Old KL – Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, Government Printing Office, Selangor Recreation Club, KL Book Club & Victoria Fountain

Old KL – Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, Government Printing Office, Selangor Recreation Club, KL Book Club & Victoria Fountain

Categories: Bygone Days
by Manjeet Dhillon
Share
Categories: Bygone Days

Author

sarongtrails

Share

Old KL (Colonial Core)

Bujang squints at the sun, his sarong hitched up a notch. The midday sun beats down, but a flicker of recognition crosses his weathered face. His gaze falls upon a grand building.

4. Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China

Bujang puffs on his pipe, smoke curling into the air. Eyeing the dilapidated building. “What in tarnation happened here? Plants growing out of the walls? Wasn’t like this back in the day. This was home to the Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China.

Back in 1888, they rented a little space on the upper floor of a shophouse belonging to the Straits Trading Company on Market Street (now Lebuh Pasar Besar). A tiny acorn with dreams of becoming a mighty oak.

But Kuala Lumpur was a city on the move, and the bank wasn’t one to lag behind. They saw the city’s potential and soon outgrew their cosy space. By 1891, they had their own dedicated building, right here on this very spot!

As their business boomed, so did their need for a bigger and sturdier home. . The little single-story just wouldn’t cut it anymore. So, they built this grand structure you see today, with all the bells and whistles, including strong rooms and fancy alarms to scare away any pencuri (burglars).

But function wasn’t everything. The architects added some pizazz too! Bujang gestures upwards. See those domes? Crafted from the iron-hard belian wood, all the way from Sarawak! And those pointed arches above the entrance and windows? Those are called horseshoe arches, adding a touch of elegance. Quite the majestic look, wouldn’t you say?

The bank served Kuala Lumpur faithfully until 1965. Then, its story takes a fascinating turn! It housed various government departments, became the Kuala Lumpur District and Land Office, and even the Federal Territory Religious Affairs Office! Quite the mix, eh? In 1991, it transformed into the National History Museum, but that adventure ended in 2007. Since then, it’s been a bit of a chameleon—a restaurant, a music museum—and now, well, it seems they can’t decide what to do with her anymore.

  • Kuala Lumpur wasn’t the bank’s initial pisang goreng (fried bananas). By 1875, while the tin boom was making pockets heavier than a coolie’s basket, they’d already set up shop in Penang!

    Imagine the scene: bustling port, fortunes being made, and the Chartered Bank right there, ready to handle all those shiny new coins and wads of cash, like kacang goreng (fried peanuts)—a real feast for the bank’s coffers! Wonder what the first transaction was? A hefty chunk of tin for a fancy carriage, perhaps? Or maybe a gambier or pepper tycoon settling a cheeky gambling debt? Clever devils, those bankers! Bujang’s gotta get his hands on those old account ledgers.

    In 1969, the Chartered Bank underwent a major transformation. By merging with the South African bank Standard Bank, they formed the global financial powerhouse we know today as Standard Chartered Bank.

  • These scarce banknotes, issued from 1859 to 1890, boast a unique inscription: “Post Bill.” Printed by the Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China at their Taiping, Perak branch, they bear the British coat of arms proudly at the top, accompanied by the inscription “Incorporated by Royal Charter.” Taiping’s name, interestingly, is spelled as “THAIPING” on these notes.

  • Kuala Lumpur underwater! 1912 wasn’t kind to Kuala Lumpur. The city took a massive dunking in the worst floods anyone could remember. For days, KL was a watery island. Seems the bank’s strong room, filled with thousands of dollars worth of banknotes, got a good soaking too. Talk about a wet dream (nightmare!) for any banker.

    But fear not! Picture this: bank staff, with rolled-up sleeves and determined expressions, carefully drying out those soggy banknotes under the open sky on the Padang. And to keep any sticky fingers at bay, the police guards from Bluff Hill (just a stone’s throw away) kept a watchful eye. Talk about a community effort!

    Curios Case: The newspaper article throws up a curious situation. It claims thousands of dollars were reduced to pulp, yet there were no reported losses. This discrepancy sparks a question: if the money turned into a wet, unusable mess, how was it dried on the padang (open field) as reported? Perhaps the pulping wasn’t as complete as initially described, allowing for some form of salvage on the open field.

  • Railway Quarters! An newspaper article from 1919, hints to the presence of railway quarters just behind the bank. This would refer to present day site of Rumah Persekutuan.

