Please Click on pictures to enlage the flyers. Art Exhibition @ Garden Villa, No.5 Jalan Dr Nazrin Shah, Ipoh July 6.to 8, 2012 Contact: Su Ming Ng (email:suming@streamyx.com) Please support this. Abdul Kareem is an Ipoh boy, born and bred.
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.
Ok, maybe not the people in the picture…but how about the bikes? Recognise the models? Bonus question: does anyone know the building in the background of the second picture?
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 […]
The Americans termed it “The Witches Hat” by IpohBornKid Introductory quote from:http://tstbob.blogspot.com.au/2009/12/walk-down-memory-lane-to-dangerous.html “No; I’m not talking about those sterile plastic lysol-sprayed hunks of crap nestled in a bed of rubbery soft nerfy flooring. I’m talking aboutreal playgrounds. The kind we grew up with, the kind that mangled us and taught us life lessons. Playgrounds deemed too […]
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)
These were sent to us by the Macduffs (Ian and Sheila), who also shared some memories of what the Ipoh Swimming Club was like back in the 50s. Sheila tells us that the sketch of the four boys on the programme cover was done by Pat Power. We are not too sure of the identity […]
These lovely ladies (in sunglasses) look REALLY happy! Could it be because of the ‘diamonds’? (see below) I really can’t tell what they’re trying on/ or what they eventually purchased….but I do know that this scene took place at none other than the famed Soon Yik Goldsmith shop!
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.
This was sent to us some time ago by Sybil de Roquigny-Iragne. I must say, those shop houses in the background seem familiar! Recognise them? On a different note, taking a break and relaxing (like the youths in the picture) at parks/open spaces in Ipoh was once a luxury…..sadly, some of our parks/gardens are now […]
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. […]
We have here Nigel Jennings, together with Cedric, Harold, his mother and aunt. What we’d like to draw your attention to are the toys at the bottom of this picture! Notice the pedal-car, the steam engine and the Meccano set 🙂 I confess to having played with a pedal-car in my younger days; what was […]
Here we have a picture of Nigel Jennings on the verandah of Rose Cottage in the Cameron Highlands. He is wearing a green blazer and cap both sporting a school badge. We would love to know which school this was. Inserted in the picture bottom left you can see the badge is an “S” and […]
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 […]
The Konkey Game played in Ipoh & Surrounds By IpohBornKid Introduction: When the X generation was growing up, they did not have affluent parents who would buy them toys, hi-fi sets or computer games. They relied on their ingenuity and played games that cost nothing. These games were usually played in the open air about […]
This picture (from Thomas Lee) needs no explanation. Steamboat restaurants have mushroomed around the place (there is one barely 1 km from my house!) and at a glance, these restaurants are often packed. What I’m curious about though is HOW/WHEN this dining experience began in Ipoh.
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 […]
As we do not have any photos of Ipoh youngsters playing marbles to illustrate the following text from ipohbornkid, I have used this one courtesy of wwwyeohongeng.blogspot.com. Perhaps some of our readers can help us out with similar photos from Ipoh or Perak. And how about some stories about other childhood games please. Definitions […]
Have any of you seen this product before? I wonder if such products are used by Martial Arts students/instructors today – perhaps they use a different brand? This one was produced and distributed by F & L Medical Hall and the bottle bears the warning. “For external use only. Keep away from FIRE or FLAME.” […]
Remember these tiles and the hours of fun you could have with them? It is believed that this game originated in China, during the 12th Century. In the early 18th Century, it was introduced in Italy and eventually the rest of Europe became engrossed in the game. Dominoes are played today all over the world […]
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?
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 […]
These pictures were sent to us by Lam Lai Meng, an Alumni of MGS. This first picture needs no explanation. The second picture was taken at the Regal Lodge, Ipoh. This large group met on 16th of February 2010, during the Chinese New Year period. Lam had this to say about this picture: “CNY 2010 […]
Lam Lai Meng sent us this 1967 picture of some MGS girls painting a 3-panel mosaic like mural, on the wall above the Principal’s office. The mural is said to depict women in various occupations. The Teacher standing on the far left is none other than Mrs Vivian Chong. To the MGS Alumni reading this: […]
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 🙂
We received this picture from a STAR Alumni. The donor of this picture also gave us a list of the marked places in this picture. Marked in green: 1. Tiger Lane (Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah) 2. Dairy Road (Jalan Raja Muda Mahadi) 3. Sekolah Izzuddin Shah 4. Pejabat Kaji Bumi & Minerals 5. Canning Garden […]
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 […]
…pictures such as this one make your mouth water! 😉 Yes, these people are ‘paying tribute’ to the King of Fruits in their very own kitchen. On a different note, observe the background – the different containers/jars which were once found in (almost) every local home. We thank Charlie Choong for this picture.
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 […]
Those liviing in and around Lim Gardens would be familiar with this school (see picture below). Yes, it’s none other than Tarcisian Convent – which was yet another ‘sister school’ of the HIJ Convent. We don’t have much about this school, so if anyone out there knows more we’d love to hear from you. Maybe […]
Not too long ago, I received an e-mail which talked about the simple things in life. The e-mail ended with the phrase “Life was simple when Apple and Blackberry were names of fruits”. Hence, when I saw the following pictures (below) from Charlie…. …..I began to wonder: what was life like back then? Do boys […]
During the past weeks we’ve had hints about an up-coming reunion for the ACS and MGS Alumni. Here’s the official advertisement. As stated in the poster, this event is scheduled for the 4th of August 2012 at the Grand Valley Ballroom, Kinta Riverfront Hotel & Suites. The party, themed “Friends Forever”, kicks off at 6pm. Spread […]
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 […]
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 […]
To the alumni of NTPS Pasir Puteh: does this (picture below) ring a bell? The lady seated in the front row is none other than the ‘elusive’ Mdm Chow. How many of you remember her? As SK (our donor) told us, Mdm Chow keeps a ‘low profile’. Nevertheless, I’m sure her students will always remember […]
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 […]
Suffice to say, the picture explains it all 🙂 I especially like the doll attached to the hood of the car (which is rarely seen today). Well IpohWorld fans: do you remember YOUR wedding car?
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 […]
This cute picture is from Shuen Huey Foo, of Ipoh. Recognise this place? The signboard in the background says “Taman Didekan Kanak2 Wesley, Pasir Pinji, Ipoh”. I’m guessing this was probably in the early 1980s (could be wrong, though). Is this kindergarten still around? Was it another branch of the Wesley Kindergarten along Lahat Road? […]
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 […]
The top picture is said to be Form 5 Science, back in 1967. The bottom one is the Anderson School Library Prefectorial Board, also from 1967. Do you see yourself in any/both of these pictures? We’d like to hear from you – perhaps tell us a tale or two about your years at Anderson School, […]
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 […]
We received these interesting pictures from Ralph Khaw (from Perth, Australia). He also emailed us a short explanation for the above pictures: “I can’t remember the date of the singout organised in MGS , involving students from MGS,ACS,SMI. I played a small part as a member of Choir. The teacher singing is Eddie Chin,teacher of […]
Yes those were the days when popping round the corner to buy a few groceries was a pleasure for there was always a friendly face behind the counter with time to chat. So different to the coldly efficient supermarkets of today. But what was your corner shop like? Any memories?
Anyone remember this van? Was this the van that delivered movie reels to the various Shaw cinemas? Or, perhaps this van was used for advertising? We think that the man in the photo is the father of Shuen Huey Foo (our donor). Thanks Huey Foo 🙂
Our donor Chooi Lau Fai had this to say, regarding these pictures: “Both photos were taken in either 1952 or 1953. The scout master was Mr Sohor. The first photo was taken on the Iskandar Bridge on our way to the Istana Kuala Kangsar. The second photo was taken in the grounds of the Istana. […]
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.
This picture here was probably taken in the late 1960s or so. I’m just curious: did the clock (behind the little boy) actually work or was it just part of the garden’s landscape? If it did run, is it still there now? Anyone been to the Japanese Garden lately? Do let us know 🙂
Yes, you read it right! These are the kiddies from the Sam Tet Kindergarten – back in 1980 🙂 See yourself in the group? Maybe you were one of the teachers? We can’t wait to hear from you 😉
SK drew our attention to this book a few days ago and I have managed to obtain one and thought you might like to get an idea of what it looks like. Hardbound with 280 pages it is a very nicely produced volume by Rokiah Talib and her team. I am sure many Old Andersonians will […]
What is so special about the GLCM that it deserves a write up? Well, among the Christian churches in Ipoh, the Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, and other denominations all have Anglo-Celtic influence but the Lutheran has German influence. Secondly, GLCM carried out its missionary work in the tin mining villages south of Ipoh. Thirdly, they […]
…seen the inside of the Projector-Room? Perhaps someone out there knows which cinema this is? If YOU are the gentleman in this picture, DO tell us about your experience! We thank Shuen Huey Foo of Ipoh for this picture.
Sometime back we stumbled upon this advert – with the two dragons and what seems to be a ball of fire between their mouths. I’m no feng shui expert…but I’m sure this symbolizes something good? You tell us 🙂 You read it right, this advert is courtesy of the Odeon! Yes folks, it’s that time […]
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 […]
Come on Sleuths! I’m sure some of you have seen this unique traffic light (far back) SOMEWHERE in Ipoh 🙂 Know the place? It is at a park? You tell us 😉
IpohBornKid shared this little story with us through email. Here’s his take on a memorable outing. Happy reading 🙂 Convent Girls by demand – at Kledang Hill Many teenagers walked up the Kledang Hill in the 1950s (see previous blog). It was a good natural outing where a big group of Menglembu neighbours […]
Ah yes! MORE pictures showing Ipoh’s pretty lasses 🙂 For those of you who are wondering, this picture was taken at the Tambun Hot Springs – sometime in the early 1970s. A special thanks to Sophie for this picture. Sophie, if you’re reading this: are you in this group? Could you tell us the names […]
1030am at No 5 Gopeng Road. Admission is FREE. The refreshments are FREE! There are books on sale. See you there!
These were sent to us all the way from the US of A by Ian Latham. They show his father (top picture) and mother (bottom picture), during the early 1970s. Do you recognise the shop house in the second picture? Where in Ipoh is this place?
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?
Any idea WHO is the gentleman giving a speech (picture above)? What about the other man next to him? I’m sure we have some scouts who are reading this now…..were there frequent gatherings like these in Ipoh? If so, do tell us more. What about the building in the background? Was it a common meeting […]
Fancy having your wedding picture taken in front of a cinema hall! That’s what these people seem to have done 🙂 Notice the sign above the entrance which says ‘Malayan Talkies’. To what we know, the former Sun Cinema was the first in Ipoh to screen ‘talkies’ (movies with sound) – which was way back […]
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 / […]
I see a familiar building (towards the bottom of the picture). Recognise it? What ELSE can you ‘detectives’ see? Come on Ipoh-ians 🙂 put those thinking caps on! Note: We thank Charlie Choong for this picture 😉
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. 😉
Yes, folks…this is what the People’s Park used to look like in those days!
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 […]
Enjoy the long awaited Episode 4 recalling UV’s many ‘adventures’ during his career as a teacher! EPISODE 4 – TEACHING IN AND AROUND IPOH Teaching is not essentially academic in nature. It involves an overall development of the child. A teacher is not only expected to teach subjects offered by the school but also to […]
click on picture to enlarge Today, we’re featuring the Form 5 Class of 1966 – from Ave Maria Convent, Ipoh. Do you recognise them? Are YOU in this group? I’m sure we have some former students reading this 🙂
Somewhere along Chamberlain Road, Ipoh…..there is a Post Office. The picture here is what the post office looked like in the 1960s – we think it’s the 1960s, since there is a car parked on the far left, bearing the number plate AC 8426 🙂 From the picture, the main mode of transport in those […]
Ladies and Gentlemen, we present to you 99 Anderson Road, Ipoh! This building was originally owned by Foong Seong. Later, the Cheong family bought it. When the Cheongs lived here, the front part of the building was a men’s hairdressing salon while the back portion was a famous tailors shop from where hundreds of made-to-measure […]
We received the following by email. Click photo to enlarge. A Grateful Participant of the ipohWorld Blog Cmdr Ian Anderson has brought out the best of every Ipoh person who had participated in the Ipoh World Blog. Despite the diversity in schools, ACS, St Michaels, Anderson etc. Ipoh World participants seems to have a spiritual […]
A big ‘HELLO’ to all Writers out there! I’m sure some of you have done strange/awkward things when trying to overcome writers’-block. I recall one of my online buddys telliing me that he attempted growing his beard and didn’t shower for a week – just to write about a homeless man! Well, what ever works […]
A special thanks to Nicholas Jennings (from Toronto) for this gem. Here we have Nicholas’ father Cedric (holding a briefcase, with some documents tucked under his other arm) talking to a businessman. Anyone knows who this businessman is? While you’re busy with that, can you also guess the building in the background? Come on ‘detectives’… […]
First an SMI Sports Team, but who, which team and when? And next another SMI Class but that is all we know. What we really need here on ipohWorld is a greater number of SMI boys to help us. We have lots of SMI stuff which comes under the category of “Unknown”. Please help if […]
Remember this company? Recognise this street? Well, this picture was taken around 1961/62……I’m sure some of you remember 🙂
Today, we’ll try something different. Take a look at the picture (below) and tell us what you think! Just out of interest…. the words on the cart say “Japanese Doby FMS Laundry Ipoh”.
