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 […]
11 November 2011 PRESS RELEASE The 22nd Joint Conference of the Sun Yat Sen and Soong Ching Ling Memorials In conjunction with the International Centennial Celebrations of Sun Yat Sen’s 1910 ‘Penang Conference’ Launch 20 November 2010 in Penang, Malaysia Sun Yat Sen’s birthday anniversary on 12 November is celebrated by […]
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 […]
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 […]
Yes here it is and I am sure that the Hong family were overwhelmed when it was officially opened by Michelle Yeoh just recently for I know how much Hong senior has put into this project. Congratulations! And here it is in all its glory! Submitted by Hong Soon Kheong, there are more photos on […]
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 […]
Those who frequently travel along Tiger Lane (Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah) would have noticed this building (see picture below). This is the Freemason’s Lodge, which was built by B M Iversen in the 1930s. This was the second Lodge; the first one was at Maxwell Road (which was also used by Anderson School in the late […]
This is an invitation for you all to the opening of a solo art exhibition in the Garden Villa No 5 Gopeng Road Sunday 3rd October at 11am. The exhibition is entitled Love, Dream and Hope 2010 and the artist is Budi Utama Siagian. The exhibition is on from 3rd to 10th October and is open […]
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 […]
Suddenly one day last week we could hardly believe our ears. Was that really a scissor sharpener’s call just outside our gate? As we rushed outside there he was, riding away on his battered bicycle with his, just as battered, hat on his head. Of course my wife and I ran after him and caught up […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
…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 […]
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 […]
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 road block was at the junction of Brewster Road and Cockman Street. Judging from the uniforms, we think this happened in 1975 – if we’re wrong, let us know! In the picture, there is the famous United Optical Company and the Ipoh branch of Straits Echo. We’re looking forward to your comments…..
Heartiest Congratulations Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzudin Shah Ghafarullahu-lah D.K., D.K.M., D.M.N., D.K.A. Sultan, Yang Di-Pertuan Dan Raja Pemerintah Negeri Perak Darul Ridzuan On the occasion of His Royal Highness’ Birthday from
The International Day for Monuments and Sites (informally known as the World Heritage Day) was created on 18th April, 1982, by ICOMOS and later approved at the 22nd UNESCO General Conference in 1983. This special day offers an opportunity to raise public’s awareness concerning the diversity of the world’s heritage and the efforts that are […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Here we have two gentlemen posing outside the Perak Chinese Rubber Association. We think the picture was probably taken after 1959, since that was the year the building was built. Since we know nothing about the place, we’d like to ask any of you out there: Do you know where in Ipoh this building is? […]
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?
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 […]
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 […]
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”. […]
The actress above was said to have “such wonderful eyes”. This picture was taken in the year 1931, and yes: she’s from IPOH! Any guesses as to WHO she is? (clue: her 1st movie was with Tom Walls and Ralph Lynn)
The photograph shows the view from the gate of the Matang Historical Complex which was originally Ngah Ibrahim’s fort built in 1865. It was initially simply a home for Ngah Ibrahim, who after his elephant went tin mining became a powerful and wealthy tin miner, but he fortified it to save himself from the Chinese triads […]
“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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 was found among a whole lot of scans sent to us. All the others were of Perak in modern times, but this one is clearly not modern. But the question is who are they? We would welcome your ideas.
This little environmentally friendly Soya sauce factory lies just behind the police station in Gopeng. Here the elderly couple have been producing thick and thin sauce and fermented bean paste for most of their lives, but sadly have no children to take over this thriving business. However, there is hope that it will continue as a […]
This photograph hangs on the wall in a Gopeng Association House. It is of course of Capitan Chung Ah Kwee. Chung Ah Kwee was born as a Chen Sang Hakka in Guandong Province, China. In his late teens, he was sent to Malaya by his mother, to look for his father and brother. Ah Kwee found his […]
During the Malayan Emergency from 1948 to 1960 Communist attacks on roads and railways were a regular part of living in Malaya, particularly where transfer of cash was concerned. Consequently the railways introduced the Wickham Armoured Railcar as protection, but for the military and police isolated from the rail service it became normal to fly […]
The photographs, taken by a Japanese tourist, show Ipoh’s famous Beef Noodle Stall in operation in Theatre Street in 1968 where it served the people of Ipoh for more than 50 years, until they were forced by legislation to move to a central hawkers area, known locally as Rainbow City. They have been at this […]
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.