5. Government Printing Office

Look! Right next door, we have another contender, languishing for the “Most Neglected Historical Building” award! The former government printing press, recently vacated (2024), appears eager to share the same fate as its neighbour. Empty and forlorn, its windows flung open like pleading arms, surrendering its once-proud wooden floors to the relentless humidity. A real testament to our city’s dedication to preserving its heritage, wouldn’t you agree? Is this what we want for our city’s heritage? Let’s raise some voices!.

The late 19th century saw a surge in printing needs. Taiping got the first printing office in 1888, but Kuala Lumpur wasn’t far behind. In 1890, a small operation with only ten workers and basic machinery sprouted up on Bluff Road, just a stone’s throw away. Think of it as a tiny sapling compared to the mighty oak it would become! Fast forward nine years, and this little printing press found itself overlooking the Padang in a grand new building—the very one we see today! But the story doesn’t end there, folks. By 1904, the Taiping Government Printing Office decided to, well, call it a day and merge their operations with Kuala Lumpur’s to create a single, federally-run powerhouse known as the Government Printing Office. (Note: Today, this historic building continues its legacy under a new name: Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad, located on Jalan Chan Sow Lin. But Bujang has a feeling these walls still hold some juicy printing secrets waiting to be unearthed!)

Of course, that little sapling couldn’t handle the growing demand for printed materials forever. By 1898, the need for a bigger and sturdier building became clear. And that’s exactly what they built—the grand structure you see today!

CE Spooner, the Selangor State Engineer, wasn’t just after fancy looks (though it is a handsome devil, wouldn’t you say?). He designed it with a hidden strength—a network of cast iron columns and trusses like sturdy bird bones. This allowed for open space, perfect for those monstrous printing presses to churn out documents and newspapers.

Take a closer look at the building’s details, folks! Spot the oriel window—that fancy bay window jutting out. And don’t miss the Flemish gable (the triangle at the top) and those garlic-shaped finials (those little toppers); they all add a touch of charm.

Fast forward through the decades, and this building has seen it all! From the Ministry of Labour in the 60s to the Postal Authority in the 70s, it’s definitely worn many hats. Then came the cultural shift in the 80s, when it became the KL Memorial Library, a treasure trove of the city’s history. Finally, it housed the KL City Gallery. However, the story doesn’t end there. With the gallery’s departure in 2024, the future use of this historic building remains an open question. Bujang will keep his ear to the ground and be sure to share any juicy details he uncovers!

  • John Russell, a printing pioneer, arrived in Kuala Lumpur in 1890. Hailing from England, he was recruited by the British Selangor State Government to establish and manage their new printing office. Accompanied by his family, Russell arrived in Singapore on March 15th, 1890, and shortly thereafter reached Kuala Lumpur by train. His immediate task was to set up the printing operation within the government-provided premises.

  • Russell’s son pioneered the first tea estate in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. His tea label, “Boh,” can be found in supermarkets across the country.

    A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

    John Russell arrived in Selangor on 22 July 1890, along with his wife and four sons, one of whom was John Archibald Russell (JA), aged seven at the time. His father took up the Crown Agent’s offer of a job as a foreman printer. JA, along with three of his brothers, returned to England in 1893 after the unexpected death of their mother. He returned six years later and, in 1904, established J.A. Russell and Co., or “Chop Thai Ying,” which means “the most outstanding,” to engage in tin trading and mining. Other businesses include coal concessions (Malayan Collieries Ltd), match manufacturing (Malayan Matches Ltd), construction (Federated Engineering Company Ltd), and real estate (among which in Ipoh: 260 shop houses and two cinemas: Isis and Choong Wah).

    JA saw the potential of tea as an important crop for Malaya, which until that time had been substantially dependent upon rubber and tin. Together with A. B. Milne, a veteran tea planter from Ceylon (Sri Lanka), he applied for and was granted a land concession in the Cameron Highlands in 1929.

    He started small, as companies did then—he had just one steamroller, a few labourers, and a few mules—but worked magic as he transformed steep jungle slopes into a highland tea garden. His timing couldn’t have been better—Sir George Maxwell, a naturalist and the then British Resident of Perak, had just decided to transform Cameron Highlands into a hill station. As a result, we now have Boh Tea!