Yes, this is a 1963 picture of Shen Jai Secondary School. This picture was taken from a book which recorded the 1st batch of students who sat for their LCE!
Photograph G And Photograph H Please, anything you can tell us about these will be helpful. Thanks.
Photograph E. Yes, we need help again please, but this one is quite different, a sports team and trophies but who, when and where? Photograph F. And now another class – Class 5B. Definitely SMI but we still need some help with who and when. Please click on the pictures to enlarge.
These two photographs were taken on the 60th birthday of Chow Yoon Soo at Kam Loong Restaurant, Ipoh in 1962. Chow Yoon Soo is featured on our database at http://www.ipohworld.org/search8/result.asp?strid=4334. The photographs are part of a set of eight we have recently received from her granddaughter, Sybil, togetherl with the details below: Both photos were taken on […]
Here we have two contrasting Ipoh photographs from Sophie. The first she calls “Dressing for the 1940’s to 1950’s. It is no wonder that Ipoh got the name for having all the pretty girls. Just look at these! Sophie describes the photo as “Dressing for 1940’s to 1950’s. Four young ladies, two of them are sisters. The second […]
Here are two more school photos with almost no information. Again we seek your help please: Which School, Which Class and What Date? Photograph C. THis one said to be Class 3C, 1971, but which Convent? Photograph D. Said to be Class 4B but when? We look forward to your advice. More to come over […]
We recently received a batch of 10 school photographs with almost no information. In order to add them to our database archive we really need your help. If anyone out there can identify the school, class and year that would be a great help. If of course you have names that would also be a […]
A selection of car grille badges were donated to ipohWorld anonymously, with the message that they should be sold to the highest bidder and the money spent on purchasing rare photographs for our archive. We have put up a series of these on our database starting at http://www.ipohworld.org/search8/result.asp?strid=5657 and there are eight entries in the series. […]
Here we have Form 5 Arts 1, of Anderson School Ipoh. The year was 1975, and their Form Teacher was Puan S Koshy (seated, centre). The donor of this picture is Othman Sabirin (seated, second from left). Here’s a list of names….just to help you out (click to enlarge). Calling all Andersonians! Do you recognise […]
We have here the 3rd installment of UV’s account….about his teaching experiences in and around Ipoh. Happy reading 🙂 the waterfall at Buntung Teaching In and Around Ipoh Episode 3 Teaching is not merely the passing on of knowledge to students. It involves and interaction that is rather complicated. A student learns through various ways. [This […]
Was this part of a play? Perhaps a Talentime Competition? All we know is, these pictures below were taken at an event hosted by the Y-Men’s Club! Did you attend this event?
Familiar? Well, we believe that this was part of the Jubilee Park ……..yes, the FUN-Section where there were carousel rides, game stalls..etc. How much did such a ride cost? Did they have a day-pass or something similar (as what Lost World of Tambun has today) ?
Yes, this is long overdue…..but thank you all for waiting so patiently. Here is Andrew Lin’s article on the other ‘famous brother’ – S P Seenivasagam! Due to the length of the article, only part of it has been put up on the blog. The rest, together with the credits, can be read at our […]
the famous Bridge a view from the Bridge These are from the collection of the late Geoffrey Clark. Believe it or not, Ipoh DID look like this about 64 years ago; the bridge (1st pic) definately looks different now…..even the view from the said bridge (2nd pic) has changed so much.
We have seen a number of Ipoh’s young ladies recently and here we step back a generation or two. It is before the war came to Malaya, Hitler is causing problems in Europe while the world is struggling to recover from the 1929 depression. This was the era of the Superman comic (first published in […]
Know this road? Way back in 1945, this was part of the Singapore-Penang route. This picture shows the road passing through Ipoh (although, we don’t know which part of Ipoh this is). Yes, there weren’t many cars on the roads in those days; in the picture are a couple of bullock-carts. Must have been a […]
According to the donor of this photograph – Sybil de Roquigny – this was taken in 1945, sometime after the war. Seated on the left of the Indian girl (wearing a plain samfoo) is Sybil’s aunt Linda Leong Kam Leng (daughter of Leong Eng Khean and granddaughter of Towkay Leong Fee). Seated on the far […]
This was taken in 1945 by the late Geoffrey Clark (of the 4th Regiment Signals Troop). Here we have 3 dulang washers, complete with their wide hats and long sleeved shirts, working hard along the river. On the reverse of the photo he identified the place as Ipoh and guessing that this was taken from […]
Recognise this street? Well, put those thinking-caps on, people 🙂 I’m sure some of you are grinning madly…while typing away your answers! This picture is part of the late Geoffrey Clark’s collection. (We featured one of his pictures in a previous blog post) Clark served in Malaya from about 1945-1947 under the 4th Regiment Signals […]
This was sent to us by UV, as part of his Teaching in Ipoh series. In the above picture, seated in the centre, is Mr Teh Chin Seong (mentioned in the story below). This picture was taken in 1968 and published in The Argosy 1968 (the school magazine). The lovely lasses in the picture are […]
We have here a picture from Helen Philip (who’s in the far right, with her partner Teh Jung Siang). Also in the picture are: Rosalind Goh (4th from right), and Teng Yoke Leng (10th from right). This event is said to be the ‘most exciting’ event during the RPS annual Sports Day. (Some of you […]
We thank Howard Tang Hoy Wah (from Falim, Perak) for this picture. Howard now lives in the US, and was formerly a student of ACS Ipoh. He was also well connected to the Wesley Methodist Church – his brother, Tang Kin Wah, once served as a Methodist Pastor before he too left for the States. This picture was […]
We received this from Sophie via email. This was taken during Chinese New Year in 1969 – showing the Class of Form 3C of RPS. Sophie has, unfortunately, lost touch with her friends (those in the picture) since she left school. Are you one of those in the picture? Do let us know…..and Sophie if […]
The quality of the picture may not be that good….but I’m pretty sure that the building in the far right is the back portion of the Grand Theatre (which once stood at Brewster Road and Cowan Street). Of course many of us remember that the Grand Theatre was also part of Jubilee Park; with that […]
Here’s a picture of the PCADA (Perak Chinese Amateur Dramatic Association) Building, taken on the day of the association’s Golden Jubilee. At the time the picture was taken (some time in 1953) the 3rd floor had been completed. Foh Sun restaurant used to occupy the groud floor, before it moved. I do wonder what’s become […]
Written by Paul Callan, this book can be purchased at MPH at RM 39.90. Set in 1890 Malaya, this book recalls some interesting encounters between the Dulang Washers and Miners, as well as the British folk, in the Kinta Valley. The summary (on the back cover) is as follows: Malaya, 1890 … in the tin-mining […]
This was taken by the late Geoffrey Clark, of the 4th Regiment Signals Troop (one the the early British army groups to arrive in Malaya after the Japanese surrendered). Clark served here from about 1945-1947, and sadly passed away in 2006. Look at the picture carefully…..WHERE do you think this place is? We’re stumped ourselves, […]
This photo was provided by the Cheong family for use in “Ipoh, My Home Town” but it was not used as there were much more appropriate images to use for their story. The banner reads something like “Professor Shu Tong Zen, Exhibition of his Chinese Paintings including an exhibition of his Malaysian Students’ Work”. Now […]
Some time ago, we featured a picture from the Jennings Collection – showing part of Panglima Street, which was under water in 1919. Here we have another look at the same street. This was taken in 1926/1927, when yet again Ipoh suffered another great flood. Notice any difference from the 1919 photograph and this one?
We’ve had the great fortune of receiving some lovely photographs from the collection of the late Percival Moss (which can be found on our database, under the title ‘Moss Collection’). Mr Moss was a tailor who was stationed in Taiping from about 1890 to 1910. He was a tailor who sewed uniforms for the Malay States […]
We received this photograph from Sophie. It was probably taken in 1969 and those in the photograph (left to right) are Sophie’s brother, cousin and neighbour. She also told us that: “The boys are standing facing my house in Jalan Pasir Puteh…..the building behind them used to belong to the late Dato Cheah Fah”. And […]
This was sent to us by YKChoong, via email. He also had this to say… ….not sure if it was a Ford or a Peugeot. I think the foto taken around 1953-54, car was parked beside my parents home in Pasir Pinji (No. 267, Queen Street to be exact). I remembered clearly the front portion […]
I wonder when THIS fashion trend began! The picture was taken from the bountiful collection of the late Percival Moss (some of which can be found on our database, under the title ‘Moss Collection’). Imagine our surprise when we stumbled upon this picture – two locals dressed in Western clothing 😉 To our male readers out there….did […]
We’ve had comments about the (sadly) forgotten cinema at Kampong Simee….here’s a recent picture of the building (see picture below). Anyone know WHEN this place closed down? What is it used as now? Perhaps some of you out there could share with us some of the better memories of this place……
For those of you who are wondering about what to do this Friday evening….how about sampling some Korean pop music? Yes, tonight at 8pm at Dewan Leong Wan Chin (Perak Girls’ School Hall) there will be a K-Pop Concert put together by a group of young and gifted Koreans! This concert is in aid of IPOHBUG […]
I remember playing with lanterns such as the one this lovely lady is holding. It was one of the things I looked forward to during the Mid Autumn Festival…..other then eating mooncakes 🙂 But our question for you guys out there today is: What is the building in the background? Where in Ipoh is it? Or, […]
..well, not quite! This 1914 picture shows the Gunong Cheroh Taoist temple (in the background) and part of Anderson Road (just after where the present YMCA building is). The one driving however is Freda Jennings, wife of Jack Jennings (Editor of Times of Malaya). She can be seen driving (a lovely white car) along the wooden […]
What a treat for a youngster to have an icecream on a hot Ipoh day. Just look at the small boy’s face. But here is another clue to the location. And just look at the face of the mother with folded arms on the left. What is she saying to her daughter? Care to guess. For […]
Looking for fresh food with a good bargain? Nothing like visiting the local markets, eh? Here we have a couple of pictures (taken in 1988), showing hawkers at a local market….YOUR task for today – tell us WHERE these pictures were taken! 🙂 Perhaps there are some clues in the background that might help you.
Here’s a short tale, from a Teacher’s point-of-view! Special thanks to UV for sharing his story with us 🙂 MGS Staff, 1968 Teaching in and Around Ipoh – Episode 1 Prologue There are many major schools in Ipoh. The famous ones being the Anglo-Chinese School, Ipoh, The Saint Michael’s Institution, Ipoh, Anderson School, Ipoh, Methodist […]
These pictures were sent to us by IpohBornKid. IpohBornKid also wrote the following: The attached photos were taken in the late 1950s, during the local primary school’s song and dance performances. It is a tradition in Chinese schools to perform traditional song and dance as opposed to the Western arts performed in English schools.These performances […]
Yes, at last Ipoh, My Home Town has gone to the printers. As you may know, I have been working on a new book for the past 20 months or so, editing and compiling original stories of people growing up in Ipoh over the last 90 years. It is entitled “Ipoh, My Home Town: Reminiscences […]
….the Abdul Samad Building? (see picture below) Was this what the building looked like in the early 1900s? Or, perhaps its an entirely different building altogether? We’d like your ‘expert’ opinions on this one……… This picture is taken from the collection of the late Percival Moss, who tailored the uniforms for the Malay States Guides.
We thank Nicholas Jennings for these lovely pictures. Here we have ‘Rosedale’, a cosy Malay-style house on Kledang Hill. This house was once owned by J A S Jennings (better known as Jack Jennings) – the former Editor of the Times of Malaya. Do notice the two gun holsters on Jennings’ belt! Standing next to […]
(This was sent to us by IpohBornKid) This picture was taken way back in 1961. That’s about the only thing we’re sure of. Maybe someone out there could help us with the following questions: Was this taken at the Ipoh Padang? Who are these pretty girls? What was the occasion for the costumes? Come on! […]
Yes, these boys seem to have found a solution for the hot weather 🙂 This picture was sent to us by Edwin Siebel. Apprently, this was taken at Teluk Anson (Teluk Intan). Anyone know WHERE in Teluk Anson this is? Was it taken at a swimming club? Note: This picture was taken on 31st May 1956 😉
MI You may have noticed two comments and a Chatterbox entry from a new reader Yip Chee Whye (Chee Whye Yip) who is looking to find his old school friends of 1956 and in particular he is seeking Mr. Ooi Kim Huat and Mr. Eddie Che. He presently lives in UK but says he will […]
Here’s a lovely coloured postcard of St Michael’s Institution. Care to guess the date of this picture? Needless to say, those palm trees aren’t there anymore….and the space behind the school building is now where the new Primary Block is. You can also see St John’s Anglican Church; notice also a green-roofed mansion (top most […]
Here’s another little sharing by IpohBornKid, about a school trip to Penang with his friends! This picture was taken in the 1950s where Mr Quah Kuan Teik took a bus load of ACS boys to Penang. It was a most memorable trip and of course, we gave the old boy heaps but he remained firm […]
We know some of you out there love mysteries! Well, here’s one for you (see picture below). Familiar? At first I thought it was the Shaik Adam Mosque (along Clayton Road, next to St Michael’s Institution)…..but then, could there be another building around the country with a similar design? By the way, this picture was […]
Can anyone guess the street? We think this picture was probably taken in the 1960s (we could be wrong though). Notice the banner that says ‘Clearance Sale’…..I wonder which store was advertising their goods on this day?
