town in the Federation of Malaya….

Do you remember that time when UMNO and MCA contemplated a “grand alliance”, to contest in the Town Council Elections in Perak? Well, this article might refresh your memory…

For those of you who haven’t been following the news lately, Malaysia will be going to the polls on the 19th of November 2022. That being said, here’s a sample of a Pre Independence Election poster! We thank the family of the late Mohd Ali bin Pitchay, for sharing this rare find with us.

We usually hear about historical landmarks being torn down to make way for modern structures. Here’s an old article about a famous landmark in Taiping…which was rescued!

First he practised medicine in Penang before he moved to Ipoh in 1912, becoming the first Asian with a Western medical degree in Perak. His new clinic was at Tatlock Street; two decades later, a new central market was built in the area, which helps explain why Tatlock Street is now called Hala Pasar Baru. […]

Is it a bird…is it a plane…..? No, they are most likely staring at the Birch Clock Tower. The gentleman (holding some papers) is none other than Rev J Appaduray. The boys in the background are students from St Michael’s Insitution. Here’s another picture of the group: (read the full story here)

This was an interesting find – learning Japanese (or, Nipponese) via a booklet. It came with Romanised Malay translation too. Does anyone remember such a book?

During the early days of radio broadcasting, the ability for a radio set to receive distant signals was a source of pride for many consumers and hobbyists. Listeners would mail “reception reports” to radio broadcasting stations in hopes of getting a written letter to officially verify they had heard a distant station. As the volume […]

Looks like the YMCA is all set for Merdeka celebrations. Have you put up your flag(s) yet?

This is a Federated Malay States Gilt Railway Police Cap Badge; a five–pointed star shaped with ‘F M S Railway Police’ between two circles and surrounding a tiger in centre. Have you seen a badge like this before?

This photograph shows Fujiwara Iwaichi with Captain M. Akram, adjutant to General Mohan Singh, at Fujiwara Kikan headquarters at the Anderson School, Ipoh, on 5th January 1942. The military headquarters was established by Fujiwara Kikan, the military intelligence agency, on New Year’s Day 1942. The building also served as the headquarters of Indian Independence League […]

This photograph reproduced from ‘Imperial Patriot’, shows a ceremony at the Ipoh Club to mark the first anniversary of declaration of World War I on 4 August 1915.

With a heavy heart, we say goodbye to Dato’ Ng Boon Bee DPTJ AMN. He was a Malaysian badminton player, whose success in doubles earned him recognition as one of greatest doubles players in badminton history. Ng Boon Bee is probably the finest sportsman to come out of SMI, being one of the stars of […]

This particular document is a certificate of Registration which declares that from the 22nd of August 1958 onwards, Madam Ong would be a citizen of the Federation of Malaya under Article 17. The officer which signed this certificate on behalf of the registration authority was H. Perera as stated in the document. (more details here)

The month of August is usually known as “bulan Merdeka” (Merdeka/Independence Month). But did you also know that the earliest cinematograph first came to Ipoh in August 1906? Initially the cinematograph market was monopolized by one company, the Matsuo Japanese Cinematograph Company, who used to hold nightly shows in a tent for 7-weeks running, moving […]

The photograph actually shows the ‘First Battalion Perak Sikhs’, the armed military arm of the Perak Police Force. The Battalion had its roots in the ‘Perak Armed Force’ which was a mix of races (Sikhs, Punjabi, Malays and Chinese), first commanded by Captain Swinburne and from 1879 by Major R S F Walker CMG. The […]

Have you heard of Ahmad Noor? Perhaps you knew him as Halaloedin Hamzah? He was a Mandailing from the Dutch East Indies who free-lanced for Kompas in the early days of his career. He fled and sought refuge in Malaya, when the Dutch authorities cracked down on railway strikers in 1929, in which he was […]

The people of Ipoh had an opportunity to witness an aeroplane for the first time on July 1 1911! G P Kuller – one of the earliest aviators – staged a 4-day flight exhibition in Ipoh. Thousands congregated at the race course, with 150 Europeans occupying the 1st and 2nd class seats. The 3rd and […]

The Gurkhas from Nepal were an integral part of the British Army as they fought side by side during the difficult periods of Malayan history, which included conflict against the Japanese troops in World War Two, the communist insurgents in the emergency era and the Confrontation Period with Indonesia in Borneo. Each year on the […]

Here’s another picture which was featured in our Falim Exhibition, back in 2013. This is said to be a Chinese ice cream seller. I wonder how he kept the ice cream cold…

Here’s another one from the Watson album. We were told that this was taken at the Ipoh Club.

We thank Conrad Pregrave-Payne for the above picture. We believe that the gentleman in the dark suit is Sir R. G. Watson (Resident of Perak). The venue of course is the Kinta Club, which catered to both horse racing and golf.

From the number plate, we can safely assume that this picture was taken before WW2. I’ll leave this here for all the classic car lovers….

On this day in 1935, Towkay Leong Sin Nam was forwarded a medal – in commemoration of the Silver Jubilee of Their Majesties the late King George V and Queen Mary. We thank Dr Leong Oon Keong (the grandson of Leong Sin Nam) for sharing these pictures with us.

With Raya round the corner, many will be travelling back to their hometowns this year. Of course, such kampong houses (like the ones above) may no longer be around…but they were once a common sight.

Yes, believe it or not…this is an early view of Anderson Road. We believe it’s very early 1900.

No, this is not a scene from the floods 😉 It is in fact an entourage crossing the Perak River. This picture was taken in 1913, and can be found in the G.C.V.O. booklet. The booklet records the celebration week that to place to mark the award of the Sultan of Perak with the Royal […]

This is 1 of 4 of the hand painted posters, measuring 81cm x 100cm, produced in 1961 for the Visit Malaya in Orient promotion. Does anyone recall seeing any of these posters around the town in the 1960s?

We thank Philip LaBrooy for sharing the above article with us. Unfortunately, we’re not sure of the date of this article (nor the newspaper it was taken from). This is a list of historical buildings, monuments and sites compiled by the Museums Department. Here’s a close-up of the Perak column:

This picture is taken from a Werf Conrad Tin Dredges Catalogue. Here’s a close up of a dredge, showing the dredge buckets. The picture below shows a dredge bucket, from two different angles.

The above badge has the words “Christian Brothers’ Schools” and “Signum Fidei” clearly printed on it, one at the bottom of the badge and the other at the top. In between there is an image of Peninsula Malaysia as well as a figure of a Catholic Brother. At the top end of the image of […]

Here’s a picture of the Hon. Mr R. G. Watson, British Resident of Perak. This picture was taken from the G.C.V.O. Week booklet, published around 1914. This booklet is an account of the celebrations at Kuala Kangsar from 21st-28th September 1913, to mark the presentation to His Highness the Sultan of Perak of the insignia […]

We thank Anthony H S Law for sharing this picture on Facebook. He also added: “Water Fountain …. This must be the forgotten Ipoh’s oldest, the rare and perhaps the only fountain of Ipoh city. Dated 1900 or 122 years old, the fountain was “PRESENTED BY LOW FOO ESQ TO THE IPOH HOSPITAL” Maker : […]

No, this is not a picture of the recent floods that hit us. This picture is actually from 1967, in Kuala Kangsar. Can’t believe the water level rose that much….

The above picture shows the Ipoh Town Council’s new cleaning lorries. These lorries were used back in 1960s, of course. The advertisement below may give you a better view of them. These pictures were taken from Ipoh: The Town that Tin Built (1962)

They say it’s rude to ask a woman her age. This “lady” pictured above, however, is proud to announce her 115th birthday 🙂 Yes, Ipoh’s HIJ Convent is a hundred and fifteen years old today!

…the Old Michaelian’s Association (OMA) was first formed. Yes, way back in 1933. The picture featured below, however, was taken a year later – on the occasion of the opening of the Association’s premises.

New Sunday Times, February 8, 1987 – A London diary from Rehman Rashid – A book written by John Anderson the official translator to the British Government during the nineteenth century who was charged with forcing the official liaison between the Government and the Malay Kings. In the course of his duties, Mr. Anderson had […]

Here’s an interesting find – a membership card for the People’s Progressive Party! Also note the signature of a VERY prominent historical figure….

According to the donors of this photograph; “18 December 1956, was a day of heavy rainfall all the way from Tapah to Cameron Highlands. As the 2 Troop C Squadron of the 15/19 The Kings Royal Hussars (TKRH) were heading up in a 12-truck convoy the troopers in the leading Saracen Armoured Personal Carrier came […]

…well, belated birthday actually. Nevertheless, birthday greetings to St Michael’s Institution (SMI) – born on 4th December 1912. Here’s a 1920s drawing of the school, which was in an old Malay bungalow.

Here’s one from 1985, taken at the opening of Wisma Taiko in Ipoh. I’m sure many of you recognise the VIPs in this photo 🙂

Did you know that the Perak Sultan once had bodyguards comprising members of the Mounted Police? Here’s an article from Harchand Singh Bedi, which appeared in The Star recently. HRH Sultan Abdul Jalil, the Sultan of Perak, and his consort surrounded by their Sikh bodyguards comprising members of the Mounted Police from the Federated Malay […]

Those of you who are familiar with Armistice Day (or Poppy Day) would know that it falls on the 11th of Nov. The Armistice, an agreement to end the fighting of the First World War as a prelude to peace negotiations, began at 11am on 11 November 1918. Armistice is Latin for to stand (still) arms. As […]

Yes, you read that right. This was the view of the town, from the Old Residency.

This year on 21st March 1989 marks another milestone in the history of Perak. It was the signing of the declaration to accord twin-city status to Ipoh and Fukuoka of Japan. The declaration is expected to strengthen the bonds of friendship between Japan and Malaysia. It paves a new era of strong economic and industrial cooperation […]

Dated 1st July 1983, this article mentions the Sun Cinema making its way for a skyscraper. Do any of you remember that fateful day?

At 21, he inherited his father’s estate. His enterprising approach and advantageous connections combined to bring him early and continued success as a miner. In 1898 he contributed $1000 to establish the Perak Mining and Planting Association. He developed eight mines in Kinta : two at Kampar, three in Gopeng, and one each at Papan, […]

The first issue came out on 4 July 1894; a quarto 4-page bi-weekly edition, which evolved into a 4-page folio journal. By 1 January 1901, the Pioneer was converted into a tri-weekly issue – which soon expanded into 6 pages. By 1 March 1905, this paper transformed in a daily paper. It had 8 pages, […]

In the early 1900s, these ten gentlemen formed the Perak State Council. They were: Raja Chulan bin ex-Sultan Abdullah Mr R. J. Wilkinson (Secretary of the Resident) Mr E. W. Birch, C.M.G. (British Resident) Towkay Foo Choo Choon Mr C. W. H. Cochrane (Assistant Secretary to the Resident, Clerk to the Council) HH Sultan of […]

Here’s an early 1900s view – of what a policeman wore back then! Too bad this picture is not in colour…

Here we have the Mercantile Bank building, all lit up for the big day back in 1963. I’m sure you history-buffs know WHAT the big event was 🙂 Photo courtesy of: Ruth Iversen Rollitt

…Ipoh was declared a city! Here’s one memorable newspaper cutting of the celebrations. (more samples can be found here)

This photograph shows a view of the first timber building of the Anglo-Chinese School (Ipoh) at Lahat Road. Completed in May 1896. Amazing, innit! 😉

This picture was taken four months after Malaya won the Thomas Cup, in 1949. This is a tribute to the late HH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh – who is on the extreme left, shaking hands with the badminton heroes Chan Kon Leong, Yeoh Teck Chye and Teoh Seng Khoon.

SMI’s badge had an excess of symbols: the Fleur di Lis of France, the Irish Shamrock, the British crown, the lamp of learning, a monogram of the school’s name, a Malaysian sunrise and the star is repeated. (read more here) SMI students, past and present, we’d like to hear your thoughts! 🙂

Did any of you have such a phone? Of course today we have video calls via social media….but back then (early 1990s), this must have been quite a revolution 🙂

The Battle of Kampar broke out on the night of 29 December 1941, the day after the Japanese occupied Ipoh. The British battalion, under the inspiring leadership of Lt.Col. Morrison, defended the town very well, inflicting heavy losses on the Japanese. When New Year was ushered in, many soldiers, both Japanese and British, had been […]

Have you heard of The Syonan Times? “Syonan” was the name given to Singapore by the Japanese (during the Japanese Occupation). The Syonan Times (printed in Singapore) acted as the local newspaper, and was also part of the psychological warfare the Japanese were using in Malaya. Here’s a sample of one of their editions, from […]

We were told that this building was along Togo Street. Our donor (Ruth Iversen Rollitt) also told us that this photograph dates back to 1933. Do you know what building this is? 🙂

Have you ever owned such an exercise book – with British Royalty on the front cover? Personally, I’ve never seen one so unique. Was it common stationery back then…say in the early 1950s? Incidentally, today also marks the 73rd wedding anniversary of HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip 🙂

SMI was proud when the first group of medical students to graduate from University of Malaya included five Michaelians. They are pictured above with another Old Michaelian, Mr Vincent Ooi Eu Sen FRCS, Head of Department of Ophthalmology at the University. They are, from left to right: Doctors Chin Kit Kong, Ooi Eng Aun, Chong […]

Here’s a little history recap for you: This grave is among one of seven Christian ones in Kampung Pisang, Pasir Panjang Ulu (in Perak). The cemetery is said to be within a placid jungle clearing against a backdrop of banana trees and thick foliage, close to the Perak River. (read more here).

