King of Siam visited Perak

 

Vajiravudh (Rama VI) was the King of Siam who reigned from 1910 to 1925. Accompanied by his concubine, Suvadhana, Vajiravudh visited the Federated Malay States in 1924. The visit was reported to allow Vajiravudh to acquaint himself with the railway system of the FMS, especially when both nations are now linked by rail. Vajiravudh had a stopover in Kuala Kangsar where he was greeted by Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Idris I. Following this stop, the King of Siam continued his rail journey to Singapore, stopping at Ipoh where he met a few prominent residents including Leong Sin Nam, a well-known tin miner.

Footnote: In 1910, Vajiravudh founded an all-boys boarding college, Vajiravudh College, in Bangkok. He also introduced rugby as the college’s main sport so that the college boys would learn the virtue of sportsmanship. Interestingly, 36 years after Vajiravudh’s visit to Kuala Kangsar, an annual friendly rugby match between Vajiravudh College and Malay College Kuala Kangsar has become tradition.

Reference:1. Wikipedia. Rama VI.

2. Our royal visitor. King Rama VI of Siam. Malayan Saturday Post. 1924 September 27.

3. Wikipedia. Leong Sin Nam.

Article from: SembangKuala.

Award given to Leong Sin Nam.

Final Tribute to Leong Sin Nam. January 1940.

Ms Deng Yu of NUS is writing a thesis on the Chinese Consul General of Singapore.  She did some research and found some pictures of LSN with Mr Kao, the Chinese Consul General of Singapore.  I searched my archive and found these other photos which I wish to share with her and you during this Cheng Beng. 

Deng Yu's message on examining this photo collection: "In British Malaya(1930-1940s), we only have one Chinese Consul General, and two Chinese Consuls. All of them came to Mr. Leong Sin Nam's funeral." 

Dr Tertius Clarke

M.B.C.S., England; L.B.C.P. London;

District Surgeon;

Born: July 24, 1865. 

Acting Residency Surgeon, Negri Sembilan, 1896;

District Surgeon, Gopeng. Krian, Batang Padang, Lower Perak, 1897-1903;

District Surgeon, Ipoh, 1906.

"Medical work on an Estate" by Dr Tertius Clarke.  Excerpt from Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicles, 25th May 1925.  

Dr Tertius Clarke was formerly the Health Officer of Kinta.

A road was named after him in Ipoh.  The road is now renamed after Sultan Abdul Jalil, the 29th Sultan of Perak.

Mdm Chee Liew Kim, the 5th wife of Mr Leong Sin Nam stayed at 15 Clarke Street during and after the Second World War.  The row of shophouses belonged to the family.   

Dr Rin Sei Ko rented 15 Clarke Street in 1958 and started his general practice.  He was a well-known doctor and had many patients.  He passed away in 1969.  

Mr Leong Yeow Nyean and family stayed at the end lot shophouse to the right at -- Clarke Street. 

Picture of restored 15 and 13 Clarke Street. 

Dr Sun Yat Sen Exhibition at Perak Chinese Amateur Dramatic Association.

The Perak Chinese Amateur Dramatic Association, Jalan Dato Tahwil Azir (Osborne Street).

Exhibition on 2nd Floor of the Building.  

The Emblem of PCADA. 

A live Opera Show. Unfortunately not in drama outfit. 

Dr Sun Yat Sen Exhibition.  A project by Ms Chan Sue Meng.  

An oldie piano. 

Mosaic floor tiles in intact.

Building donors of 1938.

Portrait of Dr Sun Yat Sen donated by Mr Leong Sin Nam.

Plate on the Portrait.

Article from Explore Ipoh

Perak Chinese Amateur Dramatic Association.

Jalan Dato Tahwil Azir (formerly known as Orborne Street).

In 1903, a group of ‘junior officials, clerks, bank shroffs and young miners’ met at the Chinese Union Club at 69 Hale Street to play Cantonese music. In 1905, they formed the Perak Chinese Dramatic Troupe to put up perfomances at the Chinese theatre in Leech Street to aid the Canton Flood Relief Fund.

After an eventful performance at Kuala Lumpur, when one of the performers collapsed and later died of a heart attack, the name Perak Chinese Amateur Dramatic Association was adopted. They moved several times, staying for eight years at 11 Anderson Road. In 1935, they bought the present site and started a building fund with an initial donation from Wu-Lien Teh, a doctor famed as the “Manchurian plague fighter”.

The present three-storey Art-Deco building was opened in 1938. A large marble table inscribed with the names of 221 donors is found on the ground floor. From September 1945 to April 1946, the MPAJA took over the building, throwing regular feasts for their fighters with livestock contributed by the country folk. The British Military Administration then requisitioned the entire building from May 1946 for the NAAFI (Navy Army Air Force Institute) Canteen.