Familiar? Recognise any landmarks? Let us know 🙂 By the way, this picture was sent to us by IpohBornKid……
I know some of our fans out there love looking at old photographs. Well, here’s a nice panorama for you! Bet some of you are already trying to guess WHERE this place is! 🙂
Yes, it was WAY BACK in 1957…..when we saw Gregory Peck play the role of Captain Ahab! They don’t make movie posters like they used to…..same can be said for the ‘cinema-experience’ that made cinema halls like Rex, Ruby, Lido, etc. favourite haunts. The poster we have here is from Edwin Siebel.
Here’s another gem – the Iskandar Bridge, Kuala Kangsar! Anyone care to guess the year? Perhaps you could tell us MORE about this bridge…..
Bet you didn’t know that THIS (picture above) was what the Turf Club‘s grandstand looked like back in 1919! 😉 Of course it’s different now, after all those renovations. But we’re lucky to have such a unique picture to add to our collection. A special thanks to Nicholas Jennings who sent this to us 🙂
The Kinta Valley Wind Orchestra present to you Around the World in 80 Minutes! This is in conjunction with the Perak Performing Arts Festival 2011. The orchestra will be performing at the Syuen Hotel on 31st July (Sunday) at 8pm. For further enquiries / reservations, do call PSPA 05-5487814 or email them at pspa2011fest@gmail.com
Ah! Some of you might be recalling fond memories of this place 🙂 Yes, this is none other than the Japanese Garden, along Tambun Road (Jalan Raja DiHilir).
For those of you (the younger generation like myself!) who didn’t know, THIS is what the Hugh Low Bridge used to look like 😉 Yes, this was before those strange towers were erected along the bridge…. We thank Edwin Siebel for this beautiful picture.
And that is just about all we know about this picture which we are led to believe was taken in the 1960s. So come on guys and girls, stop looking at all those Bersih videos and photos and help us out with this one please. Judging by all the cups, shields and other trophys they […]
Here’s a little nostalgia from IpohBornKid, about a trip to the famous Kledang Hills. Happy reading 🙂 A Nostalgic Climb up The Kledang Hill circa 1950s. Dear Ipoh and Menglembu Old Timers Everyone has heard of Cameron Highlands (off Tapah), Frazer Hill (Off Taiping) and later on Genting Highlands but not many have […]
You know the Sri Maju bus station? Well, this was what the main building looked like before the bus company took over (see picture below). To what we know, this mansion was once the family home of Dato’ Yeoh Kian Teik (Michelle Yeoh’s father). We thank Ian Latham for sending us this picture 🙂
We thank IpohBornKid for this story of Chong Soon Fan, who was the Penghulu of Menglembu during the Japanese Occupation in Malaya. Mr Chong Soon Fan, JP, The Penghulu of Menglembu The “Kapitan Chinas” in the Kinta Valley or Tin Mining Towkays, in Ipoh, have been well described by Dr Ho Tak Ming, […]
We have yet another school picture here – but we don’t know the year nor the school. Care to give us a hand? 🙂
I wonder how many of you saw Rhett and Scarlet at this cinema! Sadly, such experiences are only memories now…..since the cineplex-craze began 🙁 Like other cinema halls, Ruby has also seen better days……
We present to you a little tribute to Mr NC Thomas – a man who was both Friend and Mentor to many a youth in Ipoh in the 1950s. We thank IpohBornKid for this write-up! A Tribute to Mr NC Thomas – Pioneer in Youth work Mr NC Thomas came to Malaysia in […]
Familiar? Well, those of you who followed the fashion trends of the different eras would know this look 😉 Fashion aside, do you recognise the place? Where is this fountain, where the lovely ladies are standing next to? Judging from the school buses in the background, this was probably a school field trip….
Taking place as yet another event of the Perak Performing Arts Festival on 1st and 2nd July 2011 this is a dance extravaganza brought to you by PSPA that should not be missed. Get your tickets today.
We had some comments in one of our blogs regarding those weight-cards – the ones which had a picture of a celebrity in the front and the weight written on the reverse. Well, here’s a sample of what some people might called an ‘artifact’ 🙂 Front of card Back of card
Yes, we have another class photo! This time, we’re clueless about the year; all we know is these smiling faces seem to be Prefects from St Michael’s Institution. Are you in this photo? Or, do you know anyone in this photo? Looking forward to your comments 🙂
For those who have been waiting patiently, here is UV’s Episode 8 of ‘Schooling in Ipoh’! 🙂 Episode 8: Schooling in Ipoh Life in Lower Six quickly went by. Soon we became the seniors and new Lower Six students were coming in. Many of those, especially those from MGS Ipoh were my friends from […]
We know that many of our fans out there know Ipoh inside out! Well, could you tell us WHERE this part of town is? (picture below) This picture was taken during the great floods….perhaps you may find some clues in the shop signs? Happy guessing 🙂
In conjunction with the Perak Choral Festival 2011, the following events will be taking place: A Choral Training Workshop, by Susanna Saw, on 18 June (Saturday) at Garden Villa from 1pm-6pm A Choral Performance by Perak’s Promising Choirs, on 19 June (Sunday) at Dewan Leong Wan Chin (Perak Girls’ School) from 2pm-5pm An evening […]
We thank Ignatius Chew for these pictures – taken at the Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) Ipoh, in the 1930s. Perhaps Ignatius or any of the other ‘Old Salts’ (as they call themselves) could tell us MORE? 🙂 Looking forward to your comments! We did better than just comments for AP(at)IpohBornKid sent us the following picture […]
We have here a picture of the interior of Soon Yik Goldsmith shop. This picture was apprently taken when this famous duo (the lady with a knee length dress and the gentleman in a suit) visited the shop. Do you know these celebrities? I’m sure there’s a little story that goes with this picture – if […]
This picture was sent to us by Hasbi, who also provided us with some information: 1. 6th December 1927 – The Grand Hotel building which housed The Anglo-Chinese Girls School turned again into hotel. 2. 29th December 1928 – Grand Hotel new Dance Hall and Lounge were opened Saturday night by Mrs. E. A. Dickson, wife […]
Calling all Sam Tet alumni! Can you guess the year this picture was taken? Do you know WHO they are? Maybe someone out there was once in this happy group…. 🙂 And, what about the flags? We look forward to hearing from you.
From the recent comments we’ve had, some of you love looking at old photographs. Well, today you’re in for another treat! We estimate the date of this photograph to be 1926, around the time of the great flood. The picture shows part of Station Road – notice the sign on the far right “Charles Grenier […]
Making a rough guess, I think this was taken in the early 1940s (although I could be wrong). Is the arch still there in the present Kinta Swimming Club building? Tell us MORE….especially all you Ipoh-natives out there who know your hometown so well! 🙂
I’m sure many of you are grinning and nodding your heads at this picture! Yes, this is what Medan Kidd looked liked in the late 1960s. Some of the buses shown in the picture have seen better days, but they still make their way round the town 🙂 There was some talk about giving this […]
We had a request for a picture of the famous Rose Villa. Here is one taken around 1982 (to see what it looked like inside, click here). This mansion was once owned by Towkay Leong Tian – a miner and philanthropist. Sadly, the mansion (which was along Gopeng Road) is not there anymore. After it […]
We have here a rare picture of the Capitol Cinema, which was along Anderson Road, Ipoh. From what we’ve found out, this cinema was a ‘victim’ of a fire almost 20 years ago. Since then, the vacant site was turned into a car park. Sometime last year, the car park closed and the site is […]
Mark Lay of Kinta Heritage recently informed us about the demolition of these pre-war shophouses – along the corner of Jalan Sultan Abdul Jalil and Jalan Lau Ek Ching . (see pictures below) Notice that in the second picture (above), the frames of the door and windows are STILL in good condition. Sadly, they will soon […]
Here’s part three of our little series! Can you guess the street? There are quite a number of clues in this one…so, keep those comments coming! 🙂
PSPA’s Brand New Musical Show, “Shiny Black Gold” depicts the life of an imaginary coolie who came to Ipoh from China to make his fortune from tin mining. In order to support the show, ipohWorld put on a small exhibition of artifacts which stressed the main aspects of the musical. Above you can see the story of the coolie at […]
Recognise this street? I’m sure you do…..especially those familiar landmarks on either side of the street 😉 For those who don’t know where this place is, keep following our blog – look out for the comments from those who know Ipoh like the back of their hand!
The picture may not be that clear, but do YOU know which part of Ipoh this is? The aerial view shot dates back roughly to 1967/68. On the far left of the picture is the Ipoh Motors Ltd building…THAT should give you all a clue! Happy guessing 🙂
We have here a Malayan Airways airplane, parked near the permetre fence of the airport. I’m sure it brings back memories of the Ipoh Airport a long time ago! From what we’ve heard, there have been plans to revive this airport – anyone know MORE about this? Do share it with us…..it would be a […]
This item was used by an Ipoh based, Kinta Valley surveyor in the 1950s. What is it? Sadly we have no budget for prizes – indeed, very little budget for anything, but if you get it right at least you can walk tall among your friends as the man who knows his Ipoh artifacts. A second […]
We have here a picture of Cedric and an antique car (note the number plate!). This picture of Cedric and the Austin 7 was sent to us by Nicholas Jennings. Now, what about the building in the background, which is under construction? Here’s a tiny clue: this picture was taken around 1961….so, this building was […]
I’m sure some of you remember what this part of Ipoh looked like – way back in 1967/68. Of course, now….a LOT has changed! The SHELL station has been renovated a number of times. As for the row of shop houses beside the SHELL station; well the half nearer to the junction is now Maybank, […]
Yes, there was a Rex cinema in Kampar! Of course, it’s not in use now….last I checked it was boarded up. Anyone care to tell us MORE about this place? We look forward to your comments!
Believe it or not, this is what Ipoh’s first railway station looked like in the late 1800s (before the present Taj Mahal-like structure). Amazing isn’t it? It is interesting to note that: “…the first section [railway construction in Perak] was an eight-mile line running between Taiping and Port Weld….[which] opened for traffic in June 1885. […]
This was Tapah Road Railway Station in 1980. Old fashioned, rustic and clearly a leftover from the Colonial days that Malaysia seems to be so ashamed of. But those who feel this way won’t have to be ashamed of their history for much longer as we are told that KTMB are to demolish all the old stations. Kuala Kangsar, Batu […]
Courtesy of Jerry de Witt, this photograph taken from a MAS aircraft in 1975 clearly shows the Kinta River winding its leisurely way across the valley on its way to Teluk Intan. But don’t miss the tin mines – those large brown patches alongside the river – for in 1975 there was still a tin mining industry […]
Last week I had a meeting in The Cameron Highlands and took time out to visit a rather special place called “Time Tunnel”. Branded as “The Local Museum” this attraction features the personal collection of Mr. See Kok Shan – a fascinating collection of almost everything old found locally. Long and wide it is just […]
Do you know what / where this place is? Any clues? Well, I’m sure there are some sleuths out there who are cracking their brains – trying to figure out this little mystery! Good luck to you all….we hope for LOTS of feedback/comments 😉
Those of you who grew up in Kampar might recognise this landmark. Yes, this is the Great World amusement centre – almost like Ipoh’s Jubilee Park! We’d like to hear stories (as many as possible, of course!) about this place….I’m sure some of you out there have fond memories……
Ruth Rollitt was so incensed by the multicoloured Cathay that we featured, she sent us this photograph of how the Theatre looked when it first opened in those days of Movies and Mercedes. She included a newspaper article from 1958, the first part of which is inserted below. The whole article will appear on or […]
…..that back in 1956, the Anderson Road Playground was affected by floods? (see picture below) Notice the cars….as they drive through the water-logged road. Anyone recall this incident? Got any stories to share?
Fancy ‘IPOH’ being written in 4 different languages! To what we know, this picture was taken in 1958; we don’t know the place nor the people in the picture. Have you seen this multi-lingual signboard around the town? We await your comments and feedback!
Here we have a picture of the Ipoh Golf Clubhouse, which was printed on a postcard. Care to guess the year (a rough estimate will do)? I for one don’t remember the club house looking like this… Is this the same club house along Tiger Lane today? Or was there another club house somewhere else in Ipoh?