He made the best use of his time in the colony by learning Cantonese, and later Mandarin and travelled extensively in China. He held a number of Senior posts in Hong Kong, British Guiana and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), before being appointed as Governor of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner of the Federated Malay […]

The Ipoh Bodega was the first European restaurant to open in Ipoh. Its doors opened on the 6th August 1904. Initially catering mainly to the lunchtime crowd, it began serving dinner shortly after and a month later began to stay open until 11pm, with music to entertain the liquor-drinkers. The weather was the death of […]

Forget James Bond, here in Malaya we had a “super spy”. The photo isn’t all that clear (well, he was spy after all!), but you can more or less get a hint of what this spy looked like. Based on a press cutting, he was known as: “A cunning triple agent who was feted by […]

This ‘Ipoh Supermarket’ opened on 1st September 1960. Anyone remember where it was? Is it still there?

Here we have an article from The Malayan Tribune, dating back to 1945.

Here’s your “homework” for today: Study these pictures carefully. How many of these places do you recognise? Some clues can be found here. 😉

This is part of a portrait picture of a gentleman who had the wellbeing of all people of all races at heart. This picture was taken from an article, which describes our ‘celebrity’ as “a good-hearted, unpretentious, scrupulous and honest man who led the Indians in the fight for an independent Malaya”. I think our […]

Meeting of Kaum Ibu members in Ulu Selama, Perak (1958). The confederation of Kumpulan Kaum Ibu into independent organisations later brought about the creation of Pergerakan Kaum Ibu UMNO (renamed Pergerakan Wanita) in 1949 when the party realised the importance of a permanent women’s auxiliary body. Its leader Puteh Mariah was a dedicated and feisty […]

Our donor (Charlie Choong) took this photograph from the office of the late Dato K K Lim on 31 August 1978. What a view, eh? 🙂

Yes, there was a mass gathering in Ipoh back in 1942. According to the article, demonstrators numbering 17000 marched through the streets of the town carrying banners and shouting anti-British slogans…. Wonder what happened after that?

Here’s a page from Dato Seri Yuen Yuet Leng’s album, showing a message from the then High Commissioner of Malaya, Sir Gerald Templer. This message was addressed to all police personnel in the country, back in 1952. How’s that for a ‘blast from the past’ ? 😉

Believe it or not, this was the first church building for Our Lady Of Lourdes Church, Ipoh. This photo dates back to 1905.

He had been part of the SMI family since 1939 and had helped to rescue vital equipment before the Japanese took over the school buildings. As a musician himself he gave personal encouragement to the Military and Cadet bands, as well as to stage productions. For more than 40 years, he served the students, the […]

Remember when the Perak Postal Service started a special express letter service between Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur? It wasn’t that long ago; apparently, there were two dispatches daily (except Sunday and Public Holidays). And the letters would reach the SAME DAY!

Back in 1952, Countess Mountbatten visited St Michael’s Institution. As President of the St John Ambulance Association in London she toured Malaya, visiting centres where St John Ambulance activities were organised. In this photograph, she’s addressing an assembly at the school hall – where she declared a half-holiday (much to the students delight!).

Have you heard of the Perak Pioneer? The first issue, a 4-page bi-weekly edition, came out in 1894. Soon, the paper gained popularity and it became an 8-page daily by 1905. Sadly, on the 18th anniversary of the paper, its editor wrote his last editorial.

Yes, yes…I know it’s not Christmas. But here’s an interesting story which appeared in the Leader magazine. “A week after her marriage in Singapore, Mrs Bloom found herself a captive of the Japanese. Then, thrown together in misery, Occidental, Chinese and Sikh found that prison bars could not confine the human spirit. In Britain on […]

When the 1939-45 war in Europe ended, in which Police Lieutenant Dick Villiers had visited the continent more times than a peacetime tourist, he was dropped into Malaya as a member of Force 136. When the Japanese capitulated in 1945, Dick left the jungle in Lower Perak and by accident met the Loh family at […]

This photograph was taken during the official opening of the new ACS Library and wing, on 11 June 1955. The gentleman unveiling the tablet is said to be the Perak Deputy Menteri Besar. Does anyone know who he was? Also in the photograph are: Methodist Bishop Raymond Archer (left) and school Principal Ralph Kesselring (right). […]

The Cenotaph came into being as a memorial for those from Perak who died in World War 1. Initially planned to be erected shortly after the war ended in 1919, building was delayed; only to be unveiled in 1927 in a ceremony organised by ex-servicemen. We believe this photograph shows that unveiling ceremony on Armistice […]

The Sultan Idris Training College (also known as SITC) was built in 1922. It was the first education training institution in Malaya. The above photo shows the inside of the SITC dormitory. Any SITC alumni out there? We’d love to hear from you….

Have you heard of the Birch Club? The Birch Club was sited on Connolly Road, adjacent to the first railway station and the Government Rest House. Anyone seen the inside of this building? Perhaps you have a picture or two?

Those of you who’ve guessed it already know this to be part of the Elim Gospel Church. But what was this building used for?

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, and is commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year. It now more broadly commemorates all those who died and served in military operations for the country. The picture shows a remembrance parade in Ipoh, back in 1957.

Here we have a ceremony at the Ipoh Town Hall, to observe the Japanese Emperor’s birthday. It is said that Emperor Showa (better known as Hirohito) was born on 29 April 1901; and the Emperor’s Birthday celebrations are always carried out on the actual day of birth. We estimate this photograph was taken in the […]

He was the vice-president of the Penang Anti-Opium Association in 1906, and played a key role in the first Anti-Opium Conference in Ipoh. Then, he started a small practise at 12 Brewster Road, and gave his support to the Perak Chinese Amateur Dramatic Association and the Ipoh library project. Yes, our “celebrity” for today needs […]

Remember Mohamed Ghazali bin Haji Jawi? He took over as Mentri Besar of Perak back in August 1957 (after Dato Panglima Bukit Gantang resigned). This newspaper cutting was taken from The Straits Times dated Tuesday, 1st of March 1960. According to the article, Mohamed Ghazali was appointed Malaya’s Ambassador to the UAE.

No, we’re not in a morbid mood this Friday. In fact, tomorrow (21st March) will mark 71 years since the burial of WW II heroine Sybil Kathigasu (nee Daly). We have here a photograph taken at St Michael’s Church, way back in 1949. The hearse can be seen arriving at the tree-lined Church Road. Also […]

This press cutting reported that on March 1st 1983, a new $14 million central market (Super Kinta), was expected to be fully opened for business. Also, this was said to be the largest in South-East Asia!

Ever seen a photograph of Malayan Royalty with the Japanese Administration? We have a rare one here. Here we have the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Abdul Aziz Mu’tassim Billah Shah, with the Officers of the Japanese Occupation at the Iskandariah Palace in Kuala Kangsar.

Believe it or not, this was the first all-women Constable trainees who arrived in Ipoh back in 1957!

It was back in 1902 when these three gentleman attended the Coronation of King Edward VII, in London. Who are they, you might ask? Well, they are (left to right): Sir Hugh Clifford, Sultan Idris Murshidul’adzam Shah (of Perak) and Raja Chulan (Raja Di-Hilir).

Hope everyone has their tickets. Oh, and remember to be there early. Where? Why at Merdeka Stadium of course!

There are many clock towers in and around the state of Perak. According to the above article from Vicinity Perak, Perak is home to three clock towers which were constructed to commemorate Independence Day. Where are these clock towers you say? Well, they can be found in Kampar (built in 1957), Parit (1959) and Sungai […]

We were told by our donor (Alan Wanless) that this photo was taken in Sungai Siput. The picture shows some of the guests which attended a Merdeka Day celebration, back in 1957. Among those in attendance was a cute doggy (bottom right) 🙂 😉

Did you own such a lapel badge? If yes, do you still have it?

While we’re on the theme of occupation/workers in action, here’s a different scenario. These men were apparently victims of the economic slump back in the 1930s.

This news article (dated 10 June 1985) reported that the Ipoh Municipal Council planned to turn a length of Jalan Osborne into a pedestrian mall temporarily for three months. The mall will be a permanent feature only if there is not much objection from the traders. If made into a permanent feature, the mall will […]

Some forged $1 notes were found in Perak back in 1960. Do you remember that incident?

On this date, in 1948, the movie “The Boy with Green Hair” played at Ruby in Ipoh. Anyone watched this movie? Did Peter’s hair turn back to its original colour? UPDATE: The year is in fact 1949, not 1948 as stated. 13th May back in 1948 was a Thursday, not a Friday; hence, with reference […]

Where were you in May 1974? Do you remember an incident, whereby a hundred members of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) guerillas gathered and planted explosives which blew up earth-moving equipment along the East-West Highway at Grik, North Perak? Well, we’re not going to show you some graphic photos of what happened; instead, we […]

Did you know that Ipoh was declared a municipality back in 1962? And, that the official declaration of Ipoh’s status as a Municipality was officiated by the Sultan of Perak on the 31st May 1962, on the Ipoh Padang? Well, now you know 😉 Here’s a picture (from Mohd Taib) showing an archway decorated to […]

We’ve heard of private planes, private yachts…what about private ferries? There was once an article (back in 1960s) which talked about a road trip. It is said that while passing through Slim River (before heading towards Kampar), there is a branch road at Teluk Anson (not Teluk Intan). About 3 km upon taking this branch […]

In June 1957, there was the Perak Derby. Here are some photos (from Nick Band) which were taken at the Perak Turf Club. Anyone remember the Perak Derby?

Remember this memorial? Any idea where in Ipoh Town it stood? Or…maybe you might know WHO built it?

How many of you out there lived / grew up in Simee? We’d love to hear some of your childhood adventures (or, misadventures…especially the funny ones 😉 ). Maybe someone out there may also know HOW Simee got its name?

No, this was said to be the temporary building for the Anglo Chinese Girls’ School, back in the 1950s. For those of you who don’t know, Anglo Chinese Girls’ School (or ACGS Ipoh) later became Methodist Girls’ School (MGS). Of course, the MGS building now looks nothing like this one pictured above. MGS Alumni, we’d love to […]

Many of you may have seen the Kuomintang Parade photos on our database. Here’s another one, from Ann Kesselring Hamon’s collection. What’s so special about this, you ask? Well, it’s in colour! ps: Recognise the street?

Hypothetical scenario: Imagine you’ve just inherited a LOT of money…and you’ve decided to build a beautiful mansion. Well, let us ‘help’ you with some interior decoration ideas 😀 We have here some photographs of what the inside of the Kinta Kellas Estate bungalow once looked like. Yes, this wooden bungalow once belonged to none other […]

In the back row, right, is a gentleman by the name of Charles Green. History-buffs may tell you that ‘Greentown’ was named after him. This photograph was taken in 1902, after a cricket match. Do you recognise anyone else in this photograph?

Yes, “Visit Malaya” posters existed back in 1961! Here’s one which some of you may have seen… (you can read more about this poster here).

Chettiar (or Chetty) is a title used by various mercantile castes and social levels in South India – especially in the state of Tamil Nadu. They claim a legendary relationship with the Hindu God Murugan; according to the legend, Murugan married Valli (who was from a tribal group), hence her tribe was later called Chettyars […]

Here’s a picture of the FMSR Locomotiv Class G. The locomotive was built by R. Stephenson. It was placed in Perak Railway with the name FMSR 47 in July 1901. It was scrapped on November 1931. A series of 34 4-6-0 locomotives were built by Kitson (16), Hunslet (5), Neilson Reid & R. Stephenson. And […]

This coach was said to have ferried passengers between Taiping and Padang Rengas before the completion of the railway. And yes, this is a Kaulfuss postcard 🙂

According to the article, many of the wooden houses in Greentown would have to make way for development. About 16 houses would be demolished and the area would then house the ‘new’ municipal council building (present Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh building). Anyone remembers the ‘new’ municipal council building?

The picture is not that clear, but I’m sure you can more or less see what our featured celebrity looks like. Born in 1884, he joined the Malayan Civil Service as a cadet in 1907. In 1932 he was appointed British Resident of Selangor and the following year as British Resident of Perak, a post he […]

Yes, you read it right – Anglo-Chinese Girls’ School. Maybe you’re more familiar with its current name – Methodist Girls’ School (MGS). Anyway, here is a nostalgic photograph taken during the sports day. The guest of honour is none other than Mrs Florence Kesselring.

No, we’re not trying to scare you 😉 Although not strictly a Psychological Warfare tool, like the air-dropped leaflets, this brochure certainly formed an early part of the psychological fight against the communists. For those of you who remember the Malayan Emergency, have you seen similar posters in and around your neighbourhood?

No, we’re not predicting the coming election results 😉 This is an article from 1963, from the Straits Times, which reported that PPP (People’s Progressive Party) retained Ipoh.

As you can guess, the tall gentleman in the middle is none other than D R Seenivasagam. Do you recognise the others in this picture?

On the left is a picture of Ngah Ibrahim’s fort, which was built in 1865 (picture courtesy of Ipoh Remembered). On the right is a picture of the same building, taken in 2009 by Ian.

