Hypothetical scenario: Imagine you’ve just inherited a LOT of money…and you’ve decided to build a beautiful mansion. Well, let us ‘help’ you with some interior decoration ideas 😀 We have here some photographs of what the inside of the Kinta Kellas Estate bungalow once looked like. Yes, this wooden bungalow once belonged to none other […]
Some of you may recognise it. Some of you are still scratching your heads. Worry not, this is in fact the ruins of a brick bungalow built by none other than William Kellie Smith. Last I recall, these ruins were within the grounds of the famed Kellie’s Castle (hope they haven’t disappeared or made way […]
Here we have the living room of Charles Alma Baker’s residence (once upon a time) in Batu Gajah. This large space included a 12-seater dining table, several sofas and easy chairs, and Chinese antiques. The Master of this house and his guests were kept cool by a punkah. If you look closely, you’ll also notice […]
picture from: Ho Hoo Wan, Ipoh These lovely ladies are part of the Form V batch of 1958 – from Sultan Yussuf School, Batu Gajah. They were some of the many youngsters who attended the Farewell Dinner. We have the names of these beauties…. Standing from left to right they are: Thong Mee Len, Poh Ching, […]
Don’t know where to go during this long break? How about Kellie’s Castle? No, we’re not advertising for this place. Rather just showing you what this iconic landmark looked like – way back in 1957! This is a photograph of Ho Hoo Wan with his siblings and friends, posing just outside the famed Batu Gajah […]
This is one of the many colonial-style bungalows which once stood proud against Batu Gajah’s landscape. Sadly, not many of them are still around today. This one, sent to us by Rosemary Palmer, has stood the test of time – and is still being used 😉
We received this from Daniel Doutriaux (part of a series of photographs from an album). These are the girls from Batu Gajah Convent – excited as they explore the new science lab. The year was 1956….do you recognise any of them in the photo? (Or, maybe YOU are in there?) We’d love to hear from […]
Over many weeks Larry has sent us a host of photographs. So many that they will be a great addition to our database recording his childhood life and times with Perak Hydro in Batu Gajah. You have probably seen memories from him and his young friends on our blog where young friends from 50+years ago […]
We don’t mean to confuse you again, but here’s another photo of a local market 😉 This one isn’t in Ipoh….it’s actually in Batu Gajah (according to our donor Wendy Lewis). Notice the shape of the roof – quite unique for a market building, don’t you think? Any Batu Gajah folks around? Perhaps they could […]
This was among the lot sent to us from Nick Band. His father Albert Roy Band was part of the Malay Tin Dredge Co. in Batu Gajah. He had two stints there: 1954-57, where he stayed at Bungalow A11 & 1958-61, residing at Bungalow A13. As Nick explains, his father was known as ‘Roy’ and […]
The first Federal elections in Malaya were held in July 1955 to determine the new rulers of the Federation of Malaya after Merdeka (Independence). This was a milestone in the history of the country which led to the people becoming independent from the British on 31 August 1957. Of course the responsibility for the safety […]
Some of you out there asked for a printable copy of the Batu Gajah Heritage Trail Map. Here it is: Just click on it to enlarge.
Recently published, this new heritage map comes from the same stable as the two Ipoh Heritage walking trails. It is available now, FREE, from the Ipoh Tourism Office and leading hotels and tourism outlets. Alternatively contact kintaheritage@gmail.com. Unfortunately we do not have enough space to put up the whole thing, but the map below will give […]
Here we have a picture of St Joseph’s Church, in Batu Gajah. From what we know, the church was built in 1882. This picture was taken around 1957.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