Back in 1919, there was a terrible flood in Ipoh town (as you see in the picture here, sent to us by Nicholas Jennings). This part of Ipoh is just off Panglima Lane (or Concubine Lane, as it were). What we’re curious to know more about is the name of this particular shop in the […]
This was sent to us by Nicholas Jennings. Does anyone recognise the building in the background? The only clue we have is that: upon close inspection, we noticed that this building was built in 1914. Other than that, we’re stumped! Looking forward to some feedback 🙂
We have here a 1966 class photo from the National Type Primary School of Jalan Pasir Puteh (NTPS JPP). Our donor, Rosebud, told us that Chan Wan Seong (featured in a previous blog – ‘Badminton Hero from Ipoh’) can be seen standing in the back row, 6th from the left. Can you spot anyone else […]
Recognise this place? Here we have a van advertising Sam Poh Medicated Oil – if you look closely, this same van was in the picture of the ‘Mercedes Hill’ (which was featured in an earlier blog post). The van here is seen parked outside an unknown shop. Next to this shop is Sharikat Kin Wah […]
We have here a picture which is said to be the Kinta Swimming Pool. As many of you know, this pool has undergone quite a make-over (as stated in the previous blog). More about the Kinta Swimming Club can be found here. Do you know which year (roughly) this picture was taken? Do share your […]
We thank Nicholas Jennings for this gem – yes, there was a great flood in Ipoh in 1919! I’m sure some of you recognise the street and the famous white building in the background.
Notice the hill in the background? Yes, this is the SAME hill which once ‘advertised’ the Mercedes symbol 🙂 Of course, now the symbol is gone….apparently it’s been replaced with 4 large white letters which spell out IPOH – almost similar to the famous HOLLYWOOD sign in California! But I will always remember the Mercedes symbol […]
From the recent blog posts, we know some of you out there know almost EVERY street in Ipoh! Which is a good thing, since today we have a little mystery for you – do you know which street this (picture above) is? Looking forward to all your comments! 😀
I’m sure many of you recognise the bridge in these two pictures. A lot has changed, hasn’t it? The bridge doesn’t look like this now – and the traffic has increased too! Can anyone guess the year these pictures were taken? Looking forward to your comments 🙂
We received the following email and pictures this morning and thought that we should share it with all you heritage supporters out there. No doubt you will be as lost for words as I am – or will you? HI all! This is one of my favourite kampung houses just outside of Terong, Perak, on […]
We have here a picture taken outside the Grand Hotel, Ipoh. This picture was taken on Christmas 1917, according to our donor Nicholas Jennings. Recognise anyone in the picture? A relative perhaps? Do let us know. We thank Nicholas for this picture via email.
Here we have a 1960s picture of the Ipoh Swimming Club. Yes, I found it hard to believe it myself! This picture was sent to us by Nicholas Jennings.
This is a picture of Chan Wan Seong, a former student of Anderson School, Ipoh. This former Perak Junior Champion (badminton) was featured alongside the Veteren Men’s Doubles Pair of Ong Sin Oong & Woon Tong Yeong – in the Metro Sports section of the Star newspaper (dated 14 August 2010). We thank S K […]
There’s been requests of pictures of J A S Jennings’ gravestone. Thanks to Nicholas Jennings, here are an old and new picture of the grave. Hope this helps in terms of trying to find the grave. If anyone can provide us with more details, please do! All we know is that these pictures were taken […]
Here’s part 5, from UV. Episode 5 – Schooling in Ipoh After two years with the brightest of ACS for this batch of students which included Yee Woon Chee, Nga Tung See and others who constantly hogged the first and second place in the form, my various extra-curricular activities took its toll on me. […]
We received this from Diana McGavin. This picture was taken at her christening, in December 1947, at St Andrew’s Church. In the background is the manse (featured in a previous blog), where Diana and her friends attended Sunday School (around 1955). Like some of our readers, she too hopes that this building will be saved!
Here’s part 4 of our series, written by UV. A photo of the Author, in a Boys’ Brigade uniform during a Methodist Intermediate Fellowship programme. The American boy in the picture is the son of Bishop Lundey (Lundey was the pastor of Ipoh Wesley Church then). Episode 4 – Schooling in Ipoh I crossed over into secondary school education at […]
Aren’t they cute? Well, this adorable pair are the de Lucy twins (once featured in our blog). When was the last time YOU played dress-up? I’m sure you have some fun stories to share!
We thank Charlie Choong for this postcard – featuring an aerial view of Ipoh. From the building at the bottom left, you can certainly guess which part of town this is! Also notice that there was once a roundabout near the Ipoh Padang….
Today’s feature is none other then the Star Barbershop, at Belfield Street. Star Air-Conditioned Hair Dressing Salon, 97 Belfield Street (now Jalan Sultan Yussuf) IPOH 30000 The Star Hair Dressing Salon came into being in 1927, it was started by Megarai Karuppiah with just 2 barbers – Katchiappan and Manickam – and the […]
Some of our fans out there love old photos. Hence we decided to feature this one on our blog today. Here’s one of J A S Jennings (Editor of Times of Malaya) and his wife Freda – being chauffeur driven round the town. In the background is the first Times of Malaya Building.
Yes, folks! Today’s blog is a tribute to the Ipoh Tree – the picture we have here was taken (by S Y Lee) just outside the Ipoh Railway Station. Below is the plaque with an explanation. Besides the Railway Station, the Ipoh Tree (also known as the Epu / Upas Tree) can also be found at […]
Today we’re featuring the 3rd installment of UV’s Schooling Days. Picture of the ACS Primary Building (from the 1800s), taken from the Kinta Valley book. Episode 3 I didn’t do too well in my first year in ACS Ipoh. I was placed in the ‘B’ class the following year. It knocked the pride out of […]
It is said that the main building of the Angle Chinese School (ACS) was ‘erected and opened in 1914’. It was also said to have a ‘landmark, Edwardian-style building’ which stood ‘parallel to Lahat Road’. Interestingly, this building was designed by C H LaBrooy! (for more on ACS, click here) This picture here was sent […]
Here’s a Day and Night shot of Cathay Theatre (when it was STILL a cinema) – notice that the mall behind Cathay was Ocean (now, it’s The Store). We thank Valerie for these pictures who has now provided the following additional information: “The dayshot was taken in the morning of October 1998 when the street was […]
We have here a picture (sent to us by Phoebe) of the Kinta Lodge. Notice the members in their Freemason Regalia – particularly the interesting designs on the Aprons! From what we’ve gathered, the first Masonic Hall was along Maxwell Road. The building was later taken over by Anderson School. Then, the Masons moved to […]
What a nice touch this was for on the back is a flyer for the next Chinese movie showing at the Rex. Dpoes anyone out there have any info or photos of the old Rex? If you do please share it with us and do have a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Here we have two pictures from S Y Lee – teams of the Perak Chinese Recreation Club, Chung Thye Phin Road. You will notice the old wooden building in the photo of the footballers. The present building is quite ugly but functional and built at the minimum price. The Inter CRC Ladies Hockey Champions (1951) SY says: […]
…there was this corner shop (see picture below). Your task for today: tell us a little more about this shop. Is it still there? Perhaps it’s been turned into something else? There also seems to be a tiny booth just outside the shop. I wonder what the booth was for…..
Here we have another picture from Robin Tan’s collection. He is seen here (in red) with some friends at the Ipoh Airport. In the background is the Jetfox 97, and on the extreme left is part of the airport’s control tower. As stated in the caption, Tony (white shirt, with shades) used to airdrop payrolls […]
The proud owner of this beauty is none other than William McKenzie (the man with the hat, standing by the car). McKenzie, as we were told, was the Manager of the Ulu Piah Mine in Ipoh. This picture was taken in the 1920s. A big thanks to Phoebe for the picture and the little details.
Here’s the 2nd Episode from UV-Valiant Knight. Episode 2 The Central Mental Hospital, TR. This picture was taken in 1952; the Writer’s mother is seated next to the Matron (an English Lady). Aerial view of the ACS School, Ipoh Transferring to another location is usually traumatic for some people. I had to […]
Today we’re featuring the charming ladies from the AIA Sports Club Christmas Eve Party. Yes, don’t they look lovely 😉 Anyone of you out there remember them? We’d like to know their names (and perhaps, a little more about the party too!). We would like to thank Ed Cheong for this photograph. 🙂
Some of you might remember this bungalow – at No.50, Gopeng Road (also known as Midhurst). The bungalow belonged to J A S Jennings (Editor of the Times of Malaya). These pictures (below) were sent to us by Jennings’ grandson Nicholas. We were told that this bungalow was built in the late 1920s. After Jennings’ […]
The Cubs from NTPS, 1960 We thank SK Ong for the above picture. Perhaps some of you out there are in this picture; looking smart in your Cubs uniform and cap 😉 I remember being part of the Red Crescent Society – it took me a while to learn the RIGHT WAY to tie an arm sling! […]
We have here a contribution by one of our readers – UV -ValiantKnight. He would like to share with us his childhood memories, especially from his schooling days at the Primary branch of ACS (in Ulu Kinta). Below is his story, together with a couple of pictures. Happy reading! S.K. Methodist, Tanjong Rambutan T.R. Methodist Church […]
Familiar? For those of you who are stumped, this is the Raja Perempuan School (RPS) – which is along Chung Thye Phin Road (opposite Main Convent Primary School). We’d like you to have a guess at the date of this picture (we don’t know ourselves!). Maybe if anyone of you know the history of the […]
I’m sure the Ipoh-ites out there are grinning at this picture (courtesy of Jeffrey Liew) – especially those who frequently travelled along Club Road (Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang)! Remember the Milano Tailor? I wonder where he is now…..since this building is no longer around (so much for ‘development’). Yes 🙁 sadly this is now an empty lot […]
This is the staff of the Anglo-Chinese School (ACS), Ipoh. Could anyone tell us the year (a rough guess would do too)? And, perhaps if you can remember these teachers – we’d love to hear from you 🙂 I’m sure some of you ACS-alumni out there are already searching your ‘database’! We thank Joshua Anantham […]
This was sent to us by Robin Tan. According to Robin, Mr Radcliffe (in white shorts) used to take him sailing when they were not gliding. Yes! Gliding – as the Kinta Valley was a suitable place, since it was blessed with many hills. Even the climate gave the much needed thermal boost for gliding. Plus, […]
Still in the party-mood? Well, these girls are! Looks like they’re all doing the Conga…. 😀 I’m sure some of you recognise the place (judging from the background). The year was 1964 – were you in the Conga line too? Were you at this party?
This was taken at the Ipoh Girl Guides’ Hut (Wisma Pandu Putri), at Greentown – near the Jalan Abdul Jalil football field. The girl guides appear to be dressed in national costumes from around the world, while dancing round the May Pole. Are you in this picture? Do point yourself out – and maybe tell us […]
Remember the old fire brigade at Brewster Road? Here we have two pictures of the fire brigade’s compound – showing the girls from the Main Convent. These girls were part of the Firefighter Cadets Club, which was established in the school in the 1980s. The fire brigade has moved to another premise (opposite the Perak […]
We have here the front page of the Times of Malaya, dated 7 December 1936. Yes, the Times of Malaya was Ipoh’s FIRST NEWSPAPER – which began publication in 1904. Two years after its first publication, the paper welcomed a new Editor; none other than J A S Jennings (picture below). For the next 30 years or so, […]
…..this little boy got all dressed up and posed for a photograph! This photograph was taken in 1954; notice the large shady trees in the background – something Ipoh once boasted about! Do you know WHERE this place is? Perhaps the fencing would give you a clue…
After ‘reuniting’ those from ACS, Anderson and NTPS Pasir Puteh……we’re now calling out to the “Sons of St Michael’s Institution ” ! Here we have Std. 6 D, all the way from 1969. Come on, Michaelians….don’t be shy. We KNOW some of you out there might have been in this class. Do point yourselves out…and maybe tell […]
This is No.14, Tiger Lane (Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah) – back in 1948. To what we know, the Clemetson family lived here and they were well known to the Iversens (B M Iversen‘s family). After the family left, the house remained empty. Sadly, now it is almost ‘invisible’ from the main road – with the grass growing […]
The Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) was the first English school (and first Christian mission school too!) in the Kinta Valley. This school was established by the Methodist Episcopal Mission in 1895. It was said that just five days after his arrival, Rev W E Horley opened ACS in a small attap-roof Malay house rented from Datoh Panglima […]
This is the first Times of Malaya building, which was along Post Office Road. The first issue of Ipoh’s first newspaper was published on 9th March 1904. 2 years later, the newspaper was taken over by J A S Jennings – who remained the paper’s most influential editor for a good 30 years! In the […]
This picture was sent to us by Ruth Rollit, the daughter of the Danish architect B M Iversen. Familiar? No? This is what the interior of the Lido Cinema looks like today – as you can see, it’s not longer a cinema. Lido has now been converted into Florex Restaurant. In this picture, the raised […]
At that time, this $ 600,000 cinema was considered luxurious. It was declared open by His Highness Raja Sir Izzudin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Jalil (the Sultan of Perak), on the eve of Chinese New Year. Designed by B M Iversen, this fully air-conditioned cinema (with its ‘colossal 75-foot tower of jade tiles’), stood […]
Now this is one event you really must take your children to. Many of the people you will see practising their skills are the last of the line as nobody is prepared to continue their trade. Consequently it may be the only time that your children will get to see this in real life. It’s […]
Recognise this? This picture was taken outside the Secondary School Assembly Hall, of the HIJ Convent, Ipoh. We were also told that this was the 1964 Senior Cambridge Class. It was sent to us by Sybil. Thank you for sharing it. Calling all Convent girls – are you somewhere in this picture? If so, do […]
But as you probably guessed this was Sam Poh back in the 1960’s, not long after the big renovation of the 50’s. No doubt many of you would have been dragged along by your parents to visit and pay respects. According to legend, the cave was discovered in 1890 by a Mahayana Buddhist monk from China […]
Now here’s a sight for sore eyes! It is 1963 and the boys and girls (boys in drag!) of Pasir Puteh are putting on “Old King Cole”. Which one is you? Do write in if you recognise yourself or anyone else. And here we have Standard II in 1961. Wah didn’t you all look like little angels […]
Those were the days: when the traffic in Ipoh was rather scarce, and riding around the town on a bicycle was SAFE! Here we have some youngsters riding past the Lido Cinema. This Iversen building is no longer a cinema now; if I’m not mistaken it’s been turned into Florex Restaurant. Playing in the cinema at […]
Once upon a time, at the YMCA in Ipoh….. ….men and women (young and old) danced the night away! Was it a competition, or just another social event? When was this event held at the YMCA? Perhaps, some of you out there are in the picture! We await your feedback, especially if you were one of these […]
Wery well known and a beauty from young, when I came across the picture I could not resist putting it up. Who is she and what can you tell us about her.