How much did YOU pay for electricity back in 1977? Well, according to this bill (below) Madam Koo paid $ 4.67 (June-July 1977). Imagine paying only this much today… 😉

At 18 years old, this gentleman started working in a tin mine under the guidance of his uncle. Years later, using his accumulated savings, he managed to buy the Chung Thye Phin Villa and helped convert it into a private hospital. Ever the philanthropist, this same gentleman also set up Shen Jai High School. I […]

…from tomorrow, anyway. Yes…tomorrow – 20th January – will mark 144 years since the Treaty of Pangkor was signed. 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 […]

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 […]

This was not taken in Ipoh, but we thought of sharing this rare find with all of you. These photos were part of a series, taken back in 1956 (some were faded, some were damaged). Here we have HRH the Duke of Edinburgh visiting a dredge in Jinjang. The gentleman in the dark sunglasses […]

Looks like the grand opening of a store in Ipoh. The back of these photographs say it’s the Premier Store, Ipoh (dated 11 Jan 1968). Any idea where in Ipoh this place was? The gentleman cutting the ribbon is none other than Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakkil Alallahi Shah, and the lady beside him is his consort […]

Heard of a place called Pekan Getah? It is said to be about 2km from Tapah town. I’m sure some of you out there have a story or two to tell us about Pekan Getah. This photo shown above was probably taken in 1958, during the time the New Village was set up.

Do you remember the old Tenby School building? The school once used the vicarage of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. For those who are curious, you can visit the school’s current website here.

The photo on the left was taken back in the 1940s, showing St Joseph School in Batu Gajah. The one on the right was taken from the Star Metro (dated 4 November 2017). This building was built as early as 1928, believe it or not. According to Star Metro, efforts are underway to restore this […]

The year was 20 June 1962, when King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit arrived in Kuala Lumpur. This was part of their state long visit. On 24 June, the Royal couple stopped by Ipoh. (pictures below taken from New Sunday Times, 22 October 2017)

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, […]

Here we have the living room of Charles Alma Baker’s residence (once upon a time) in Batu Gajah. This large space included a 12-seater dining table, several sofas and easy chairs, and Chinese antiques. The Master of this house and his guests were kept cool by a punkah. If you look closely, you’ll also notice […]

Heard of the Grand Hotel? It opened on 16th December 1909 and was Ipoh’s first European style hotel. But who was the Founder of this hotel? None other than Mr Pierre Z Creet. Here he is pictured with his daughter, Mignon Betty, in the early 1940’s.

This postcard, from the J. J. Series, shows Selibui Road in Ipoh. We believe the postcards from this series ranged from 1905 – 1910. From what we found out from the book ‘Perak Postcards: 1890s-1940s‘, this photo probably shows the early intake dam and waterworks in Selibin (Silibin today). To quote from the book: “Water […]

…the Ipoh Trade School? It was founded in 1930, to what we know. The initial intake was 25 young men of which 23 were Malays with 1 Chinese and 1 Indian. The Chief Instructor was transferred from the Federated Malay States Railways Central Workshops and his assistant from the Kuala Lumpur Trade School. The students’ […]

Have you heard of the Iskandar Shah School?

Have you seen the Federation Flag? Do you remember what it looked like? We have one in our collection (see below) Notice the difference between this flag and our present one?

Basket? Tray? Bowl? No…this is actually a shield! Yes, I kid you not…..see a picture of this item in use here!

Here’s another NST picture, showing the ‘hello girls’ (as they were called). These girls worked at the Ipoh Telephone Exchange once upon a time. Dewi (wearing a checkered dress), and her sister Jamilah (face towards to camera) both worked 6-hour shifts at the Exchange. This picture is dated 1st November 1953.

This NST picture shows people collecting their rice rations from one of the 19 distribution points in Sungai Siput. The gentleman in the foreground is See Khoon Lim, the then chairman of the local council; on his left is K. Sockalingam, then police chief of Sungai Siput. This picture is said to be dated 10 August […]

Today’s famous person was also known as the ‘Protector of Chinese’. One of his main duties was to monitor the Chinese Secret Societies. The Protector also held the responsibility for the registration of Chinese brothels, the owner, the Mamasan and the working girls, and inspecting the premises to maintain laid down standards of hygiene and accommodation. Still […]

Here’s a fun fact: This building was opened by the British Resident of Perak, Mr R W Thomson, in 1928. This building was also the 3rd Ipoh Court House (read about the others here).

Before the invention of stainless steel, knives were very hard to keep clean and shiny. If they got too wet, they would get rusty and water could leak down into the handles, which were made of wood or bone. After simply wiping the knives after use, Victorian maids would use this special knife-cleaning machine to […]

Here’s a question for our Teluk Anson readers: Do you remember when these trucks were first used? For those of you who didn’t know, Teluk Anson (now known as Teluk Intan) was originally Teluk Mak Intan (Mak Intan Bay), named after a widowed trader (Mak Intan) who was trading across the Straits of Malacca. [you can […]

The Dingo Scout Car was a light armoured car built in Australia during Second World War. They were produced by the Ford motor company during 1942. (read more here) Have any of you seen one of these vehicles up close?

Today’s celebrity was born in 1880 in Fuzhou (Fujian Province, China). Considered to be one of the elite Chinese in Ipoh, he became the Secretary and Attorney of Towkay Foo Choo Choon. He was also very influential in the Perak Chamber of Commerce. In 1924 he joined the Kinta Sanitary Board; 3 years later he […]

…a British Army Field Phone, dating back to WW II? Well, feast your eyes on these pictures below!

Any Alumni from the Malayan Teachers’ College – Brinsford Lodge out there? If you’re reading this, do you recognise these gentlemen? We thank Mohamad Sharizan for the above photograph.

Our featured Celebrity was born in Wuhua, Guandong, China. He began as an apprentice in the Menglembu Tin Mines. His hard work eventually paid off when he could afford to run his own tin mines. He was also quite a philanthropist. Among his many good deeds include: Treasurer of Yuk Choy High School, and […]

In 1893, an actual Merryweather was ordered from London and delivered to Ipoh. Horse-drawn and manned by Sikhs (under Police supervision), it was capable of pumping up to 600 gallons of water per minute. It was also said to be the fastest vehicle (at that time) in the country! What does a Merryweather look like? Well, […]

picture source: Heritage Asia magazine, January-March 2007 The first headquarters of the British in Kinta was Kota Bharu, the lowest landing stage on the Kinta River, and also the river port for the important mining centre of Gopeng. However, Kota Bharu was so malarial that it had to be abandoned, and in 1884 the capital […]

….when the Royal Ipoh Club celebrated its 100 year anniversary? It wasn’t that long ago – 1995 to be exact. I’m sure some of you members out there remember something….

“Commonly made of bamboo, plastic, wood or stainless steel, Chopsticks were first used by the Chinese. This later spread to various parts of the world through cultural influence or through Chinese immigrant communities. How does one use chopsticks? Well, the lower chopstick is stationary, and rests at the base of the thumb, and between the ring […]

We thank Pat Price (from Sydney) for this picture. Price was formerly an engineer with Anglo-Oriental. This dredge was said to be in Kampong Gajah, Perak. Perhaps you’re wondering why the dredge buckets are all lined up on the extreme right. Back in 1976, one of the dredge buckets broke; hence, fixing the problem was […]

…that the YMCA Ipoh building used to be along Cockman Street? Check out the pictures below 🙂 Apparently, this premise later became the home for Lido Cinema. Does anyone remember this building? Here’s a group photo of the YMCA members, taken outside the Cockman Street building.

No, we’re not exposing any celebrity or political scandal 😉 Instead, we have here original press photographs from The Telegraph Newspapers Co. Ltd. These photos date back to 1950, during the fight against Communists. Flight Lt. A J De Saville and co-pilot P3 W J Sullivan, flying over Ipoh just before the bombing run A […]

We thought we’d tease you all today…with this little artifact. Do you know what this is? Apparently, it’s a ‘modesty cap’ for little boys? Don’t believe us, look at the photo below!

From what we know, there was a parade in Ipoh town back in 1947 – in support of the Kuomintang. We believe the above picture (from Lay Jin Chew) was taken at the same parade, which ran through the streets of Ipoh. Can anyone guess which street this is? On that note, do you know […]

Have you used these to write? Perhaps not…maybe your parents or grandparents did? Anyhow, these were what I would call the ‘early pencils’. And of course, you used them on slate boards (not paper, as they were rather costly back then). Incidentally, I looked up ‘slate pencils’ on YouTube…and to my surprise, there were many videos of […]

…well, not really 😉 But do YOU remember what your examination paper looked like when you were in school? Here’s one from 1928, the English Grammar paper from Cambridge for the Junior Local Exam. What kind of student were you back then: a) the ever-ready student, eager to perform well? b) the one who constantly […]

I don’t know if any of you remember this, but back in 1955 we had a visit from a famous Olympian – Jesse Owen! picture courtesy of: Dato Pu Facing the camera, on the extreme left, is Mr Kandvanam. Next to him is Mr Bulwant Singh. Jesse Owen (winner of 4 gold medals at […]

picture from: Rosemary Palmer Remember the Home Guards? Here we have troop-in-training. The gentleman in white shorts is our donor’s father – M L Bernacchi. I’m sure some of you remember seeing the Home Guards on patrol, especially if you were one of those who lived in the New Villages during the Malayan Emergency.

picture courtesy of: Harchand Can anyone guess where this was taken? Maybe the shops look familiar…was this somewhere in Ipoh? Or could is be in another town in Perak?

We received this photograph from Harchand (one of our Readers) some time ago. However, we do not know the names of these gentlemen. Do you recognise them? We were told that this photograph was taken somewhere in Perak (where in Perak, we haven’t the faintest idea 🙁 ). Come on, History-buffs….put those thinking caps on! […]

HIJ Convent girls, this one’s for YOU! Do you remember this badge? Did you have trouble remembering the lyrics of the school song? Do you recall the motto? Come on, girls…we want to hear from you 🙂

This was sent to us via email from Ann & Mano. According to them, the owner of this driver’s license was an RAAF personnel, and would have worked on aircrafts almost daily. The Singapore-issued license (1955) is the picture on the left. The picture on the right, however, is a photo of a particular airplane […]

picture courtesy of: Ruth Iversen Rollitt Remember these shop houses? Yes, this was Fair Park back in 1938. These shops were Iversen’s designs nonetheless. Sadly, they’re no more 🙁

Since it’s Teacher’s Day today, we decided to feature a very prominent figure in our education’s history – Aminuddin Baki. Born in Chemor, he began his early schooling at Chemor Malay School and later at Anderson School. During his school days, he participated in student organisations championing the lot of Malay students, as he felt […]

On the morning of 30th April 2016, Treacher Street was all abuzz with activity. That day marked the grand opening of the Ho Yan Hor Museum – a museum which tells the story of Ho Kai Cheong, who began as an operator of a humble tea stall and later became a famous entrepreneur and philanthropist. […]

click to enlarge We mentioned the Bougainvillea Parade a long time ago on our blog. Here are MORE photos from that same parade, back in 2004. I don’t recall ever seeing these floats along Jalan Abdul Jalil….did any of the Greentown folk witness this back then?

Do you recognise these panels? They can be found on the four sides of the Birch Clock tower. Still wondering what I’m talking about? Well, the next time you pass by the clock tower, take a closer look 🙂 THE J W W BIRCH MEMORIAL CLOCK TOWER PANELS The Growth of Civilization. The following is […]

It was a solemn and heart-wrenching occasion, as the people of Ipoh (and even from others towns in Perak) came to pay their last respects to D R Seenivasagam. Some estimate the crowd of mourners to be well into the tens of thousands! click to enlarge We’d love to hear from anyone who witnessed this […]

source: NSTP Back row, L-R: T.John, Foong Kam Choy, Ahmad Nazari Centre row, L-R: Chan Tuck Choy, R. Anthony, Wong Kim Seng Front row, L-R: Liew Fee Yuen, Loh Kam Fook, Ramadas Rao, Wong Kong Leong and Cheong Weng Leong Remember these young men? It was October 5th 1957 when this team – Perak XI […]

source: Road to Nationhood, NSTP In September 1955, the Malayan Traffic Policemen rode on new 120mph motorcycles. Here we have a group of them at the Ipoh Railway Station. Talk about ‘riding with style’ !

This article was taken off today’s NST. We hope this project goes through as planned, if only to preserve this important piece of our history.

The car-lovers out there are probably drooling over this beauty! Yes, it’s the two-seater Ford V8. We thank Sally Everist (our donor) who sent us this quite some time ago. This picture is part of the collection of the late J M Allison – who was killed by Communists, sparking the start of the Malayan Emergency. […]

Any Sam Tet alumni reading this? Well, I’m sure you recognise this building. According to our donor, Ruth Iversen Rollitt, her late father – B M Iversen – designed it!

source: Alexander We received this photo from Alexandar, the curator of the Heritage Gallery of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes (OLOL), in Silibin. According to an article from the Straits Times, heavy rain caused the banks of the Pari River (or Sungei Pari, as it’s more popularly known as) to overflow. The flood […]

Ipoh-ites reminiscing the good ‘ol days when Jubilee Park was an entertainment hub – back in the 60s and 70s 🙂

This book provides a fresh perspective and deepens previous studies of his [Charles Compton Reade] town planning ideas…..Charles Reade’s obscure and unattributed position in the history of Malayan town planning is now accorded its due recognition…a pioneer and founder of the town planning service in British Malaya (1921-1929). Here’s a book by […]

We thank Marea Smith (from Australia) for sending us this rare close up of a tin dredge. This photograph was taken at Kuala Kampar Tin fields, Malim Nawar.

special thanks to Ruth Iversen Rollitt Believe it or not, this was what Ipoh looked like back in the 1930s. The area under construction is none other than the Mercantile Bank!