With all the recent blogs about beauty contestants and pretty girls I thought we ought to have a look at some! This photo was very kindly sent in by our good friend Hong. It was taken in our very own Lido Cinema in 1962. They are the final contestants for the Miss Perak competition run […]
Here’s a scene from the old Ipoh Airport. As you can see in the background, there’s an airplane with the words ‘Malayan Airways’ on it. Hence we think this picture was probably taken in the early 1950s – by 1963, the airline was renamed Malaysian Airways Ltd (MAL). I remember in the late 1980s or […]
Familiar? Yes, this is our very own natural jacuzzi! I remember visiting this place once – before Lost World of Tambun was built – and my brother and I would relax in the pool while watching the world go by 🙂 There was a very distinct smell of sulphur in the air, but it didn’t seem to […]
Now here is your chance to enjoy Ipoh’s heritage buildings all in one place at the Garden Villa, No 5 Gopeng Road. Here you will see some really great photos of our famous buildings in this heritage architectural photo exhibition. Come and see buildings as others see them, you may be surprised with what you […]
This arch was set up over the Hugh Low Bridge, in Ipoh, somewhere in 1947. This was before the grand parade – which was held in support of the Kuomintang Party (led by General Chiang Kai Shek). Notice the three flags at the top of the arch: the Perak Flag, the Kuomintang Flag and the Union Jack. […]
Familiar? These were what the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) officers looked like in the 1960s – khaki uniform and rattan-woven shields! Looks like they were giving a demonstration for the public – the one kneeling in the centre, facing the camera, was probably the Leader of the platoon (from the stripes on the shoulder, he […]
Running this blog and database is a very interesting thing and sometimes the coincidences that take place are nothing short of amazing. The very same day that I said that I had never heard of a kindie in No 5 Gopeng Road, I visited a relation in Pasir Puteh. And there was an album full […]
Once the premier state of the Federated Malay States, Perak pioneered tin mining, rubber, roads and railways in Malaya. In the early twentieth century, Europeans and Asians venturing into this frontier country bought picture postcards to send home to family, friends and pen pals all over the world. Perak Postcards 1890s-1940s represents the largest […]
This villa was build around 1910, by none other than Eu Tong Sen; Eu used this as an annex to his Chateau (Forest Lodge). We were also told that this Anglo-Malay Bungalow was the home of Japanese senior officers (between 1942-1945), and was where Ipoh residents queued up for rice coupons. Garden Villa was also […]
Not a very difficult question for you on this bright Monday morning, but of all the grand old buildings in Ipoh that have been torn down, I think this is the one I miss the most. Fortunately we have this photograph as a memento of what, in my humble opinion, should never have been demolished. […]
This exhibition entitled “Ribbon of Life” will open at Garden Villa, No 5 Gopeng Road at 11.00am on 16th October 2010 and run daily from 11.am to 7.00pm until 26th October 2010, not 10.00 to 6.00 as stated on the flyer. All exhibits are for sale and all proceeds raised will be donated to the Pink Champions […]
Fellow Main Convent Alumni……….recognise this? It is said to be the kitchen. I don’t recognize it……this was WAY before my time 😉 Maybe some of you out there know which part of the Main Convent building this is……do let us know. And do tell us if this building is still there today (perhaps it has […]
Here we have pictures of a family car, taken in the late 1950s in Kampar. These pictures are from Charlie’s personal collection – yes, this beauty (car shown above) was Charlie’s FAMILY CAR! This one shows the same car…with the hood down. Oh, what a treat it would be…….to ride in such a car in […]
Here’s one for the album! This picture was given to us by our friend Charlie…..yes, that’s Charlie on his tractor 😉 As children, we played with toy soldiers, match-box cars, teddy bears, dolls, board games, etc. But I do wonder: how many of us had such toys (picture above) when we were little? Certainly Leong Cheok Loong had a […]
This series of four books has just been reprinted and they are now available direct from the author singly or as a set of four. They cover, in fascinating detail, the Special Branch activities during the first and second Malayan/Malaysian Emergencies and in China thereafter. The first book “Communist Eraser” is a 366 page personal story of […]
Eu Tong Sen and Chung Thye Phin (two of Ipoh’s many Towkays) once built a weekend retreat, Forest Lodge, at Gopeng Road. It had a large stable – befitting the common interests of these “blood brothers”, which included motorcars, racehorses, and country houses. Later, when Eu Tong Sen was appointed to the Federal Council, Chung Thye […]
While in Falim some time ago, our friend Charlie stumbled upon this curious building (picture above). Not to be confused with the ‘lions of Hugh Low Street’ – but they DO somehow look similar. These ‘lions’ have been ‘living’ in Falim since 1906. We wonder what this building was BEFORE it became Syarikat Electrik Kong Ah. […]
Yes it is John De Lucy and his twin brother having fun in their garden pool under the supervision of their Amah, but of course this was during the Malayan Emergency and so the ever-present armed guard is also in the picture. As John himself relates in our earlier blog, eventually they had to […]
We refer to a previous posting about a traditional Malay-type house in Gopeng (here). Our good friend Charlie brought to our attention the following NST article, as an update on this Gopeng mystery (see pictures below). Azim Abdul Aziz, an architect, had decided to restore his grandfather’s 80-year-old house. Since the main road was being widened, the house […]
We received the following email and a number of family photographs recently from a lady named Judy and, as we usually do, would very much like to help with this enquiry which reads: “I am researching my family history and trying find out as much as possible – of whatever type, good and bad – […]
This is Ms Chung Lai Leng – a pretty Ipoh girl, who gave up selling welfare lottery tickets to become an apprentice with a dressmaking firm. She was photographed by Francis Lee; her picture, along with several other Ipoh beauties, appeared in the 1960s magazine “Ipoh: The Town that Tin Built” (published by the Ipoh […]
You don’t see beauties like these anymore! Houses like these are hard to come by; the few that are left either go through EXTREME renovations, or they just end up being torn down and a modern structure replaces them. A little patching up here, some painting over there – and there you have […]
Noting the response to our previous posting, we’ve decided to put up two more pictures of the said family: Peranakan or Chinese? We don’t know…maybe someone out there knows…. Here we have a better view of the house. Note also the number plate on the vehicle – PK 3226. That should give you a rough […]
To what we know, this family used to live at Simpang Pulai, Perak. Surprised? So am I…never knew we had Peranakan families here in Perak! Notice how the women are dressed, compared to the Western suit worn by the man (probably the husband of these two women). Maybe someone out there knew them? Or, perhaps […]
Here we have a picture from the 1970s, showing the Tadika Batu Gajah (Batu Gajah Kindergarten). To what we know, this kindergarten was housed in a wooden shed, within the compound of St Joseph’s Church. The shed can be seen in the picture (above) on the left; the long, wooden structure on the far left, which is […]
Meet Mr and Mrs Tan – the diligent and creative couple, who produce ‘lion heads’ (and ‘bodies’ too). We featured Mr and Mrs Tan’s store in a previous blog; we can’t help but feature them again – together with some of their masterpieces (pictures below). Such an art seems to be fading as time goes by. It’s […]
I’m sure many of you have seen this place (picture below). It’s said to be near Kok Kee Restaurant. Familiar? Here’s another shot of the mansion, a different angle… Some of you must be smiling and nodding your heads. What we’d like to know is what’s become of this place? We hope it won’t be […]
Those who frequent the Pasar Besar (Main Market) of Ipoh might be familiar with these (picture below) Yes, these shop houses have stood the test of time; and they’re STILL going strong! The 3rd shop from the left is particularly interesting – the one painted yellow, with the words ‘Market Terrace’ at the top. As […]
The above pictures were taken inside Falim House, which was once the abode of Foo Nyit Tse. Much of the old furniture and trimmings have been preserved – which attracted the production crew of the local drama Sybil. The pictures below were taken at the set. For Sybil, Falim House was used as the home […]
How many of you remember them? The cars, I mean…..yes, the MGA and the Austin 7! Notice the Austin’s number plate – P 236. I wonder how many Austins there were in Perak back in 1959. Same with the MGAs. Anyone had the pleasure of driving an MGA or Austin? The boy in the dark pants seems […]
This place was said to have a large hall on the top floor. During the war, the hall was a Japanese mah jong den. Later (after the war), it was turned into classrooms for the Sam Choy Primary School – this was during the day time; at night, it was the venue for the Chinese […]
Remember them? (see picture below) (These lions can be found on either side of the front porch, of the Falim House) Yes, these are the two faithful lions who ‘guard’ Falim House; we were also told that these lions were made of cast iron, not stone! They are painted red, obviously for “good luck”. I […]
My grandma Yim Mun had a penchant for classical things. This was due to a privileged upbringing in her childhood home. As the daughter of a wealthy and respectable man, she had an eye for high quality and lasting items. She always went for good brands. This was a vintage Singer treadle sewing machine […]
Foo Nyit Tse started off as miner, under Foo Choo Choon; he later opened his first mine in 1898. In the 1920s, Foo Nyit Tse (who by then was a well known mining Towkay) built Falim – ‘a self contained housing estate, with a large num of low cost terrace housing and 40 shop houses’. […]
China, in the late 19th and early 20th century, was stifled with social upheavals. The Qing Dynasty 清朝时代 was on the verge of collapse. Many rebellions were mounted but were ruthlessly suppressed and brutally put down. It was very dangerous to live in that country during such a turbulent period. Guangdong广东, a southern province, was […]
Remember this shop? Here’s a clue: it’s at Market Street….. If I’m not mistaken, I think the shop is still there – going strong after all these years! They specialized in Kain Pulikat, (the locals might know it as sarong) which was said to be made in India. They also sold Kain Batek (Batik). Here’s another […]
We featured this building in http://www.ipohworld.org/?p=1712 where we showed the original mansion that belonged to Dato Seri Lau Pak Kuan OBE JP and what the owners of the Coliseum Club had done to deface this beautiful building. In the comments on that blog mashi74 reported that the stylistic roof had been removed and, as you can see […]
Hugh Low Street was once a 2-way street, and a very busy one too…even today! This picture was taken from a postcard, dated 1985. At the far end, just before the bridge, there used to be an arch – it’s not there now, wonder when it was taken down? Also notice that there were many shops (on […]
Chan Tai 陈黛, the charming girl in this photo, used to live in a small village in the district of Shun Tuck 顺德 in the province of Guangdong, China in the 1920s. This district was renowned for producing silk. Her family owned a small silk worm farm. She helped them to cultivate silk worms and weave […]
Who is he? What was his name? Where did he come from? Where did he live? Well, we don’t even know what’s become of him. This poor beggar used to come by Tom Turnbull’s quarters, when Tom was in Batu Gajah. Sometimes, this old man tried to sell Tom a thing or two. Here is […]
It’s that season again; where all Malaysians young and old, some foreigners too, join in the fun. To the die-hard fans out there, yes…we’re talking about DURIANS! Here we have a picture of durians being sold along Osborne Street, Ipoh (in the early 1970s). Were there many stalls selling durians in those days? We’d like […]
All the last rites performed for the dead in the funeral parlors along Hume Street were a fusion of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism beliefs. The core belief is that death is universal. When a person dies, the soul will leave its body. But it will not realize immediately that death has occurred upon itself. This […]
While we’re still on the topic of schools, here’s a picture from 1963 – showing the cast of *Les Sylphides (a ‘white ballet’ or ballet blanc). Our donor, Sybil de Roquigny, says this ballet was performed in Ipoh. We think the cast could be from Main Convent – but we could be wrong. Does anyone […]
In one of our previous blogs, Katherine Wong shared with us about fund-raising at her alma mater – Main Convent, Ipoh. Today we thought we’d put up a little something about an ACS fun fair. On the 3rd of August 1957, Anglo Chinese School (ACS), Ipoh, had its first Food and Fun Fair. The event […]
Here’s a picture of a street hawker, taken from an old postcard – as some of our fans out there recall, there were such hawkers….who came around with their ‘treasures’ in coolie baskets. This hawker is said to be selling “chee cheong farn” (as how the postcard spells it). Besides food and snacks, I do […]
Hume Street is also known as “Koon Choy Kai” in Cantonese, meaning “Coffin Street”. Do you know why? Phun Yue Wui Kun 潘禺会馆 , the tall building at the far right, is one of the busiest funeral parlors along Hume Street. It caters to those who died away from home and also one who died […]
Here we have the Chew Family, who used to live at No.5, Dulcieville Lane, Ipoh. This picture was probably taken between 1958-1960. Back then, Dulcieville Lane used to be a housing area. In the 90s, the area was cleared and is now occupied by Parkson Ipoh Parade. From what we were told, this family ran the famous […]
In the 1950s, a newly married herbalist rented a room in a shophouse – No.1, Treacher Street, Ipoh – where he sold his ‘cooling tea’ or leong char as the locals knew it. This man was none other than Ho Kai Cheong; and till today his tea is still popular – “Ho Yan Hor”, as […]
There is no doubt that some of the 3,631 individuals that visited ipoWorld during the month of June would remember gates such as these with mixed feelings for this was the gateway to a New Village in 1952. Closest to Ipoh there were three of these villages, or concentration camps as some of the old […]
A stone’s throw away from #188 is Hume Street, now known as Jalan Mesjid. Along this short but interesting street, one can find many traditional trades co- existing harmoniously with modern ones. Let’s start with this building at the junction of Hume Street “ 谦街 ” and Jalan Yang Kalsom. This building once housed the […]