Want to know MORE about Cheah Cheng Lim? Get his book now! This book will be launched at the Flemington Hotel, in Taiping, on 15th May 2015. Admission is free; however there is an optional dinner priced at RM 38 per pax. For more information, contact Yeap Thean Eng (President of the Taiping Heritage Society) […]

Wayang kulit is a unique form of theatre employing light and shadow. The puppets are crafted from buffalo hide and mounted on bamboo sticks. When held up behind a piece of white cloth, with an electric bulb or an oil lamp as the light source, shadows are cast on the screen. The plays are typically […]

Remember these insurance agents? They used to operate at No. 168, Brewster Road, Ipoh. Wonder what’s become of this business…

Picture from Ruth Iversen Rollitt “Rental was $60 a month, a bargain in the immediate post-war years with the shortage of housing. Each house had 3 bedrooms upstairs; and downstairs. a living room, dining room, a modern flush toilet (very rare for Ipoh at that time), a small kitchen and backyard. There was a built-in […]

We’ve had such an overwhelming response on our previous posts about the Perak Hydro Plant at Malim Nawar, which led us to uploading this photo (see below). click to enlarge This photograph was sent to us via email from Richard Saxey. His father – Frederic James Saxey – was the Superintendent at the power plant […]

“Through the centuries Chinese women have had to struggle under a load of injustices – denial of education, ineligibility to sit the civil service examinations and hold official posts, female infanticide, selling of daughters, concubinage, foot binding – just to name a few. They had largely remained silent because they did not have a voice. […]

These photographs are from Martin Allen. They were taken around 1938, during the funeral of the Sultan of Perak. Martin’s mother incidentally worked as a saleswoman at Whiteaway Laidlaw.

We’re not pulling your legs, but the ladies in the photo are none other than the first flight attendants for Malayan Airways. We believe this to be the first successful batch of applicants, looking smart in their uniforms and all set for their duties 😉

Are you a fan of comics? Perhaps even an avid collector – especially of vintage editions? Do you remember Beano (picture above)? I don’t recall Beano, but I do remember those Donald Duck comics (sponsored by Maggi, if I’m not mistaken). I also enjoy reading Marvel comics, but I’m not a collector. Nowadays, many famous […]

I remember eating at this place. I loved the interior decoration – which was made to resemble the inside of a mine (complete with dim lighting too!) It’s gone now, replaced with another cafe. Anyone know HOW Miner’s Arms began?

As the caption states, the late P. Ramlee was in Ipoh back in 1965 for a fund raising show. Were any one of you lucky enough to meet him? Did anyone go to that particular show? I’m sure there must have been some ‘screaming fans’… 😉 Did anyone manage to get P. Ramlee’s autograph too?

Yes, this was once known as Kesselring Methodist Girls’ School – dedicated in memory of Ralph Kesselring, on the 10th of April 1968. It later became Methodist High School (MHS). It is now the home of Wesley Methodist School. We’ve had ACS, Anderson, Convent, and other Alumni dropping us a line now and then….how about […]

picture courtesy of: Harold Sevanesam No prizes for guessing WHERE this place is, but I’m sure some of you out there are grinning widely 😉 What I found rather interesting is the shape of the of the roof. Anyone know the architect who designed this?

Our Donor (Mohd Taib) tells us that there are St Michael’s boys in the crowd. This is said to be part of a Chinese Funeral procession. Do you recognise the road they are walking along? What about the building in the background?

Ever use one of these? Some of you might have. I for one have never come across such a flask; the ones I’ve used didn’t have such a locking mechanism 😉 The one above even has a vent on top to adjust temperature. Wonder if it came in a variety of colours…..

Yes, believe it or not…..this is the Lahat Roundabout, taken from the junction of Jalan Datoh. Can you spot any familiar landmarks? (click picture to enlarge)

Just in case you didn’t know, today is Boxing Day – nothing to do with the actual sport, but rather it’s the day where gifts are exchanged and opened. In some countries, today is an official holiday too! The picture above, from Ruth Iversen Rollitt, was not taken on 26th December…but I think fits well […]

advertisement courtesy of: Nicholas Jennings Rotarians used to have their lunch at this place – every Wednesday, going by what the advertisement says. Did any of you have a chance to dine here (before it closed)? From what we know, it had quite a bit of competition from the Station Hotel…

Don’t know where to go during this long break? How about Kellie’s Castle? No, we’re not advertising for this place. Rather just showing you what this iconic landmark looked like – way back in 1957! This is a photograph of Ho Hoo Wan with his siblings and friends, posing just outside the famed Batu Gajah […]

The history-buffs out there would know this fact: that King Edward VIII ascended the throne of England in January 1936, after his father George V passed away. However, in November that same year, there was “a constitutional crisis” when Edward wanted to marry Mrs Wallis Simpson (a divorcee). Eventually on 11 December, Edward abdicated; and […]

A couple of months ago, one of our readers – Hasbi – sent us these pictures. This grand old building is the Rumah Besar of none other than Raja Bilah. The gentleman in the picture is Hasbi himself with his wife. They had visited Kak Saadiah – the maternal great grand daughter of Raja Bilah. […]

The ‘experts in the kitchen’ are definitely familiar with Lyle’s Golden Syrup 🙂 It all started out in 1881, when Abram Lyle set up a sugar refinery on the banks of the Thames river. This company, named Abram Lyle & Sons, was run by Lyle and his three sons. Thus the story goes (more can […]

In the early 1900s, floods in Ipoh were rather common – possibly due to the silting of rivers because of mining. Later, plans were made to straighten the sharp bends of the Kinta River and divert the River Choh. This would allow the waters to flow into the Pinji River instead of directly flowing into […]

Nicholas Jennings sent us this – with the title Ipoh Swimming Club 1962 original. Could this really be the original club – before the renovations took place? Also, notice the small balcony on the far left..could it be part of the dining area?

We’re glad to know that so many of you out there have been reconnecting with lost friends through our blog – especially on THIS topic about the Malim Nawar power plant! So, here’s another picture (from Larry Sawyer), showing the plant in the background. If you recognise the people in the picture, do tell us […]

We’ve featured pictures and articles from various clubs and associations before. This time, we’d like to present (what we believe to be) a page from the Rotary Newsletter. The picture below is a close-up view of the Ipoh Branch meeting details. Rotarians out there might recognise some of the names. We thank Nicholas Jennings for […]

This is one of the many colonial-style bungalows which once stood proud against Batu Gajah’s landscape. Sadly, not many of them are still around today. This one, sent to us by Rosemary Palmer, has stood the test of time – and is still being used 😉

picture from: Ruth Iversen Rollitt What I found interesting about this one is the local boy’s clothing – a pair of long pants, pulled up to his stomach 😉 This boy was probably one of the many children who ran around the estate back then. Wonder what’s become of him…..

With technology advancing everyday, I wonder how many of us can actually claim to have used a good old fashioned typewriter! This advertisement (sent to us by Nicholas Jennings) is for Royal Typewriters. Was this a very popular brand back then? Did any of you own one (or any other typewriter brand)? On that note, […]

We received this from Daniel Doutriaux (part of a series of photographs from an album). These are the girls from Batu Gajah Convent – excited as they explore the new science lab. The year was 1956….do you recognise any of them in the photo? (Or, maybe YOU are in there?) We’d love to hear from […]

advertisement courtesy of: Nicholas Jennings Philco Radios were around as early as 1928. However, the company almost went bust and was later bought over by Ford Motor Company (in the 1960s). These radios must have had a special place in their owners hearts – Ron Ramirez even has a book dedicated to this radio! (more […]

Nicholas Jennings (our donor) tells us that: the boy standing on the running board is his uncle Nigel (the third son of J A S Jennings). At the wheel is Eric Jennings (the eldest son), and seated beside the driver is Rose Winnifred (Freda) Jennings. In the background is the family home (No. 50 Gopeng […]

We received the following email from Kong Khen: “Recently, I found a class photograph of my dad taken in 1940. I’ve identified it as the remedial class of English lesson, from what was mentioned by my dad. Could IPOHWORLD help to confirm if the teachers were from ACS school. Dad mentioned that he attended English […]

…the Papan Mosque? Initially I thought this was part of a typical kampung house, but was sorely mistaken! It is in fact a mosque. This Mandailing-styled mosque was built in 1888 by Raja Bilah. It was later restored and reconstructed by the National Museum (Muzium Negara) in 1999. Has anyone seen it?

We thank Ruth Iversen Rollitt for this gem. We estimate the year was 1925 – yes, it was that long ago folks!

Over many weeks Larry has sent us a host of photographs. So many that they will be a great addition to our database recording his childhood life and times with Perak Hydro in Batu Gajah. You have probably seen memories from him and his young friends on our blog where young friends from 50+years ago […]

picture from: Larry Sawyer I don’t remember this design on our Malaysian planes (long before my time anyway 😉 ) but I’m sure some of you out there do remember this. I’m curious to know what image that is – on the nose of the plane. Is it some kind of bird? Or just a […]

I dare say that apart from the Ubudiah Mosque, the Royal Palace is the next famous landmark in Kuala Kangsar 😉 This picture here, courtesy of Ruth Iversen Rollitt, shows a different view of the palace – probably before the renovations were done. Could anyone help us with a rough date?

Ever wondered what happened to this famous Gopeng Landmark? Well, wonder no more! Thanks to our photographer Charlie, we have these pictures for your viewing pleasure! As the State Government once promised, a section of one of the pipes on its original structure has been saved and turned into a sort of a memorial to […]

From all of us to all of you – on this special day 16th September!

picture courtesy of Ruth Iversen Rollitt Some of you Anderson School Alumni may remember this building. The younger ones may have seen it in their school magazine. Well, this was once Anderson School – before the present building was built.

We don’t mean to confuse you again, but here’s another photo of a local market 😉 This one isn’t in Ipoh….it’s actually in Batu Gajah (according to our donor Wendy Lewis). Notice the shape of the roof – quite unique for a market building, don’t you think? Any Batu Gajah folks around? Perhaps they could […]

Wendy Lewis tells us that this holiday resort was in Pangkor Island. Back then (probably the 1950s) there was no air-condition – only fans and mosquito nets! I wonder if this resort is still there….perhaps it has been upgraded with more modern facilities (besides air-condition, perhaps free wi-fi too?). Any frequent visitors to Pangkor? Do […]

(courtesy of Larry Sawyer) All you Philatelists out there may remember this First Day Cover (or even have it in your collection!). Yes, this one came out back in 1957 – when Malaya received her Independence. Just wondering: were there OTHER such souvenirs made for this momentous occasion? (like mugs, badges, t-shirts, etc.)

I know we’ve featured this house before. But this photo (from Larry Sawyer) is a coloured version- yes, it’s the same beautiful house which is now (sadly) abandoned along Tiger Lane. The Sawyers lived here for a while, from what Larry told us.

The man wearing a hat is none other then the famous Dr Tweedie. The lady next to him is the wife of B M Iversen. This photograph was taken in 1966, in Sungei Siput. In the background you can see the beautiful hills of the Kinta Valley. We thank Ruth Iversen Rollitt for this photograph.

This is NOT in Ipoh, but do take note of the shape of the building – reminds me of our Ipoh New Market! We believe this to be part of the Taiping market. Dear Taiping-folks, has this place changed much over the years? picture courtesy of Larry Sawyer

Larry Sawyer sent us this – showing part of Kuala Kangsar under water due to the floods. From similar photographs we have in our database, I’m guessing that this was taken around 1967. In the far end seems to be the famous clock tower, which is near the Kuala Kangsar Post Office. [I can’t believe […]

Larry Sawyer tells us: “Pangkor was our choice of holiday spots. This photo shows the boat landing at the island. The road across the other side was mud. The waterfront was reputed to have been a opium haven.” Well, anyone from that side of Perak care to tell us more? I’m sure the jetty looks […]

This is not an “artist’s impression”…it is the real thing 😉 This is indeed the Ruby Cinema – all done up for a recent advertisement by Petronas. For those of you who didn’t know, this is what the Ruby Cinema used to look like once upon a time. Also take note of the old movie […]

Since we’ve had such a rousing discussion on the Malim Nawar post, here is yet another rare photograph from the years gone by 🙂 Our donor, Larry Sawyer, tells us that this was a pumping dredge at Kuala Dipang. The date is about 1950s. We’ve never seen a dredge like this before. Have you?

Since Hari Raya is almost here, some of you might be thinking about your Kampong – this photo (from Michael Ho) may not depict your actual kampong, but I’m sure it may bring back some fond memories of life back then. For those of you non-city folks, what was life like back then in your […]

picture courtesy of Alison Cotterill (nee Caldwell) Yes, this is a driver’s licence, issued by the Federation of Malaya Government (back then). I wonder when it changed from this little booklet to the present card we have today. Maybe some of you history-buffs could share your knowledge with us 😉

I’m just making a guess here – I think this picture was taken in the 1950s, but I could be wrong. Date aside, what we’d like to know is who are these people in the picture. If anyone can translate the words at the bottom, we’d love to hear from you. click to enlarge

picture courtesy of: Michael Ho That’s what the small signboard on the left (on the palm tree) says. We don’t know if this is Ipoh, but the car facing the camera is definitely from Perak. The number plate reads as A 9462. Was there a Peel Avenue in Ipoh?

No, it’s not a fossil. This is an example of tin money – which was once the common currency used in this part of the world. We estimate this tin-gecko (above) was used in the mid 1800s. For those of you who didn’t know, a long time ago Malayan folks traded with tin money before […]

picture and story from: Bonhams Auctioneers, UK Yes, folks…this is indeed the Rolls-Royce 20hp Sports Tourer once owned by Chung Thye Phin! Chung Thye Phin bought it way back in 1925. A year or so later, this same car was lent to the Duke of Gloucester when he was touring this side of the globe. […]

Deep inside Kampung Tanjung Bangkung (Malim Nawar) was once a Japanese Carbide Factory. The picture above is that of the former guard house. It is said that the factory was part of a complex that manufactured armaments for the Japanese – which were then sent to Burma. All that remains of this factory now is […]

The AJS 350cc was my dad’s. This was taken back in 1956 and this time, the toddler is me! The photo was taken at the end of the block of houses in New Pasir Puteh where the Fabulous Thunderbirds were from as well. We thank Mano for the picture and the above quote. I do […]

That’s what we’d like to ask you experts out there – especially the St Michael’s Institute Alumni. Was this the First School Badge? Take a closer look (picture below). So ‘experts’, what do YOU have to say? We’d love to hear from you 🙂

We thank Angie Yeow for this “blast from the past”. This 1964 photo, taken at the Town Padang, shows Angie and Lee Hock Mee – the Municipal Sports champions for Badminton (mixed doubles). Of course, the gentleman presenting the award is none other than the late S P Seenivasagam.

Situated at 2A Market Square, Taiping, this is the project of Tan Kok Siew (Kapitan Antiques) who has leased this old house and filled two floors with antiques and collectables from days gone by. Entrance is RM5.00. The museum is opem every day from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm. Apart from the items on display, […]

Chooi-Hoong Foong’s father was one of the Volunteer Police back in the 1950s (see picture below). Do you recognise the handsome young men in the above photograph? Any former members of the force reading this, we’d love to hear from you – especially if you have the names of the gentlemen above 🙂

Yes, believe it or not THIS (picture below) was the Main Street of Simpang Pulai back in 1936! 🙂 (click to enlarge) We thank our donor – Mohamad Sharizan bin Mohd. Supian – for this picture. The discoloration is probably due to water. The Chinese words roughly state that this was taken at the funeral […]

Yes, this is indeed a Malay Funeral procession. This was taken, with kind permission, from the Imperial War Museum London. The photo was taken from a colour transparency, back in the 1950s. If you look closely you can see the Ipoh East Post Office in the background – that should give you a clue about […]

Some of you may have met me before. Some of you may remember me ‘singing’ during the war. Some say my ‘voice’ made quite an impression on the young ones too! For those of you who don’t me, I’m a WW2 Civil Defence Siren 😉

It is with sadness that we advise of the passing of Chye Kooi Loong who left this world on Wednesday 23 April 2014. Chye Kooi Loong, is a renowned war historian and former Home Guard warden during the Malayan Emergency. He is a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE), awarded by the Queen […]

Did you know there was once a Japanese barber in Ipoh? I didn’t, but according to this early photo there was a “D. Wakaki Salon” along Hugh Low Street. Could anyone tell us MORE?

From the pictures, we think that this float was one of the many at a Merdeka Parade back in 1967. Does anyone remember this parade? If you do, where was it held – at the Stadium, or along the main streets of the town? Also notice the old Malay used in the description and the […]

Take a good look the postcard below 😉 Could this be the old Ipoh Market? I’ve never seen the old market, but I know some of you out there remember what it looks like.

As mentioned previously, we have a postcard with ‘Ipoh East’ stamped on the top left corner. The date is stated as 1934 – meaning the Post Office concerned has been around for some time. When did they close then?

According to Nick Band (our donor), the caption for this 1957 photograph reads as Post Office, Brewster Road, from the Eastern. If you zoom in on the ‘Pejabat Pos’ signage, the smaller street sign (left) reads as Cockman Street. THIS is what’s confused us 😉 Ipoh-experts out there, can you help us? Is this really […]

This Malayan Chinese Association Membership Certificate was issued in 1961 and is now in the possession of IpohBornKid. The person who owned this card has passed on and she was a member of the Menglembu (a town adjacent to Ipoh) Branch. This card was issued in Kuala Lumpur at the MCA headquarters. There is much […]

This barge won the 3rd prize in the competition. To what we know, this barge was decorated by the Royal Engineers. Do you remember this lake carnival?

Most photographs of dulang washers show the ladies almost knee deep in water, while they rotate their dulangs. This photo here (from Alison Cotterill nee Caldwell) shows the dulang washer in a field instead! This area was probably near Kramat Tin (Bidor). Notice the 1 cubic ft box (bottom left), and the white bowl (above […]

This was among the lot sent to us from Nick Band. His father Albert Roy Band was part of the Malay Tin Dredge Co. in Batu Gajah. He had two stints there: 1954-57, where he stayed at Bungalow A11 & 1958-61, residing at Bungalow A13. As Nick explains, his father was known as ‘Roy’ and […]

Ever come across an oval-shaped dining table? Well, this picture (from Sally Everist) shows the late John Allison‘s dining room. Unique isn’t it – since most homes have either long, rectangular tables or round tables in their dining rooms 🙂

Calling all Tarcisian Convent (Ipoh) Girls! Remember what your school library looked liked in the 1960s? Well, here’s a little clue for you. I’m sure much of the interior has changed over the years. For the present generation of Tarcisian Girls, DO tell us about the ‘new additions’ to your school library 🙂

Remember these seats? All you movie buffs out there, especially those who visited the old cinemas (not the modern cineplexes), I’m sure you’ll recall sitting on similar chairs.

We thank Graham Barton for sharing these pictures with us. Do you remember such Hairdressers? Do they still use those(ever sharp!) razors/blades and ‘Good Morning’ towels? Looking at these pictures, I couldn’t help but think about the famed Star Barber – who once ran their business at Belfield Street 🙂 On that note, how much […]

“Chan Sue Meng, the author of “Road to Revolution – Dr. Sun Yat Sen and His Comrades in Ipoh”, is the great-great-granddaughter of Lee Guan Swee, leader of the Tong Meng Hui (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance) in Ipoh, Malaya, during the 1911 Revolution. Two years ago, upon learning about the great deeds of her ancestor and […]

(Picture 1: Run Run Shaw) (Picture 2: Runme Shaw) We pay tribute to Run Run Shaw, of the famed Shaw Brothers, who passed away in Hong Kong yesterday. The Shaw Organisation began in 1924, with operations in Singapore screening their own brand of silent movies. Frustrated by local distributors, they set up their own cinema, […]

We thank Alan Steel for this picture. It shows the camp and gates of the 12th Inf. at Gunong Panjang. I’m just making a guess and putting this location at Tambun Road (though I could be wrong). Is this place still called ‘Gunong Panjang’? Or, perhaps the camp has relocated? Hope those familiar with the […]

The long-awaited Part 6 of Ipohbornkid’s series! Happy Reading 😉 The Schools that Chong Soon Fan Built – by IpohBornKid (The picture above shows the generous donors for Wan Hwa Public Schools) Many Chinese schools were built after World War II during the tin boom in the Kinta Valley, especially in Ipoh and surrounds in […]

According to the donor of this photograph (Alan Steel), those posing here are: Chan Sai Yu, Foo Kim Lim (nicknamed ‘Lofty’), Lau Weng and Yip See Chee. Anyone know where they are now? Based on what Alan told us, this was taken somewhere in the mid 1950s – either 1955 0r 1956. They were working […]

For those who didn’t know, Chung Thye Phin once had his own currency! No, I’m not joking….take a look (see below). We thank Jeffrey Seong for sharing this with us. If YOU had your own currency, what would it look like? 😉

We thank Alan Steel for this candid picture of Kid Pancho (on a WD Matchless). Besides being a boxer, Pancho was also a drummer at the Jubilee Park; and also a mechanic at the 12 Infantry. Did anyone of you out there see him in action?

We’re hoping some alumni from Sam Tet, Ipoh, would be able to help us out with this photograph (see below). This was taken from the 90th Anniversary Magazine of St Michael’s Church (which is next to Sam Tet School). Does anyone remember when this photograph was taken? We don’t seem to have a caption for […]

You’ve heard his name many times – there’s even a road named after him – so today, we’d like to show you what he looked like! Yes, that’s him on the right…and on the left is none other than His Royal Highness Sultan Idris Murshidul’adzam Shah. According to what we know, back in 1877 Sir […]

We thank Sally Everist for this rare gem. Although it is a low-resolution photograph, you can see most of the Planter’s Bungalow in the background. The man sitting in the garden is none other than the late John M Allison – General Manager of Sungei Siput Rubber Plantations Ltd (back in 1946).

Ipoh folks have heard (and seen) the De Silva building in Old Town, but not many know about the man himself. Here’s a picture and a short description taken from the book 20th Century Impressions of British Malaya. Few Eastern jewellers can honestly claim to have received the partonage of royalty as often as Mr […]

Ah yes, the once popular Rediffusion Loudspeaker! Some of you may have seen (or owned) one in your younger days. I confess that I haven’t (probably born too late! 😉 ) but I do recall in past blog posts that some of our Readers speak rather fondly about Rediffusion. Anyone care to share some memories?

From the second picture, we know that this building is about 105 years old! So, Buntong folks (and those familiar with the area) do you know WHAT this building used to be? We thank Alexandar for submitting these photos.

In our previous post, we had a reply from the brother of the pretty lady sitting on the sports car. We now know her as Joan Lau. After some searching, we found a picture of Lawrence Lau (see below). The caption for the above picture is as follows: “Adrian Boudville looking on, Barry Jansz acting […]

The picture may not be that clear, but it’s obvious what it is…yes, even in those days we had pretty girls posing with sports cars! This was taken from a Triumph Owners’ Club Magazine. The picture is said to be from the 1970s. Can the car lovers out there guess what car this is? […]

Remember when Elastoplast came in a tin….a RED tin at that? From what we know, this tin shown here is from the 1970s. Do they still come in tins? Or, perhaps in sealed plastic bags?

…there were the galvanized tubs! Remember them? We thank Shuen Huey Foo for this gem 😉

We’ve had comments about certain products having souvenir mugs/glasses/plates/t-shirts and so on. So, today we’re featuring an F&N tray 😉 Anyone collected similar trays? Did any other softdrink company have such souvenirs?

Foo Pak Khean (Standard 1 C) and Foo Leong Khean (Primary 2 A) built this model of the Shum Cheong Fook Circus. These students of ACS Ipoh built this as part of a school project back in 1949. Does anyone remember this circus? Did this circus frequent our shores yearly?

This photograph (from Charlie Choong) was taken in the early 1960s. We think it was at one of the car shows by the Triumph Car Owner’s Club. Do you remember the car show? Do YOU own a Triumph? This is the Triumph that Dr Jeya was referring to. We are not normally into car sales […]

It looks a bit grainy, but you can see without a doubt that this is the famous mail train. This is an early 1900s photo taken from the book ‘Twentieth Century Impressions of British Malaya’. Of course, now we are privileged to have LRTs and Monorails. Still, nothing like a little nostalgia now and again.

Remember this group photo? It was taken in 1972, when the Superior General visited St Michael’s Institution. Do you recognise the smiling faces? We thank Charlie Choong for this photo.

Yes, folks…this seems to be the Standard 3 Class of Cator Avenue School. Do you see yourself in the photograph? Do you remember your class teacher’s name? Was he a much feared, strict man…or a warm friendly mentor? Be it fond or horrific, we welcome all sorts of recollections – and we’d also like to […]

…St Bernadette’s Convent (in Batu Gajah) had a charity event for the victims of the Turkish earthquake? Here’s a photograph to jog your memory (see below) We were told that this replica of the Malaysian flag was made entirely of JELLY! Can anyone tell us more about this event? Do you recognise the official cutting […]

We have here a 1951 photograph (courtesy of the Kinta Valley book) showing the Pusing Police Station. The guard is standing by a protective fence consisting of coconut tree trunks and 50 gallon oil drums! Anyone here from Pusing town? Do tell us what the police station looks like today 😉

Have you been to the Perak Emporium? Was it one of those high-end places like Whiteaway Laidlaw? Did it have an escalator/elevator? We’ve had Readers talking about this place, now we’d like to know MORE 😉 Picture courtesy of Stex Stev.

….this was Kampar Town back in 1907! Just wondering: is this the main road? Are those shop houses (in the background) still there? Kampar born people, we’d like to hear from you 😉

Just look at this grand old postcard from the 1920’s. Recognise the place? Well I guess most of you will not be able to pin this down, but as the postcard caption shows, it is the People’s Park, Ipoh. Historically the land was gazetted as the ‘People’s Park’, a gift from the government to the people […]

Sometime ago, someone mentioned the Green Fern Coffee House as one of the places Ipoh’s (then) youngsters used to frequent. Here’s a little ‘advertisement’ from Stex Stev. Anyone know what’s in place of the coffee house now?

We guess that this sub-branch photograph was taken at Taiping. Then again, we could be wrong. Does anyone recognise some of the faces in this group?