This postcard is somewhat a continuation from our previous post about the Kinta River. The picture here shows the entrance of the British Residency; the date was rougly in the 1920s. I doubt the building is still there (if it is, it’s probably in ruins)…but does anyone know where it was? It is said to […]
Dad has only a primary education. Without a stable job, it is difficult to feed a large family. We have already pawned whatever that can be pawned. We were close to living in poverty. Finally, Grandma let out the front portion of #188 to a couple who turned it into a mahjong parlor. Many whores, […]
Recently the subject of Perak’s vehicle registrations cropped up and as we have a great photo that demonstrates the situation perfectly I thought it was worth putting up to dispell the entirely untrue tale that Perak has the ‘A’ because we had the first cars in Malaya. Absolute rubbish!. Here we have two vehicles side […]
Yes ladies and gentlemen the exterior restoration of the Lam Looking building is complete, and it really is looking good. But before you feast your eyes on the wonderful building please allow me to show you what it looked like about 60 plus years ago when still in operation. Well there you are, with the […]
This is a special request for those who asked for pictures of the Kinta River. The picture above is taken from a 1905 postcard – showing the British residency along the river. The British Resident at that time was E W Birch (the eldest son of J W W Birch), who served from 1904 – 1910. Here we […]
Ladies and Gentlemen, Above is the first draft cover of a new book that will be published as soon as we can fill the blank pages with your reminiscences of growing up in Ipoh. Text will be in the English language. ipohWorld will take on the task of collating, editing and dealing with the publishing and […]
Dad, as I kept a lonely vigil beside your hospital bed Stroking your soft white hair, caressing your fatigued face Holding your wrinkled hands, never wanting to let you go I could hear your pale lips murmuring my name softly My heart bled to see your body so weak and frail Tears rolling down […]
Here is a picture taken from Christine Wu Ramsey’s “Days Gone By: Growing Up in Penang“. The picture is from her family album; and the book contains many such high quality photographs from both Ipoh and Penang. These alone make the book a great buy. Ramsey is the great granddaughter of Towkay Leong Fee – who owned the famous […]
Last weekend (11th to the 13th of June), was a weekend of remembrance. It is dedicated to those who fought in the 2 World Wars, the Japanese Occupation, and the Malayan Emergency – both the survivors and those who gave up their lives for the sake of ours. This annual event started with the ceremony at the […]
…the Sun Cinema was still in one piece! This picture we have here is from around 1985, a little after the Sun Cinema closed its doors to the public. It was located at the corner of Brewster Road and Hale Street (behind the building was the Kinta River). Incidentally, sketches of this cinema were done […]
Sometimes life can be cruel. It was late 1969. Dad has a younger brother staying with us at #188. He was a carpenter at a furniture shop in Ipoh. A young man of just 23, he was healthy and full of life vitality. Everyone liked him. He was steady with a pretty girl […]
Back in the 1950s, cinemas were a popular (probably the only) source of entertainment – television sets were not common and not everyone had a radio either! Hence, the cinema-experience was a real treat – especially for the little ones! We received an interesting e-mail from Ignatius Chiew, regarding the ‘soft’ opening of Ipoh’s Cathay […]
Nephew of FMS fame was not only the well loved barman of the FMS, but he was friend and confidente of literally thousands of people from all over the globe who dropped in the FMS for a ‘quick one’ over his sixty years behind that famous old bar. Sadly he passed away this week and […]
My paternal grandpa’s name is Yip Soo. He was a very skillful bean curd maker from Guangdong, China. He was the man behind the famous tau foo far at Nam Foong Coffee Shop. This picture was taken in 1966 in his house in Batu Gajah on his 70th birthday celebration. He was flanked by his […]
“Oh No!” I can hear you say, “Not the clock tower AGAIN!”, but please be patient because this postcard sent to us as a scan was bought here in Ipoh in 1955 and there is something quite different about it. “Different! What is different?” Well, out of the many similar pictures we have seen from […]
This is a front view of No.188, Hugh Low Street – which used to be Ipohgal’s home. The picture was taken by Aaron Ong, who was inspired by Ipohgal’s description of her colourful childhood. The design of this house deserves a special mention – particularly the 2 lions on the roof (see picture below) Like […]
Designed by A B Hubback, who also designed the Ipoh Railway Station, this work-of-art was completed in 1916. The east end of the building was used as the Post and Telegraphs Office in 1928. This building is still used today – be it for concerts, wedding banquets, official functions, etc. It’s also had some restoration […]
Bush Radio Marble Table Wooden Chairs Besides being a home to my family, 188 Hugh Low Street was also once a coffee shop. In 1945, an English man who was working and staying in Batu Gajah, retired and planned to return to England for good. He has a collection of marble tables and wooden […]
This is an 80s picture of the Majlis Perbandaran Ipoh (MBI) swimming pool. The pool is near the Perak Stadium; also part of the sports complex which has a velodrome, hockey stadium and an indoor stadium (Stadium Indera Mulia). The pool is opened to the general public, and it has also been a venue for various swimming competitions. […]
This is one of the many mansions which belonged to one of Ipoh’s rich towkays. I’m sure some of you recognise it! The picture below shows what has become of the place in recent times…. ….a club! Notice the changes, especially the windows and balcony. Anyone know WHEN the mansion was turned into a club?
I’m sure many of you out there recognize this place! Today, it’s mainly a stop for the inter-city buses – since Medan Gopeng now handles the inter-state services. But the place is still BUSY! Such buses (as in the picture) are still around today, along with the new air-conditioned buses too! The roundabout has had […]
…she may have been no more than 20 years old when she left her family (back in the Fujian or Kwungtung Province) to work overseas as a “combination of cleaner, cook, seamstress, nurse and general factotum”. In Ipoh, these Black and White sisters “had their own temple where men were not allowed”. This picture we […]
“To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” After the Japanese left Malaya in 1945, Dad had wanted to resume with his apprenticeship at the village workshop in Batu Gajah […]
A TRIBUTE TO MOM 献给天下间的母亲 Dearest Mom, how can I ever forget the simple joy of nestling in your loving arms and suckling contently at your milky breasts that gave me the nourishments of life. Dearest Mom, how can I ever describe your kind smile that I saw through my tears as I took a fall […]
My name is Mohammed Salleh, age 39, married with three children. I am one of the many hawkers in town selling ‘chendol’ for the past 22 years. You can find me daily at the Magistrate Court compound in the morning; around Railway Station at one o’clock; and at Hale Street (opposite Town Padang) from 3 […]
Somewhere in the late 1960s, this was part of a low-cost housing scheme in Sungai Rokam (off Gopeng Road), in Ipoh. These houses were constructed mainly of timber, following the traditional Malay-styled home. There were about 410 units of such houses which covered over 100 acres of land. The houses were raised on timber columns, […]
Recognise this bar? Don’t know if it was as popular as the FMS; but it must have had many patrons – judging by their well-stocked bar (see picture below) The bar was at Station Hotel. Wonder, did it have a catchy name? Some of you out there might know more………..
If you are eager to know about early Ipoh and Perak then this is a must-buy for you. “A Grandfather Story” telling of the life of Leong Sin Nam is written by his grandson Dr Leong Oon Keong. In it you will find not only the life story of one of Ipoh’s most famous pioneers […]
In 1929 my dad was just a young lad of 9, staying in the little tin mining town of Batu Gajah. According to him, cinemas and televisions were unheard of then. Chinese operas (called tuk tuk chiang in Cantonese) were popular instead, especially during festivals, mostly held near the Kuan Ti Temple ground, near the […]
The former Out Patient department of the Ipoh General Hospital. We think this picture was probably taken in the late 80s (if we’re wrong, let us know!). At present, this building has been given a more modern ‘make-over’. Also notice in the background – far right, the Municipal building (Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh).
With reference to one of our previous posts, and a special request by Zul, we’ve put up the plaque – which acts as a ‘memorial’ for the brave elephant…. This signboard was erected by the (then) British Government after the accident – around 1894.
No, we’re not talking about the Daniel Day-Lewis movie. We think this ‘Red-Man’ was placed at the Ipoh Railway Station – and may possibly be the LAST of its kind! Anyone ‘met’ the ‘Red-Man’ before?
As I was growing up, dad used to tell me about the Japanese atrocities. In his twilight years, while I was taking care of him, he told them to me all over again. When the Japanese came to Malaya in December 1941, dad was just a young man of 21, staying in […]
This art-deco styled cinema was designed by B M Iversen and built in the late 1940s. It was said to be a popular Chinese movie cinema, which later went on to show English, Malay, Hindi and Tamil movies in the 80s. The theatre finally closed in 1998. The elegent building now stands alone at Chamberlain […]
In the month of June 2010, the Warriors’ Association, Kinta , Perak is organising a number of events in remembrance of those heroes who fell in defence of freedom and democracy. In chronological order they are: Friday 11th June, 8:45 to 10:15am, Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph, Ipoh (opposite the railway station). Saturday 12th June, 10:30am, Memorial Service […]
This place was featured in the film ‘Anna and the King’. The 183-metre veranda is good place “to spend a lazy afternoon” with friends, over tea (or beer, depends on your preference!). Also a popular wedding venue once; I’m sure you know where this place is…….
The location was good; at the heart of town, with neighbouring banks, theatres, commercial buildings and within easy communication. Back in the 70s, the room rates were quite affordable – $55 for a Twin-sharing De Luxe room! The air-conditioned rooms even had TV sets installed! Besides the luxuries it offered, there was also a restaurant and […]
Andrew Lin, a new supporter of ipohWorld recently submitted an article for inclusion on the blog. However it is really too long to put here and so we have entered on the main database and have only included the following as an introduction. If you would care to read all the article and comment here […]
This cinema was built in the 1930s, adjacent to a Christian graveyard – rumour has it that if you took off your shoes inside, you might not find them again when the lights come on! The picture shown here was taken in 1971, after the cinema was renovated. I’m sure most of you know this […]
Here’s a section of Ipoh Old Town, said to be taken from the top of the state mosque’s minaret. In the background (left) is the Ipoh Padang and a row of giant common ru. Further back, are the limestone hills – something Ipoh has always been noted for! This was what the area used to […]
This all-marble fountain was built in memory of E W Birch, Perak’s British Resident from 1905-1910. It was at the south end of Belfield street – sadly, now another fountain has replaced this beauty! We were once told by a senior resident of Ipoh, that during the Japanese Occupation the four corners of the fountain were […]
The Qing Ming Festival, the Clear Bright Festival, Ancestors Day or Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival which falls on the first day of the fifth solar term. It denotes a time for people to go outside and enjoy the greenery of springtime and tend to the graves of departed ones. This year […]
This famous Ipoh landmark opened in 1962. Designed by Booty Edwards & Partners, the place offered each trader equal space for his/her shoplot. The Yau Tet Shin bazaar was known to the locals as Pasar Bulat (Round / Circular Market); it offered everything from suitcases and travelling bags, to Pomelo and Groundnut stalls, and […]
This restaurant was said to be famous for Chinese Delicacies and Tanjong Tualang Fresh Water Prawns. Probably one the few air-conditioned restaurants at that time (1970s), it was located at the Yau Tet Shin Market & Shopping Centre; along Cowan Street in Ipoh. Sadly, the Yau Tet Shin Market is not there anymore (now turned […]
The above photo was given to us by Lennie Brookes. According to Lennie, this is a photo of (her best friend) Norazian Tahir‘s children at a school play. Norazian had married a Police Inspector from Ipoh. If anyone knows Norazian or her children please let us know. Anyone out there remember being in a school […]
The picture, taken in 1964 by an official photographer shows the then Sultan of Perak, Sultan Idris Shah II (1963-1984), when he visited Fort Tapong. He is in discussion with members of the Police Field Force who were billeted there and conducted anti communist patrols in the area. This fort, the last to be built […]
A E Walker, the Manager of Elphil Estate (Sungai Siput, Perak), was shot in his office by Communist insurgents on 16th June 1948. Walker’s murder and the murder of two other planters led to the start of the Malayan Emergency – which lasted 12 years; 1948-1960. Here we have a rare photograph of the interior […]
Flooding in Kuala Kangsar had been a problem since 1926, when the royal palace (Istana Sri Sayong) was almost swept away! The picture we have here is from 1967; as you can see, almost half of the Cathay cinema is underwater. By the looks of things, the men on the boat were probably hoping to catch ‘The Sound […]
Othman Sabrin kindly sent in this photo for publication. Thank you Sir! He said: “This is a picture of Persatuan Kedet Bersatu Malaysia from Anderson School, Ipoh in 1975. I studied at the school from 1973 until 1975. Our School Principal was Mr Lam Kok Hon (sitting in the centre with the moustache).” Now Old Andersonians, […]
The Ipoh Airport started out as a private airfield in the 1930s. It was only in 1947 that the first commercial flight was introduced. Later, in the 1980s, the airport runway was extended. Here we have a photograph of a family at the Ipoh Airport, taken in 1978. In the background (top, left) is the airport’s control […]
…..one should take time to cool off – like these children from Kampung Gajah! Here they are, without a care in the world, having fun the waters of the Kinta River. To what we know, this picture was taken around the year 1965. Anyone want to share with us your fond memories from those days?