The photo may not be that clear, but I’m sure you notice the wire fence in front of the station. This is similar to the perimeter fencing which was a common sight at the New Villages during the Malayan Emergency. Those of you who are familiar with Tapah – is this building still there or […]

The picture is not that clear, but this is what the Kampong Simee Police Station looked like back in 1948. Kampong Simee was one of the Chinese villages which came about during the Malayan Emergency as part of the New Village programme. Just wondering: is this the same police station which is now next to […]

Remember this visit? From what we know, this was back in the early 1970s. Does anyone recall Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s visit? Were you one of the fortunate individuals to have met this royal couple in person? Similarly, do you recognise the building in the background?

Here’s a sample of some of the new things featured in our exhibition. For those of you who haven’t been to Falim, don’t let this opportunity pass you by 😉 [Incidentally we’ll be in Falim until 11th August 2013]

Here’s something for all you NTPS Pasir Puteh boys out there! Like most school badges, this one has its own special meaning – especially in the picture and motto. Well NTPS boys, care to explain to the rest of us? 🙂

Yes, folks – this is none other than Anderson Road! Taken in the mid 1950s, you can see that not only is the traffic light…the skies are clear too! Here’s hoping that the haze situation resolves itself soon. By the way, anyone know what building that is on the far right corner? From the words, […]

For those of you who’ve already guessed this building, give yourself a pat on the shoulder. Yes, this is none other than St Michael’s church – which is along Brewster Road, behind the former Odeon Cinema. What I’d like to point out is the road leading towards the church itself. Notice how it seems almost […]

Yes, here is the latest attraction to arrive at Falim House Exhibition “A Tin Mining Family”. It is the Mobo Pony Express, a dual purpose toy that can be used as a baby’s push cart and a pedal car, And there are more good things to come. So if you have been to see us […]

This isn’t a hard one to guess. Yes, it’s another photograph of Ipoh Motors Ltd. What I’m curious about is the street vendor – far right of this photograph (click to enlarge). What was he selling at that time? Can you also spot the petrol pump (below the sign Fargo Truck)? This photograph is part […]

This was Jubilee Park then….when they first started business. Later, the Shaw Brothers gave it a ‘facelift’ (see picture below). Today, a night club has opened at the corner of Brewster Road and Cowan Street. But this side of Jubilee Park still remains. Anyone knows what’s going on inside? Are the stalls still there? We […]

According to Wendy Lewis (the donor of these photographs), her father Alfred Simon (left) was the Superintendent of the Perak Hydro Power Station in Malim Nawar. On his right is none other than the Sultan of Perak. These 1966 photographs bring back lots of memories – especially for Wendy and her sister, since they stood […]

No, it is not the Beatles nor is it the Famous Falcons. It is actually 3 generations of one family visiting our exhibition. These are truly my favourite as Grandpa tells the grandchildren all his old stories and the children listen and learn. And that is what we strive for, the children to learn a […]

Here we have a cigarette vendor somewhere around the Ipoh Market. This photo was taken back in 1972 by Cheang Kum Seng, ARPS, a local professional photographer who has kindly allowed us to publish it. Do you recognise this man? Perhaps someone out there has seen him back in the 70s. I wonder what’s become […]

Whether they’re quiet, noisy, cheeky, hyperactive, or even the book-worm types…..kids will always have a special place in our hearts 😉 Today, we’d like to share this photograph with you. We don’t know what these boys were up to when this was taken, but I would like to guess that they were probably playing hide-and-seek […]

Here’s a coloured picture of the Ipoh Swimming Club. I do wonder: was the taken before or after they renovated the pool? Our thanks goes out to Ruth Rollitt for sharing this photograph with us.

On the far left is a provision shop. Across the road is a photography studio. Anyone know where in Ipoh these shops are? I admit I’ve never really seen this side of Ipoh before… We thank John McAuley for this photograph, which was probably taken somewhere in 1956/57.

Anyone remember the ‘Hai Heng’ Bar? The building does look familiar, but then again most of the shop houses in Ipoh had roughly the same design 😉 Perhaps someone out there frequented this bar… This photograph is from John McAuley, a former British serviceman who served in Ipoh from about 1956-1957.

…no, we’re not talking about UFOs! Look closely at the shop house in the middle. Yes, the shop that says ‘Chop Thong Heng’… Are those petrol pumps? I’ve never come across such a scene before. Does anyone remember these? On another note, does anyone recognise the row of shop houses or the street? This was […]

This photo was taken about two weeks ago and it is one very small corner of the whole exhibition. Today, now that the remedial work is done to this particular display it is a great place to record your visit to this famous house. It is just one such photo-spot of many. Found in Falim, […]

According to Tom Turnbull (our donor), “the impending ballot did not interfere with the work of this Bomoh who with his sheep’s head and other paraphernalia of his trade is keeping the crowd in suspense.” This picture was taken in Pasir Salak, close to the Birch Memorial – way back in 1955, when Malaya was holding her […]

picture 1 picture 2 picture 3 These three pictures were taken by Police Lieutenant Tom Turnbull during the transportation of ballot boxes to Kampong Gajah and Pasir Salak for the first Federal election. Picture 1 shows the official boat carrying the ballot boxes and stuck on a sandbank in the Sungai Perak. Because the […]

The first Federal elections in Malaya were held in July 1955 to determine the new rulers of the Federation of Malaya after Merdeka (Independence). This was a milestone in the history of the country which led to the people becoming independent from the British on 31 August 1957. Of course the responsibility for the safety […]

Today’s blog we’re featuring a picture from Ruth Rollitt. According to her, this was part of the Batu Gajah hospital. Recognise it? Folks from Batu Gajah might be able to tell us more 🙂

This is none other than the Grand Theater & Jubilee Park – before the Shaw Brothers renovated it. From the clues in the picture, some of you may be able to roughly guess the year this was taken. What was YOUR early memory of this famous landmark? Were you a patron of the Cabaret? Did […]

I’m sure some of you out there remember Fung Lum Restaurant. From what we were told, this restaurant once had its own building somewhere behind Lido Cinema. Could this be the building? This picture was taken off a matchbox cover, hence the poor quality……but some ‘sharp eyes’ may be able to give us some feedback […]

Calling all alumni of Yuk Kwan Chinese School – especially those from 1977: Where are YOU in this happy group? 🙂

For those not familiar with this building, this is the Pasar Besar (Main Market) along Cockman Street. And yes, the top floor is where Super Kinta used to be. It’s now the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC)…

We thank Edwin Seibel for this rare picture of the former Sun Cinema. Can anyone make a rough guess as to which year this picture was taken?

We thank Ong Kor Leong for sharing this photograph with us. Yes, this is indeed the Home Guard – set up by the (then) Government of British Malaya in countering the threat of Communist Terrorists. Once the threat of the CTs lessened, the Home Guard was eventually disbanded and the Malayan Territorial Army took its […]

Suriani Abdullah, a well-known leader of the outlawed Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), died peacefully at 6am today at her home in Narathiwat, Thailand, after battling ill health for almost five years. Suriani was born in 1924 as Eng Ming Ching, in Setiawan, Perak, and joined the underground CPM in 1940 at the age of 16. She […]

I have to admit – at first glance, I thought this was part of the Star Barber at Belfield Street. But no, this saloon was once along Jalan Laxamana. Is it still there now? What about the shop above it (Chow Hung Kee Storage)?

…what the Isis Theatre looked like? My generation have most likely never heard of this cinema hall. We’re more familiar with it’s ‘new’ name – Rex! Yes, for those of you who don’t already know, Isis was renamed Rex when the Shaw Brothers renovated it 😉

We believe this picture was taken in the 1940s (we could be wrong, though). Does anyone recall this dispensary? Perhaps something about the building might give you a clue as to where this place is located? We’d like to hear from our Ipoh-experts 😉

Yes folks! This IS another B M Iversen creation. This one ‘resides’ at Cockman Street….and it’s still standing proud today 🙂 I do wonder when the extension/new block of this building was done….(perhaps, Ruth could tell us…if she’s reading this)

This arch was put up by the Perak Chinese Celebration Committee (you can vaguely make out the fine print if you zoom in). Today, there’s still an arch above Brewster Road (roughly the same location as the above picture states). I wonder who decorates it now? Does the Celebration Committee still exist?

Try not to be distracted with the pretty ladies 😉 We’d like to draw your attention instead to the large sign on the far left of the picture. It seems to be an advertisement for a cinema. Any idea which cinema this is? We thank Keith Nelson for this photo (we believe he may be […]

We thank Nicholas Jennings for this one – yes, you all know this building 😉 Any idea what year this was taken? I do wonder what is on the extreme left of this picture (the partially blocked shop house).

We received this from Stephanie Keenan. She thinks this was taken around 1962/63. She also pointed out the banner hung across the street (where the words appear in reverse). Apparently, the banner is said to be advertising a film. Can anyone tell us what’s written on the banner? Does anyone recognise the street? Could this […]

Special thanks to Ruth Rollitt for the one – yes, you read it right….this is none other than the Eastern Hotel. This was taken in the 1940s; according the Ruth, he father (Danish architect B M Iversen) had an office here. Today, the facade seems so different – and the hotel is now known as […]

See that little circle below the arch? If you look closely, you can make out the Freemason symbol. This was probably one of the buildings used by the masons before a permanent one was built (along Tiger Lane, next to the Royal Perak Golf Club). Last I checked, the building was still there….but I didn’t […]

We thought about sharing this classic with you – Bet some of you didn’t know what a sluice box was (or looked like)! Well, here’s a picture taken from one of the mining sheds. We don’t know the year nor the location of the mine. Notice the hand tools and the large buckets 😉 […]

Once again, we’re stumped with this 1980s picture. Do the houses look familiar to you? Could it be part of the new villages? Could it be the other side of Greentown, as mentioned by some of our previous Readers?

Remember these buses? Wonder what’s become of them. What drew my attention were the unique signal lights – notice the left and right arrows below the windshield! I’ve not come across such a sight before…. 😉 For those of you who rode such buses around town, how much was the fare?

According to this 1950s advertisement, this business operated at No.126, Belfield Street, Ipoh. Does anyone remember Fook Heng Rubber Works?

We’ve had quite a few readers on the blog talking about this school, hence today’s blog post. This picture is from Nicholas Jennings’ sister; and according to Nicholas, this building was “one of the two (or more) barrack-like structures” which were used as class rooms for this school. From the descriptions we’ve been given, this […]

This came to us via Ruth Rollitt – showing what we believe to be the living quarters for the staff who worked at the Geological Museum along Tiger Lane. The house was either down the road from the museum or behind it. Not sure if this place is still there today. What say you, dear […]

We’ve put up quite a few pictures of Brewster Road in the past. But this one caught our eye – notice the words Lam Looking Building written above the entrance. I wonder how many building Towkay Lam Looking owned here in Ipoh….

For those of you who didn’t know, Batu Gajah was once the headquarters for the British Administration back in 1884. We have here a 1910 picture of part of the town (picture below). More about the history of Batu Gajah can be found here.

Here’s a Christmas wish, printed on a movie poster, from Rex Cinema in Ipoh. Any fans of Jane Russell and/or Jeanne Crain out there? Did the songs in this movie make you want to get up and dance/sing along [like Saturday Night Fever or Sound of Music]?

Before the present wonder of CGI of today’s movies, there was the ‘Anamorphic Camera Lens’. The first movie shot with this lens is said to be Broken Lance (see poster above). Anyone seen the movie? While is was no Lord of the Rings or Avatar, I’m sure it had its special features which left the […]

I’m sure many of you recognise this building – yes, it’s the St John’s Ambulance Hall! The design is rather unique, since most halls are rectangular (especially on the outside). I do wonder who built and designed this place…?

Yes, Eu Tong Sen’s chateau used to be a vocational school at one point. Anyone know if the school is still there? Or, have they moved to another premise?

From what our donor (Ko-chi Wai) tells us, this is a “view from inside Choon Seng shop house along 156 Hugh Low Street, ground floor front. Shows the structure of the horizontal sliding metal grill/shutter door, and an old heavy-duty weigh (in green, left bottom). My brother, sister and myself on the old Honda cub.” […]

Yes, that’s what it says on the fountain. Does anyone know WHO Yeoh Hong Seng is? Is this fountain still at Chamberlain Road/Jalan Bendahara?

[front] [back] Suriya Sankaran sent us this picture, along with an interesting email. According to Suriya, his grandfather – T.N. Balakrishnan – is the Inspector (with a pistol at his waist) standing in front of his troops. T.N. Balakrisnan was part of the Perak Homeguard, and this picture was taken at the stand off area […]

A (Medieval) Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols International choir CANTUS MUSICUS and Jusz Kidz Children’s Choir will present an Advent service of THE FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS & CAROLS in the sanctuary of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Kuala Lumpur on 9 December 2012 (Sunday), at 6.00pm. This is a traditional Christian choral festival in […]

Ask me what SEAL is, and I’ll relate it to the US Navy SEALs 😉 But, here we have another type of SEAL – apparently this SEAL is a name of a factory (picture above). This was sent to us from Ko-chi Wai, along with this message: School Visit to S.E.A.L Corporation Ltd factory – […]

Ko-chi Wai had this to say, when he sent us this picture: Ipoh Main Convent XI Hockey Team 1960 – Photo of the Main Convent hockey team which my aunt (front row, 2nd from left) was part of, taken within the grounds of the school. It was marked as XI Hockey, 1960 at the back […]

Do book now as seats are very limited and Julian is a great speaker.