This postcard shows the Victoria Bridge, which is the oldest railway bridge in Malaysia. The bridge was officially opened on the 21st of March 1900 by Sultan Idris Murshidul’adzam Shah of Perak and FMS High Commissioner Sir Frank Swettenham.
Jubilee Park was once Ipoh’s foremost entertainment centre. Built by the Danish architect BM Iversen, some of the attractions within this 4-acre park were the Grand Theatre, the Chinese Concert Hall and the Jubilee Cabaret. Interestingly, it was originally called the ‘Ipoh Amusement Park’, but later the owners (the Shaw Brothers of course!) renamed it ‘Jubilee Park’ […]
A wander around Kampung Kuchai in the heart of Ipoh certainly gives the photographer something to concentrate on. We have featured the area before with the old house, the Beetle and the MG Magnette, but nothing as artistic as this (literally) heap of junk. Here we have a real piece of artistry! How the owner […]
….when ‘Alvarez Kelly’ was being shown in Ruby Theatre. (Yes, on the far right is the cinema hall which was part of the Lau Ek Ching building, along Anderson Road.) William Holden played a ‘suave Mexican cattleman’ named Alvarez Kelly who unwillingly found himself caught in a Civil War. Well, to those of you who […]
The Home Guard was part of a defence strategy during the Malayan Emergency. Their role was a ‘static local defence’, and ‘manning of checkpoints’ to cut of supplies to CTs, particularly in the area of the New Villages. The Home Guard were said to release the police and military for counter-terrorist ops. Here we have […]
I’ve heard of the “Hell’s Angels” and other such motorcycle enthusiasts in America, but this one was quite a surprise – The Perak Lambretta Club! We don’t know WHERE these ‘fans’ lined up for a pose but we think the date was 1960. To what we know, the club was founded by (naturally) a motorcycle enthusiast William […]
Over the past few days there have been several comments about our last post that featured the FMS Bar and so while in Old Town searching for the MG logo (previous post) I took the opportunity to take the above photo to demonstrate what is being done to the pillars. As you can see they […]
Yes, just a few metres from the Beetle lies this grand old vehicle. If you don’t recognise it then have a look at this: It is of course an MG and it is in that graveyard for old vehicles, right in the centre of Ipoh, called Kg Kuchai. This is is one of the last […]
As you can see from the above the Gopeng Museum is currently holding a one month Clock Exhibition until 16 March 2010. There are more than 185 old (antique!) clocks on display. Almost all the pieces have been lent by local people. Some are shown here. The normal exhibition remains on show which also includes […]
Nobody could tell us about an earlier Ipoh band – The Red Crane, but this might be easier. Known as “Unit 6-2” they are from left to right, Richard, Aziz, Yahaya and Richard. The date is around 1966 and they are all from SMI. Richard on the left is probably Leong Kai Loong, but who […]
With no comments on the Beetle and still on holiday I could not resist showing you this great old photo of the Post and Telegraphs Office, Grik. A wooden building on stilts with verandah and black and white chick blinds, this is real Malaya and just what I remember from my first visit to the […]
This photograph was taken by an Ipoh resident, Richard, Leong, in the early 1960’s not long after it had been erected by the Perak Turf Club as a gift to the town. At the key junction of Hugh Low Street, Gopeng Road, Tambun Road and Brewster Road it welcomed travellers to Ipoh from all directions. […]
This very attractive picture was taken in a studio in Ipoh in 1966. She was just two years old and definitely enjoying posing for the camera. We dedicate this to all the children who today are anxiously waiting for the onset of Chinese New Year and their Angpows. May they get many and spend their […]
Sports Day at St Bernadette’s Convent, Batu Gajah, was quite eventful in 1954 – the Teachers had their own little race. This picture was taken at the school’s new grounds (Jalan Pusing); the school was previously sharing its premises with the St Joseph’s Catholic Church. Far in the background are some curious spectators, probably wondering […]
In 1956/57 there was a great deal of student unrest relating to the communist insurgents and the forthcoming Merdeka. Surprisingly, this even spread to laid back old Ipoh. The situation was described by one of the Special Branch officers at the time as “a compelling problem of student subversion developing in the middle schools in Perak, particularly Ipoh”. […]
“In 1948 an appalling upheaval took place in Malaya……I was told by the Manager of Kamunting Estate when I made my routine visit that the Manager of Elphill Estate had been shot.” Thus, according to Dr Tweedie, was the start of the Malayan Emergency. Here we have a picture from that era (somewhere between 1948 – […]
This model of a full size elephant and handlers stands in the entrance to a building in Perak. Legend has it that one day he ran amok into the jungle and when he was finally caught he had a silvery substance smeared all over his left front leg. When his handlers had quietened him down […]
It is some time since ipohWorld’s world took a virtual trip to Sitiawan, home of the Foochows and so that is where we go today – to the building of Gray Jackson & Co Ltd opened in 1920. For the building enthusiasts here is what the top of the building looks like. Now I have […]
Local artist Khor Seow Hooi is presenting an exhibition of his paintings of Old Ipoh Town in the Syuen Hotel, first floor, from today 24 January 2010 until 31 january from 10am to 7.30pm daily, including Sunday. Above is one example of his detailed work in ink and watercolour on paper. He has captured many of […]
This information is taken from the latest post on the Ipoh Echo blog at http://ipohecho.com.my/v2/2010/01/22/state-government-to-keep-the-dredge/. This striking decision was made public by Dato’ Hamidah Osman the Senior State Executive Councilor for Tourism via an Echo reporter on on Wednesday 20 January during an interview in Taiping to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Taiping Peace […]
Perak has plenty of heritage buildings, many of which seem to be ignored by their owners or the government. But here is a wonderful heritage building for although not more than 100 years old it has just been restored by the National Heritage Department. Many will not believe that this building is a mosque for it is square, […]
In the entrance to the same building as the wash hand basin below hangs this electric light fitting. As electricity did not properly come to Ipoh until 1930, courtesy of the Perak River Hydro-Electric Power Company Ltd, it can only be around 75 years old – the art deco period – and that ties in very […]
What a nice surprise I had yesterday when I dropped in to Panglima Lane to see the latest state of that fast disappearing site of Ipoh’s heritage. There was a wonderful sight, a Malay couple dressed in their stunning white silk wedding attire being photographed. The scene was without doubt worthy of the above secondary title “Beauty’Midst the Bricks”. Now I did […]
This photograph was taken in Sitiawan, Perak – with the words ” Lian Jun Foo, ‘Suckling Pig’ ” written on the back. We think the car, behind the boy, is an Austin. Any antique-car lover out there could help us confirm this. As for the boy, he seems pretty confident with his pose – not […]
This very delightful house has combined two very distict styles, that to my eye actually compliment each other, into one structure and as such seems to me to be quite unusual. Clearly a family heritage building, it stands not far back from the main road, close to Beruas, Perak and on the day the photograph was taken, […]
As we start the new year of 2010 (can I really be that old?), it is traditional to greet each other with best wishes for the year ahead and we at ipohWorld are no different, so “May you all have health, wealth and happiness for the coming year”. However looking at the above picture and remembering […]
With a little prompting from Ignatius Chiew, we’ve decided to publish this class photograph from one of Ipoh’s famous boys’ school – St Michael’s Institution. Again, we are not too familiar with the year or the people. But from what we know, seated in the front (from left to right) are: the late Mr. Julianose […]
Traditional trades are fast disappearing and although the cobbler is perhaps not in the same heritage league as the tinsmith, the silversmith, the blacksmith, the chick blind maker, the sign carver and the like, he has been an important part of local life ever since we wore shoes, which for many in the Kinta Valley was not […]
Yes the Bumper issue No 88 hit the newstands and free outlets today. The biggest paper they have produced so far it is full of local interest: from making a movie in Papan, Christmas cheer, plagiarism, outdoor pursuits, community news and much more. But one article relating to heritage that caught our attention was about the […]
Not only did our owner of the missing house care for the building itself, but just look at these photographs. He carefully saved everything that was there and after restoring his old home, he faithfully replaced the contents. That’s dedication, but more importantly it is “Pride in One’s Heritage”. Family photographs on the wall, books and […]
As you can see from the picture there is a set of traditional steps leading to the front of a Kampung House that is not there! Then at the back is a small building, clearly the kitchen of the missing house. So what happened? Well do you see the yellow house behind the trees? That […]
Above each of the windows inside the Old Teluk Anson Courthouse there are plaster mouldings which alternate around the building. One like this and ………. ………one like this. Please excuse the cobwebs, spiders have no respect for the law! Another interesting feature is the rainwater system, installed in 1949 which runs INSIDE the building! The […]
Lip Po left China, with a Catholic priest, and came to Malaya at the age of 5 in 1877. Having completed his education, he later went into mining. He however lost his mine in Falim and then ventured into selling cold drinks on the street. With that, he saved up some money and bought a 10-acre […]
This old photograph shows the first courthouse in Teluk Anson (Teluk Intan), built in the late 1870’s or very early 1880’s. It also doubled up on a Sunday as the Anglican Church for there was not one available in the district. However, the hard wooden benches suitable for a court house were just too uncomfortable […]
This photo was taken in 2006 on a visit Teluk Intan originally called Teluk Mak Intan, after a well-to-do Mandailing woman who is believed to have been in trading across the Straits of Malacca, although some will say she was actually a pirate. It shows the old Balai Polis or Police Station which being unused […]
Here we have a ‘friendly’ bus – ferrying the children around and also joining them on school trips. This picture was taken from the Main Convent Centenary Magazine. Judging by the number plate (AA 5084) and from the wordings in the magazine, we think this picture was probably taken around the year 1957. Anyone out […]
This is the S.M. Noor Recreation Park, in Batu Gajah, Perak. This picture was taken from a 1985 Calendar. From what we’ve found out, this place used to be one of the concert venues for local rock bands like Search, Wings, Lefthanded, May, Headwind, and so on. (The other venues around Ipoh being the Indera Mulia […]
A member of 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment recorded a night out in the jungle thus: “Leeches that sucked the blood and covered the body were so prevalent one eventually ignored them, it was not unusual to find 50 or more in all parts of the body. Vicious red ants, scorpions and ticks big enough […]
This is Ipoh’s Cathay Theatre which still stands to day, but no longer as a cinema having been overtaken by Metroplexes and the like. It was once a beautiful single-screen theatre, built in Cockman Street in late 1956 and opened on August 31, 1957 with the movie, ‘The King and I’, telling the fictitious romantic story of Anna […]
Well he would be in danger if he was to try and take the same photograph today as he was standing in the centre of the Birch Bridge in Brewster Road, but of course in 1952 life was different in Ipoh, Brewster Road took two-way traffic and as you can see the road is almost empty. Compare that […]
This photograph was taken around the 14th of January 1953 by Himalaya Photo Studio, of No.117, Brewster Road, Ipoh. On the back of the photograph are Chinese characters which roughly translate to “Yuen Seng to Qing Er, with fond memories”. We guess that this was probably taken after a dance competition – note the trophies […]
This is a picture of Mr Ng Boo Bee. He came to Malaya as a penniless coolie to try his luck in the mining industry. And he became a well known miner and businessman in Perak, mainly Taiping.
This photograph was one of literally hundreds that the famous German photographer took around 1900. August Kaulfuss was born and educated in Rohnstock, Silesia. He served in the German Navy for a couple of years then worked in the photographic studio of Otto van Bosch in Frankfurt. He arrived in Penang in 1883 and soon established a photographic […]
This photo shows a crocodile that was shot in the Kinta River which runs through Ipoh Town. The hunter was an European (referring to the hunter’s attire ) who helped the villagers to put an end to this crocodile’s menace. And the villagers were so excited to see the dead gigantic croc. We will be happy to […]
This picture shows one of the worst floods that ever happened in Ipoh. It was in 1926 and the picture was taken at the corner of Belfield Street and Station Road. The precautions against such a disaster was taken earlier than this date. Around 1914-1921, the Ipoh Flood Mitigation Scheme had been carried out to protect the town from the then […]
Remember the days when those Jacobs biscuits came in tins? Not forgetting those enamel bowls/mugs/tiffin-carriers too. We are sure some of you out there might have fond memories and maybe even (still) own these enamel ware or Jacobs biscuit tins.