According to the signboard, Lindeteves-Stokvis was an importer of mine and estate supplies. This picture taken in 1929, roughly about a year after Lindeteves opened its branch in Ipoh. Besides Ipoh, they also opened in Penang; however their first set up on this side of the globe was in Surabaya, Indonesia. Anyone know which part […]

Since this fountain was erected, many Ipoh-ites have posed for pictures at this very roundabout. I suppose it was possible back then when there wasn’t much traffic – imagine doing photo shoots here in this day and age! And what about those buildings in the background? Any idea what they are?

As most of you can guess, this is Station Road. I’m guessing this picture was taken in the 50s (I could be wrong though). We’d like to draw your attention to the row of shops on the right. What we’re trying to find out is: what was the shop on the extreme right (next to […]

This camp was built in 1949, in Taiping, to house surrendered Communists. Does anyone know what’s become of this place? What is this place used as now? We’d love to hear more, especially from the Taiping folks 🙂

This was taken in 1965, showing the entrance to Fort Telanok – one of the 13 jungle forts this side of the peninsula. The next two pictures were probably from the same pile; one taken during a jungle op, and the other showing a troop posing next to a TUDM airplane. We thank Chan Kok […]

After WW2, Carradino D’Ascanio – the designer for the Piaggio Company – came up with a “simple, sturdy, and economical vehicle” which was also comfortable. This elegant design was named Vespa! Here’s a row of Vespas, looking ‘pretty’ outside the shop houses. Recognise the street?

This was taken off a postcard; the date on the stamp says 1938, so we think the picture was taken a few years earlier. Nevertheless, on the far left of the picture is the sign that reads as Huttenbach, Lazarus & Sons Ltd. Did any other business take up residence at the Chua Cheng […]

Way back in 1966, this group of Ipoh teachers took a trip to Bangkok, Thailand. [click to enlarge] Are you in the picture? If so, do tell us where you’re standing/seated. Maybe some of you recognise your former teacher(s) here too 😉

In a follow up to a series of pictures of buildings in Kuala Kangsar (refer to Where Is It? & Where Is It? part 2), we’d like to share two more – showing the Ubudiah Mosque and the Royal Mausoleum – which were sent to us via email from Nicholas Jennings.

This was sent to us by Keith Nelson. Are those government quarters in the background? If so, where is this place?

Here’s another mystery for you: Do you know what building this is? Is it a government building or perhaps a Towkay’s mansion? Could this be in Ipoh? Or maybe somewhere within the Kinta district? This picture was sent to us by Nicholas Jennings.

We have here a photograph from Chan Kok Keong. Anyone recognise the model of the motorbike? If you look closely, you can see the number plate – PK 57 – which would give you a hint as to the year. Did any of you/your family own a vehicle with a PK number plate?

Ipoh was clearly more green back then. And there was less traffic too. Here we see a lone figure with two baskets balanced on a coolie pole, walking towards a bridge. Which bridge was this? What about the shady trees – are they still there? We thank Alan for this 1960s picture.

Here’s the 4th installment in IpohBornKid’s series. The picture (circa 1958) shows a little boy in brand new clothes – specially worn for Chinese New Year. In the background is the Man Hua Primary School. Episode 4 -The 12 Grand Children of Chong Soon Fan Celebrating Chinese New Year & the Ang Pow trail By IpohBornKid […]

[click to enlarge] Familiar? Looks like a street near your neighbourhood? Could this place be outside Ipoh? You tell us. We thank Nicholas Jennings for sharing this photograph with us.

This was donated to us by one of our supporters – Chan Kok Keong. From what we know from the Chinese sign above the door this wedding photo was taken outside the Employee’s Association building. Does the building seem familiar to you? The letters KCCSA Ipoh under the Chinese characters may also help. Do you […]

Here’s another picture sent to us from Alan. Do these buildings seem familiar to you? I wonder where the photographer was standing when this picture was taken….

Being an alumni of the Main Convent, Ipoh, I was surprised to note that there was once a kindergarten within the premises. Do any of the Convent alumni remember it? Is the building still there…or has it been converted into something else? The above picture is from Dr Ho Tak Ming.

As a kid, I remember the ice cream van driving around my neighbourhood on certain evenings. You know the ice cream man is coming just be keeping an ear out for the distinct music which plays on a loop. Oddly enough, I was actually afraid of the music….and if I were out in the garden, […]

THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF EU TONG SEN – A PERAKIAN PIONEER A public exhibition in conjunction with Visit Perak Year History & Heritage at the lobby of Syuen hotel from 30 August till end of October Eu Tong Sen was born in Penang 23. July 1877, the year of the Ox. In 1898, […]

Remember him? He probably sold snacks and other odds & ends. I wonder where he is now? Perhaps he has a proper stall somewhere else in Ipoh? Hmm….maybe one of our fans knows more 🙂

Recognise the street? What about the building – Sun Kong Ah Coffee Shop & Hotel? The above photograph is from Keith Nelson.

IpohBornKid shares his 3rd installment with us. Happy reading 🙂 The picture showing the first 12 grandchildren of Chong Soon Fan was probably taken in 1957, during the Chinee New Year. The location is the bungalow, the family residence of Chong Soon Fan. The background building with the tin roof is the Nanyang Picture Theatre […]

Here’s to all of our fans out there – regardless of the trials and tribulations we’ve faced as a nation, we’ve pulled through and have come out stronger! Happy Merdeka 🙂 The above picture is from Alan Wanless. This was taken at the Ipoh Padang back in 1957 (about the same time Tunku made his […]

We thank Ruth Rollitt for these pictures. The first picture (top) shows the quarters, back in 1931. The bottom picture shows the stables. I’ve never seen the inside of the turf club, but I’m sure those of you who have can tell us if much has changed.

This picture is from Ralph Khaw, who was the drum major in the SMI Cadet Band. This was taken in 1970 at the Perak Stadium – the Ipoh Combined School Bands. Among the schools which participated were SMI, MGS, and Perak Girls’ School. According to Ralph, either Raja Perempuan School or Poi Lam took part as […]

We had previous comments about what the Oriental Hotel used to look like. Hence, here is a coloured one of the hotel (which has sadly seen better days). For those who don’t know, this building is now an electrical store.

…that Brewster Road was this ’empty’ back in 1959? From the traffic I see today, I can hardly believe it myself! This picture is courtesy of Keith Nelson, a former British National serviceman.

We’re featuring another photograph about SMJK Poi Lam. From what our donor (Veronica Woo) told us, the Poi Lam Alumni will be having a gathering this Saturday. With that in mind, how many of you former Poi Lam teachers/students recognise this (see below)? This is a photo of teachers of SMJK Poi Lam, Ipoh during […]

Keith Nelson, an ex British National serviceman stationed in Ipoh (1959-1960), sent us some pictures of Ipoh recently. Today, we’re featuring the Star Cinema. For those who don’t know, this cinema was built below the road access (and in an ex graveyard!) sometime in the late 50s. The Star Cinema was a single-screen cinema and […]

This photo was taken on 17 December, 1967 during SMJK Poi Lam’s school visit to Nanyang Siang Pau office. The two lady teachers were dressed in their traditional Chinese cheongsam. The girls were wearing their white sleeveless blouse and black skirt uniform while the boys were all attired in their white short-sleeved shirts and shorts. […]

I’m refering to this black-beauty……this classic Mercedes (yes, it IS a Mercedes; if you look closely you can see the sign on the hood). This picture is taken from the Yeoh Family album. Judging from the car’s number plate, I’m guessing that this was taken in the early 1940s. I could be wrong though…..you experts out […]

Chapter 2: The Children of Chong Soon Fan – by IpohBornKid In a previous Ipoh World blog which I now called Chapter 1, (http://www.ipohworld.org/?p=3342), I wrote a short biography of the late Chong Soon Fan, JP, who was the Penghulu of Menglembu. As a Menglembu village headman, he was well respected and despite his wealth, […]

This is Mano, with part of the cast from the movie ‘Anna and the King’. (Mano played ‘Moonshi’ in the movie) This picture was taken on location, back in 1999, and we were wondering: WHERE are the ‘Royal Children’ now? Recognise any of them? Or maybe you recognise yourself here? We’d love to hear from you!

In a previous blog about the Rex Cinema, our fans talked about dragons. Thanks to the helpful staff at the former cinema, we managed to take these pictures (see below). These were taken from the balcony (now full of mattresses) of the former Rex Cinema. As you can see, the right hand dragon is ‘suffering’ due […]

IpohBornKid would like to share something about the Cole Family, who lived in Ipoh in the early 1950s. Happy Reading! 🙂 Left to Right: L/Corporal Cole; the members of the Cole Family (the dark-haired boy is probably Brian) L/Corporal Cole was a British Servicemen stationed in Ipoh and his family was given living quarters in […]

These pictures were taken from the St Michael’s Church Centenary Magazine. Shown below are members of the church choir – from the 1930s and 1990s. The Choir, way back in 1935. A 1990 picture of the new Choir. Anyone familiar in either of the groups? Perhaps some of you may know them; maybe there were/are […]

Dr Ho shared this picture with us, and we’d like to share it with you guys – especially the Alumni of the Main Convent! Convent Girls, do you recognise this part of the school?

We thank IpohBornKid for the above picture. In his email to us, he mentioned that this picture was from Brian Cole of Bath Spa (UK). The picture belonged to the Cole family patriarch who served as a British Army personnel (in Ipoh) in the early 1950s. The movie being advertised (see the board outside the […]

…when you could buy a Chevy in Ipoh 😉 As some of you may have guessed, the building on the far left – with the large ‘Chevrolet’ sign – is none other than Borneo Motors. Next to Borneo Motors is Ipoh Motors (formerly Cycle and Carriage Co, Ltd.) and across the road is the Brewster […]

While we’re still on the topic of movie theatres/cinema halls, do you recognise the building in the background? Can also guess what year this picture was taken? If YOU are the guy posing in front of the cinema, we’d really love to hear from you! 🙂

We thank Merrill Leong for these pictures 🙂 Anyone remember this food stall? To what we know, it was somewhere in Ipoh Garden South – but the question is WHERE! To the food-lovers: I know you’re dying to tell us about your culinary-adventures…..so feel free to ‘make our mouths water’ 😉

We pick up where we left off in our previous post – regarding the Lido Cinema – where we were told that the the top two pictures were in fact the Rex Cinema and NOT Lido. Today, we present to you MORE pictures of the inside of Lido. 🙂 We thank Ruth Rollitt for her […]

Remember what Lido Cinema used to look like back then? the foyer the ticket booth A special thanks going out to Ruth Rollitt for sending us these lovely gems! 🙂

As part of the promotion for the movie ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’, the Lido Cinema featured “Maggie the Cat” 😉 I wonder how many of our followers out there saw “Maggie” (picture above)! Does anyone know WHO’s the lady in the white dress?

Do they look familiar to you? (Or, perhaps you may be one of the children in the picture?) This picture was said to be taken in Kampar. In the background is Weng Heng Aerated Water Factory. Is the factory still there, maybe under a different name? Or, has the premises been bought over by another company? […]

I’m sure many of you out there recognise this building (see below) 🙂 Do you have any stories about wedding dinners in the Imperial Rom for us please and we would also like to know what’s become of the book store? (see close-up below). We look forward to your comments 😉

Here’s a photograph of Ipoh Motors – yes, the same Ipoh Motors which was once a familiar sight along Brewster Road. It is said that the building was previously the premises of Cycle & Carriage Co. Ltd. Any idea as to WHEN this photograph was taken. We think it’s the 1950s – since Ipoh Motors […]

Believe it or not, the Pasar Besar in Ipoh New Town isn’t that ‘old’! This early 1900s picture (taken from the Kinta Valley book) is quite unique – has there been that much change since Towkay Yau Tet Shin built this place? I’ve noticed that those large rattan baskets are still in use today….

In a previous blog, we featured an ‘old’ merry-go-round. Well, here is what a see-saw looked like back in the 50s. This picture (sent a long time ago) is from Anne and Dennis Marsden of the UK. It was taken at a Christmas Party at an orphanage somewhere in Ipoh.

Back in the early 1900s, Hoot & Company were “direct importers of motor-cycles and tri-cars” (more can be found at our database). I wonder what has become of this shop lot today? It is also interesting to note that while Hoot & Co operated at No. 93 Belfield Street, their neighbour at No.95 was none other […]

Besides the Seenivasagam brothers, Ipoh was also ‘home’ for two brothers of the LaBrooy family – C H LaBrooy & H W LaBrooy. These brothers used to live at Dulcieville Lane, Ipoh (the area which is now Parkson Ipoh Parade). We have here a 1980s picture of the LaBrooy Building. As you can see, it was once […]

Before it was converted into the Darul Ridzuan Museum, this 10-room bungalow (along Douglas Road) was built for none other than one of Ipoh’s famous miners – Foo Choong Yit – back in 1926. Later, in 1940, two air raid shelters were constructed in the compound (in anticipation of Japanese aerial attacks). Ten years later, the Government took over […]

One thing I do not understand about Ipoh is that here we have a beautiful hotel building used as an electrical store while so many entrepreneurs are knocking up ugly buildings all over the place which they happily call one of the three b’s – backpacker, budget or boutique hotels . Why didn’t one of […]

No, this is NOT a product of Photoshop! There was a ‘Parkson Ria’ shopping mall in Ipoh, somewhere in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Does anyone remember it? Did it close because of the fire….or before the fire broke out? [ For those of you still wondering, let me put you out of your misery – […]

Here’s another set of photographs from the Macduffs, taken in the 1950s (before they left Malaya). This one shows the boys’ handicap race; Ian is said to be the boy standing 3rd from the left, while Ian and Sheila’s father – Ken Macduff – is the official in the far right (the one with the […]

Yes, folks. THIS is what the Kampar Police Station looked liked. This picture was taken by Mayfair Studio, back in 1956. I bet the Kampar-folks would have a story or two to share with us! 🙂 NEW PHOTO OF THE KAMPAR POLICE STATION (picture courtesy of Rafique)

Well there was one man at least in Ipoh who was very much into it, particularly ‘Kung Fu Karato’. He was known as Leong Fu and he lived at 119 Anderson Road, Ipoh. Not only was he into the art, he was the world champion, having fought in all parts of the Kung Fu world and […]

From what was written at the back of this photograph, we know that: this was taken during the Lions Club dinner on 3rd August 1975 one of the gentlemen in this photograph is Mr Balakrishnan – who worked at the Ipoh High Court Any Lions Club members out there? We’d like to know MORE about […]

Sent to us by Norman Doctor from the UK, these aerial shots were taken in the 1950s. The shots were probably taken during the routine supply drops. Does anyone out there recognise these forts? There aren’t that many clues, but we’re hoping someone out there knows a bit more about these places.

Thanks to Ruth Rollitt, we now have some interior pictures of the Lam Looking Bazaar. For those of you who were curious to know what the interior looked like, feast you eyes on these! 🙂 the staircase inside the building left to right: the top floor, which became a cinema hall; the corridor on the […]

….that THIS (picture above) was the ORIGINAL design of the Lam Looking Bazaar! (click image to enlarge) Thanks to Ruth Rollitt (daughter of the late B M Iversen), we have here the drawing of this famous building. Ruth also had this to say in her email: The firm of Keys & Dowdeswell left Singapore in […]

Yes folks, your eyes are NOT playing tricks on you – that IS an F&N bottle on the rooftop of the Lam Looking Bazaar! This form of advertising seemed quite common back then; there was a similar bottle on the other side of the rooftop (front part of the building) – which can be viewed here. […]

This street scene seems familiar, but we can’t quite identify the place. Could it be Ipoh? Gopeng? Kampar? You tell us! Perhaps some of the shop signs might help.

Were you part of the Hash House Harriers? This group picture (from Thomas Lee) was taken to mark their 600th run, back in July 1976 – when the Harriers finished their Kulim-Ipoh run. Do they still have such runs today? Any HHH members out there like to tell us MORE?

Ruth Rollitt updated us about the moving of the golf club from Golf Club Road to Tiger Lane in a previous blog http://www.ipohworld.org/?p=3056. She also sent the following photographs. Her comment that went with these photos said: “When my father (B M Iversen) arrived in Ipoh in 1930 he was working for the firm of […]

Y K Choong sent us this photo in October last year and it went on the the pile called “Must do site visit”. Well this morning I actually got out to Jalan Theatre in Pasir Pinji to find that nobody 25 years old or less appeared to have ever heard of the place. However an […]

I received the following picture and message by enail. I know many of you tried to help Nicholas find his grandfather’s grave. Well done everybody particularlu Law Siak Hong who did a great service for Nicholas and his family. Dear Ian: Some good news. Thanks to Siak Hong Law, my grandfather’s tombstone was not only […]

This is the house that was taken over by the church from the mining company French Tekka on Tambun Road for the original Novena. Designed by my father pre-war. It was demolished and a hotel stands where it once graced Tambun Road. Such were the words of Ruth Iversen Rollitt (daughter of the famous Danish […]

A while ago, we featured a post about the on-going ‘renovations’ of the Station Gardens. So far, we’ve heard no news about what’s going on behind those boards. Has there been any progress lately? If anyone has noticed anything, do let us know. In the mean time, here is a 1950s picture of what the […]

This, the fifth book in the Scorpio Series covers the period of the second Malaysian “Emergency” from 1970 to 1990 and Special Branch operations that not many people are aware of. By 1970, the Communist Party of Malaya had re-grouped in southern Thailand and trained about 2,400 reserve troops. They were ready to make a return to […]

This picture was taken on 28th September 1922! It was in conjunction with the birthday of Confucius. Does anyone recognise the shophouses in the background? There aren’t many clues, but perhaps someone out there knows WHERE in Ipoh this is?

Some of you out there asked for a printable copy of the Batu Gajah Heritage Trail Map. Here it is: Just click on it to enlarge.

Believe it or not, this is what Jalan Yang Kalsom looked like in the 50s. Is the Cathay Hotel (left) still in business? I know the SHELL station (right) is gone now. What about the Ford building (in the background)? On that same note, where is the Ritz Hotel?

Here’s a rare picture of the former Post Office (behind the Ipoh Town Hall). Notice the stalls beneath the shady tree – and the crowd of patrons too! We thank Ruth Rollitt for this gem 🙂 Charlie reminds us (#13 below) about Savings Stamps and immediately Hasbi sent us these scans. Thank you both so […]

Here is a copy of the 2nd Ipoh Heritage Trail Map. If you don’t have a copy of the map, here’s one you can print for your reference

In a previous blog, we mentioned the Ipoh Tutorial Institute. When Ruth Rollitt sent us this picture (below), we couldn’t help but wonder: Were these institutes one and the same? If so, when did they move to the bigger building? In case some of you are wondering, this building is STILL THERE today…but it’s not […]

This is the other end of Leech Street. On the left is the Sun Cinema (yes, the SAME Sun Cinema that our local cartoonist Lat drew in his cartoons!). Does anyone know the building on the right? We thank Ruth Rollitt for this rare gem 🙂

These pictures were taken at the Opening Ceremony of Hock Wah Tin Mining Co. in Sungkai, Perak. The opening was on 23rd February 1967; seen here cutting the ribbon is none other than HRH Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakkil Alallahi Shah, the then Sultan of Perak. Our donor, Emily Lowe (www.emily2u.com/), gave us some names. In this […]

This is the front cover of the STAR school commemorative book – published by the Old Boys Association of Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Ipoh. This book came out in 2007, to mark the school’s 50th Anniversary. This picture shows the very first batch of teachers – way back in 1957! STAR alumni out there, we’d like […]

…that this was Pasir Puteh back in the 1960s? Yes, take a GOOD LOOK at the pictures below 🙂 Shops with zinc roofs. Mercedes Benz Bus, Ipoh Omnibus Co. These pictures were provided by Mano, while SK gave us a little write-up: Mano stayed at No 7, New Pasir Puteh & LMS 136 further […]

Some time ago, some of our Readers talked about the ‘Novena Church’ along Tambun Road. Here are two pictures of the said church, taken during the annual procession. The ‘Novena Church’ moved to a new location in the early 1970s – now known as the OMPH Church in Ipoh Garden. The building at Tambun Road […]

Yes, folks. Time to test your Geographical knowledge of Ipoh 🙂 We were told that this is part of Greentown. Do you know WHERE in Greentown this is? Is 3rd Avenue still there, or has this road been renamed?

I had a brief ride around Old Town this morning to see what was happening. I couldn’t get any photo or update on the Railway Station Gardens as they are still hidden behind tall blue fencing. However apart from the Cenotaph and the Ipoh Tree there seems to be nothing of the gardens left. Not […]

We’d like to draw your attention (away from this lovely couple 🙂 ) to the large signboard in the background. Yes, it says ‘Tanjong Rambutan’ in 4 languages! Similar signboards are very hard to come by these days. I do wonder: is this particular signboard still there? Incidentally, this picture was taken at the former […]

We know him as Rocky Teoh – a Taiping-born lad who loved singing and entered many talent contests. Shown here is the front cover of his album, which features two of Rocky’s famous songs: ‘There’s Always Me’ and ‘Crying In The Chapel’. Rocky and the Fabulous Falcons have performed in Cathay Organisation Theatres throughout the […]

Just look what happened yesterday! I passed by in the morning and only the top half was painted but by the time I got around to going back with my camera the FB site “All About Ipoh” had beaten me to it and posted this photograph. I am sure the authors won’t mind me using […]

The Perak Motor Club‘s history goes back as early as 1907. The popularity of the club can be owed to the “large numbers of European tin miners and rubber planters and the ubiquitous, wealthy, mining Towkays” in Perak – who ‘contributed’ to the vast number of motor cars in the state. This picture was taken during the Tapah/Cameron Highlands […]

Sometime ago, we featured a Unique Wedding photograph on our blog. Well, IpohBornKid has sent us a copy of the certificate from that wedding (see picture below). IpohBornKid was also kind enough to give us rough translation too: The long awaited sequel to the Wedding Photo is here. In this marriage certain, the following translation […]

This picture was taken back in the 1950s – around 1952/53. I wonder how many of our Readers out there remember this antique radio. Don’t forget the cabinet which this radio is sitting on! I’ve been to houses where such cabinets are still in use; also take note of those miniature liquor bottles too 🙂 […]

…..folks in Ipoh witnessed the 9-Goddess Celebrations. The procession passed through one of Ipoh’s busiest roads, back in 1982/83. As you can see in this picture, they are passing by the Perak Chinese Foundry Association (building on the left). Anyone have any idea about the other building in the background – the one under construction? […]

….that the first Elim Gospel Hall was built in 1920? As the assembly increased in number, a bigger hall was needed – there was also the idea of having separate halls for the Chinese and English speaking assemblies as well. The picture we have here is of the first building (1920) which was built by […]

Today we’re featuring the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is along Silibin Road. Long before the idea of a church in Silibin came about, the needs of the Tamil Catholics of Ipoh were taken care of by visiting missionaries of St Michael’s Church. Later on, more families began to settle towards Silibin area […]

But can anyone tell us when they will open again please. The world misses this famous hostelry which has been closed for restoration since 1 March 2008 – almost 4 years! But what a night the 29th February was – the last night. Were you there? By the way, for more photos of this grand […]

One look at this picture (click to enlarge), and I’m sure many of you out there are already grinning – yes, this is a VERY familiar street in Ipoh 🙂 But what we’d like to know more about is the shop in the background (far right) – ‘Any & Co Gift House’. What’s become of […]

This one should bring back some memories 🙂 Can any of you guess what year it is? What about those in the picture? Were they your teachers? (click to enlarge) We’d like to thank Shuen Huey Foo, from Ipoh, for this picture.

We’ve come across many photographs of Ipoh. With a little ‘detective work’ and some help from our fans, we usually can guess the places/streets. But this one (picture above) has left us stumped :O Do you know WHERE in Ipoh this place is? Is this place still there now? Amd what about the date? We […]

We have here a 1967 staff photo from Anderson School, Ipoh. Were YOU in this group? Do you recognise the teachers? We’d be glad to have some names (and perhaps a few fond memories too!) 🙂 We thank Chan Weng & Lim Kok Sin for this photo. to get a better view, click the photo 😉 […]

Menglembu Night Stalls – a snapshot of the past in 1957 By IpohBornKid I have been thinking about this snapshot of night stalls in Menglembu in 1957. I wanted to record this snapshot before I get demented. I have been through this In my mind and on many occasions, even in my sleep. I […]

Remember this antique vehicle? This ambulance was apprently donated by Towkay Choo of Kampar, for the St John’s Ambulance (Perak Centre). Does anyone know this generous Towkay? The next picture (below) shows what was probably the first building – before the present hall near YMCA today. From what we know about the St John’s Brigade in […]

Here’s something for the football fans out there! Did any of you watch this game? Who were these two teams? Where was the match held? We suspect that (given the trees in the background) perhaps this was at the D R Seenivasagam Park…..but we could be wrong. If one of the players from either team […]

We have here the PCADA String Orchestra. Do you remember them? Perhaps they performed for the public (something like our Malaysian Philharmonic althouh a little smaller)? What’s become of them now?

Yes, this archway was decorated specially for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Notice the building that says ‘Borneo Motors’ (which is now a restaurant/pub called ‘OverTime’). Brewster Road was rather quiet in those days, wasn’t it? 😉 I wonder…..when was the facade of this archway renovated to it’s present design?

Ladies and Gentlemen, we present to you the 1969 cast of ‘My Fair Lady’ – a Michaelian Production of course 😉 Did any of you catch this play? Give us a little review…. Better yet: Were you one of the actors? Or, were you one of those involved in the production (doing the Set / […]

Calling all alumni of ACS Kampar!!! 🙂 When did THIS happen? Are YOU in there somewhere….? For those of you who recognise the uniform, yes….this is indeed part of the ACS Kampar school band!

A special thanks to Jeremy (a.k.a. Paloh Chai) for these pictures. Yes, folks…..this was what Panglima Lane (or Concubine Lane, as some Ipoh-natives call it!) looked like a year ago. 😉

Here’s a little History lesson for you! picture courtesy of Mohd Asri bin Rosdi THE BUILDING OF A MALAYAN JUNGLE FORT FORT KEMAR 1953 By Dennis Wombell ____________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Browsing one day recently on my computer, I happened to look up Fort Kemar and found a site which describes it as it now looks. I […]