This picture was taken as we were walking to the cave where the skeleton of Perak Man was found. It is a short walk from the Lenggong museum, but very “Kampong” and definitely at peace with nature. The Kapok tree is very special and in the Maya culture, of the pre-Columbian America (2000BC) it was considered […]
This photograph taken in 1920 shows little sign of the famous Teluk Anson (now Teluk Intan) tower actually leaning, but if you go there yourself I can assure you it leans! Manufactured from bricks and wood and standing at 25.5 metres tall, its Pagoda-style construction gives the tower an appearance of having 8 different levels (like […]
This is a picture of a three-lane, 1960s mining Palong constructed at Kampong Gajah, Perak. As can be seen this is a major structure all made from timber which was generally cut from the mining land before the actual mining started, as almost all of the land would have been originally covered by trees which […]
This photograph, courtesy of Peter Smith, an Australian miner who was employed in Kampong Gajah in the 1960s, was taken with a 16mm camera – two pictures on one 35mm transparency (slide) frame. It is amazing that so many years later it still prints out so clearly. The Kampong house pictured is on the bank of the Kinta […]
Putting up great old photos is always a pleasure and this one is no exception! Taken in Ipoh and probably dating around the 1930s this is a lesson in fashions of the times. Just look at the styles of clothing old and new, east and west that are included in this group. Front left is […]
You might wonder why these three men are pushing their boat up the Perak River towards Kuala Sepetang, originally known as Port Weld, the site of the first railway in Malaya that connected the port to Taiping Station (the then capital of Perak), rather than doing the obvious thing of riding in it. But the title of this post […]
At one time Ipoh sported two Birch Memorials, the clock tower in memory of J W W Birch and this beautiful marble fountain in Belfield Street to honour his son E W Birch. These memorials always seem to cause confusion as today only the clock tower remains and more than one tourism site has misled […]
This magnificent house, now demolished, was once owned by Charles Alma Baker. This house, originally with a thatched or atap roof, was probably built in 1890 or 1900. Charles Alma Baker was suryevor, miner and planter from New Zealand who came to Batu Gajah during in late 1890s. William Kellie Smith helped him, in his survey work […]
This is a picture of Ipoh’s famous Eurasian lady, Sybil Kathigasu who was awarded the George Medal by King George VI. Her story under the Japanese Occupation is a harrowing one, yet one of bravery strength and determination. Her story and that of her family can be found at here.
The shooting team was in 1959 at Ipoh. Mr. Richard Clarke, from 11th Independent Field Squadron Royal Engineers is the second from the left front row. Mr. Richard Clarke has told us more about this photo and his time in Malaya during the Emergency. His story can be found here.
This Photograph of Station Road, Ipoh is a classic with so many rickshaws busy in the street. It is 1906 and this is the very centre of Perak’s commercial operations. It was here that companies like Chung Thye Pin Built his status building which was first Dr Connolly’s Medical Hall, then Oldfield’s and subsequently Georgetown […]
This is Taiping resident – Lee Eng Kew, better known locally as Ah Kew, freelance writer and field historian who explores temples and grave yards to archive epitaphs, trace lineage and record oral history. For over ten years, this man in the street has carried out extensive research on the illustrious history of Taiping, a […]
The news of killings of J.B.D Edwards and two Malay SCs was stated in Strait Times, adding more numbers of killings in Sungei Siput. The planters and armed forces personnels became the main targets for bandits to achieve their goal. The paper cutting was given by Mr. Bill Ashby, UK.
The picture of Humber Pulman was taken in Taiping during 1950s. It was a Standard Vanguard for Officers of the Command, who used having arrived by helicopter to travel around the area. Besides that, several armoured Scout Cars also used to escort the Humber Pulman during the visits. Such a beauty! Dont you agree? Please […]
This photograph of what is said to be Captain Speedy’s Bungalow was taken when the building was under restoration a few years ago. Does anyone know what it is used for now, assuming the renovation is finished? Captain Speedy was born in Meerut, India, in 1836 and named Tristam Charles Swayer Speedy. He was appointed […]
This photograph dates from the end of the war / January 1946 and was taken by a member of 656 squadron stationed at Ipoh aerodrome. It is of course the Perak Turf Club racecourse which was also used at that time as an extra landing place for the squadron’s Auster aircraft due to congestion on […]
Some time ago Jeya mentioned that it is still possible to visit a bucket dredge some 10Km from Batu Gajah on the Tanjung Tualang Road. This is dredge number TT5 and it is open to visitors for a small entrance fee. You may walk on the dredge to get a feel for its massive size […]
This little wooden hut, still standing a few metres off the Changkat Batu Gajah Road is the last in a row of similar huts where the married police officers lived during the Malayan Emergency. No fences, gatehouses or special security, just open to anyone who walked by. Very different to the homes of the miners, planters […]
This postcard dates from around 1935 and shows the Hugh Low Bridge as most people still call it today. At one time when Hugh Low, as a British Colonial, was out of fashion it was known as the Kinta Bridge, but the name never really caught on. Anyway, those who cross the bridge regularly will know […]
This genuine Kinta Town Board notice from 1956 or thereabouts is nothing less than bizarre. What on earth did one do with sticks and stones? However 5 cents for a bath and free toilets sounds like a pretty good deal. If you have any suggestions about the sticks and stones, please keep them to yourself. […]
The 11th Independent Field Squadron Royal Engineers was building a bridge in a kampung, in 1958, as one of their Malayan Emergency operations in Taiping. The villagers were looking on curiously, wondering what was going on. Nothing has changed in 50 years – Malaysians still love to watch what is happening, particularly road traffic accidents of which […]
The picture shows an old , open cast, tin mine in Taiping during 1958. We are wondering what had happened to this mine. Can you help us ? The scene is of course very typical of an abandoned mine with the mine itself now full of water and the sheds falling down. However the Palong still […]
Most people remember 1948 as the start of the Emergency, but this envelope from Ipoh’s Station Hotel reminds us about something else. We were under British Colonial Rule; The British Military Administration was not long gone (and we were still using their stamps); and we were celebrating the Silver Wedding of King George VI and […]
This grand old picture dates from 1894 when a bull elephant gallantly refused to move off the rail tracks, close to Teluk Anson (now Teluk Intan) in defence of his herd against what he saw as an intruder into his domain. Unfortunately the train, which had previously killed a calf elephant in the same place, was doing some 80 […]
Although this meeting in Beijing is not directly related to Perak, it is a fact that it was Perak in particular that continued to suffer from the communists for several years after the Malayan Emergency was declared over. As there has been much press about Chin Peng recently, I thought a picture of him might […]
Two memorial boards can be seen at the entrance of Elphil Estate and Sungai Siput Estate (which was formerly known as Phin Soon Estate) with the details of the tragic murders on 16 June 1948. A good intention. But it’s so sad to see the board at the Elphil Estate. The name of the planter, […]
The Auster was taking off from Sungai Siput in 1950s. The photo was given by Mr. Richard Clarke from United Kingdom. The aircraft was probably from 656 Squadron.
Something we want bring to your attention. The following is an extract from a notice posted by the MPOA. ….the Malaysian Palm Oil Association – Perak have decided to construct a monument and gallery at Sungei Siput Estate. The cost of construction is estimated to be in the region of RM$100,000.00. The little Acre Sub Committee […]
If we go to God’s Little Acre, Batu Gajah, definitely we won’t miss out to see a tall monument called ‘Centre Point’. The ‘Centre Point’ was erected in 17th June 1989 by the Perak Planters’ Association and other well wishers, to honour the planters, the miners, the Malayan Police Force, the Commonwealth Forces and the general public who gave their […]
This picture shows three “young at heart” Europeans enjoying the slide into the top pool of three that made up the Taiping Club’s swimming pool in the 1950s. It is still there but sadly overgrown and in a serious state of disrepair. Of course the club now has a new pool. A user of the […]
Click on picture to enlarge With the God’s Little Acre Remembrance ceremony taking place last month in Batu Gajah a number of people have asked who was actually buried there that died in the Emergency. This is posted for those who are unable to actually visit the beautiful cemetery.
High on an abrupt limestone cliff near Ipoh, a whole series of rock paintings drawn with haematite paint were discovered in 1959 and are estimated to be between 5,000 to 12,000 years old! They were discovered by an Englishman, one Lieutenant R L Rawlings, who was serving with the 2nd Battalion, 6th Queen Elizabeth’s Own […]
This advertisement shows the first Times of Malaya Building in Ipoh, where it was adjacent to the Birch Memorial Clock Tower. The Times of Malaya: Planters and Miners Gazette was started by J I Philips in 1903, with a mission to further the mining, planting, and mercantile interest of the Federated Malay States (FMS) and […]
“Perseverance is the key to success”. This is the motto that drives the poor dulang washer on the performance of her work. It is obvious to the meanest intellect that a dulang washer does not live a life of ease and luxury. She earns barely enough to feed herself and her family and her life […]
In my last post I featured the Sitiawan Settlement Museum within the Kampong Koh Memorial Garden. Now, you may not know about this aspect of Sitiawan, which actually has an unusual past that is rarely spoken about. Have you ever wondered why – or did you not know – that Sitiawan has the Foochows? Foochow […]
by Sir George Maxwell, KBE, CMG. When Sir George first travelled from Taiping to Batu Gajah by gharry, sampan and pony in 1891 most of the Kinta Valley was under primeval forest. Sir George who retired as Chief Secretary to the FMS Government in 1926, celebrated his eightieth birthday in 1952, but like all men […]
On the second Saturday in June, every year a truly multi-racial, multi ethnic and multi- religious group gather at Changkat Batu Gajah to join in remembering all those that were killed in the Malayan Emergency from 1948 to 1960. This is a unique occasion attended by people of all ages from as far afield as […]
Does anyone know anything about this club please. The badge is small (4cm diameter) and self adhesive. It is made from metal.
British Police Lieutenants Street and Allmond were posted to Kuala Selangor within days of their first arrival in Malaya. They reached that town without incident and spent the night there. The following morning they were issued with weapons and were informed that they were to be stationed at one of the local Rubber Estates. A […]
No doubt you have heard of dairy farms, vegetable farms and the like, but what about “Gambling Farms”? The term Gambling Farms (so-called because they were run by representatives of syndicates termed farmers) seems to have originated from the Federated Malay States (FMS), for although gambling was prohibited in other British territories, in the FMS, “farmers” were […]
At the start of the 20th century, the above title certainly belonged to Foo Choo Choon. Prior to him the mantle of the Richest Man in the FMS changed hands several times between the late 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, from the renowned Capitan China, Chung Keng Kwee, to the entrepreneur […]
POLICE LIEUTENANT M R LIVINGSTONE KILLED IN AMBUSH IN TEMENGGOR 25 DECEMBER, 1950 At approx 10.00 a.m. on the 25th December, 1950, a party of seven police constables of the Police Frontier Force under the command of Police Lieutenant. M R Livingstone proceeded from Kampong Temenggor to the Temenggor Tin Mine in the Grik area […]
These Malayan Railway railcars designed by the Brtish and named the Wickham Armoured Railcar, were used during the Malayan Emergency 1948-1960 to carry bullion and other valuables to protect them from the Communist terrorists (CTs). Subsequently they were used as Public Works Department Inspection Trolleys. One example is on show at the Royal Malaysian Police […]
In 1920, Wong Jee Seong (Wong), an immigrant from China, was employed as a bank clerk in Ipoh, earning the princely sum of $28 per month. In those days this was a handsome wage as a full bag of rice only cost 12 cents. A regular attendee at St Michael’s Church in Brewster Road, Ipoh, […]
“A good storyteller never lets the facts get in the way.” Dave Allen, Comedian. Before the Japanese invasion in 1941, there was plenty of entertainment for Ipoh people although many could not afford it as the world recession had hit the price of tin and rubber badly and Ipoh, relying on these products for survival […]
In response to a request herewith our version of the history of ACS Ipoh. If you believe we have made any mistakes please let us know. “The Anglo-Chinese Boys School Ipoh was the first English school, as well as the first Christian mission school, in Kinta. It was established by the Methodist Episcopal Mission in […]
Tan Sri Dato Seri Yuen Yuet Leng, a Perakian and Police Officer extraordinary. Author of Operation Ginger and Nation Before Self, both being compulsive reading. We recommend them.
This is a 1969 calendar produced by Kinta Traders, at 43 Treacher Street, Ipoh. They claimed to provide the latest fashion wear. It is a 6 page calendar (2 months per page) each page featuring local birds. Does anyone have any information about Kinta Traders please?
“To eat durian is a new sensation worth a voyage to the East to experience.” Alfred Russell Wallace, The Malay Archipelago. Despite being written almost 150 years ago, that is one of the nicer quotations describing the King of Fruits. More modern critics are likely to use descriptions that vary from being simply rude to […]
As part of our objective of saving the history of the Kinta Valley for future generations we try to gather original memories about days past. Here is one about Rickshaws. Do you have any memories we you can share with us please “Anna Down, locally born, but now from UK, remembers that as a child […]