  • Back in the early 1890s, folks craved their news, but daily updates were a luxury Kuala Lumpur hadn’t yet acquired. Fear not, for in 1892, a glimmer of hope emerged. Three adventurous souls—J.H.M. Robson, J.A. Russell, and W.W. Skeat—didn’t let the lack of a daily paper stop them. These weren’t your typical reporters, mind you. Think of them as “amateur journalists with ink in their veins,” who decided to take matters into their own hands and launched a weekly journal, like a mini newspaper that arrived once a week.

    They called it the “Selangor Journal,”  a fitting name for a publication focusing on the state capital and surrounding districts. Imagine the excitement when the first issue hit the stands in September 1892! Folks finally had a source for news and opinions, even if it wasn’t a daily dose.

    Sadly, the Selangor Journal’s adventure ended in 1896. But worry not! Kuala Lumpur wouldn’t remain in the dark for long. December 14th, 1896, marked a momentous occasion: the birth of the Malay Mail, Kuala Lumpur’s first daily newspaper!

Psst! Hidden History Alert!

As you meander away from the government printing press towards the KL Library (Perpustakaan Kuala Lumpur), keep your eyes peeled to the right. Tucked away, you’ll spot an Art Deco building–that’s actually the KL Children’s Library now! But back in the day, it was the Kuala Lumpur Book Club. And right next door (although it’s gone now) used to be the Selangor Recreation Club. Just a little taste of KL’s hidden history for you history buffs!

Selangor Recreation Club (SRC)

Kuala Lumpur’s social scene in the late 1800s wasn’t exactly inclusive. You had the Selangor Club, bursting with middle-class folks, and the Lake Club, shimmering with the city’s elite. Then there were those who, well, weren’t quite posh enough for either. Enter the Selangor Recreation Club (SRC), the club for the “interesting” bunch.

Imagine mechanics, engine drivers, and a sprinkle of Malayan civil servants—a motley crew united by their love of a good time. Here, they could unwind with a “stengah” (half a glass of whisky with soda, for the uninitiated) at their own bar, perfect their billiards skills, or unleash their inner Robin Hood with a game of darts.

Founded in 1897, the SRC’s first president was Dr. E.A.O. Travers. Even the building reflected their less-than-highbrow status—a humble wooden shed. Fancy? Not a chance. Fun? Absolutely!

Sadly, the original SRC clubhouse, a humble wooden shed by all accounts, met its demise in late 1999. (It was located in the bottom left corner of this image, identifiable by its octagonal roof).

KL Book Club (current building: KL Children’s Library)

Nestled behind the Selangor Club, the KL Book Club started as a private library tucked away in the backroom of the KL Town Hall, catering mainly to expats. Think of it as a secret garden, a refuge for those yearning for a good book. However, the love of reading knows no bounds! Over time, the club embraced inclusivity, welcoming bibliophiles from all walks of life.

Fast forward to 1939, and the club’s dedication to its community is etched in stone—well, brick, actually! This very building, financed through government grants and member contributions, became their permanent home. No more temporary quarters!

Interestingly, the club fiercely guarded its independence. They even said “tidak” (no) to an encyclopaedia, prioritising leisurely reading over dry reference materials. Can you imagine? A library solely dedicated to the joy of getting lost in a good story!

The tides of history turned rough during the Japanese occupation, but the KL Book Club persevered. Today, this literary haven has transformed into the beloved KL Children’s Library, nurturing a new generation of bookworms.

Bujang believes this is a story worth remembering. The KL Book Club, though transformed, reminds us of the power of reading and the importance of fostering a love of literature for all. Who knows, maybe one of those children browsing the shelves today will be Kuala Lumpur’s next great writer!

6. Victoria Fountain

Folks gather ’round, for we’re about to explore the curious tale of the Victoria Fountain, also known as the “Grand Old Lady of Fountains.”

Imagine this: a royal bath tub—oops, I meant a grand fountain—shipped all the way from England in pieces like a giant jigsaw puzzle! (It seems flat packs were a thing even back then!). They must have had the patience of saints to put it all together for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Two tiers of cascading water, fancy Art Nouveau tiles, and even some grumpy-looking gargoyles guarding the base—this fountain had it all!

  • A Fountain Out of Place? But hold your horses! The original plan wasn’t what you see today. Believe it or not, they first wanted to plunk this grand dame right in Market Square! Can you imagine the traffic chaos? The police, bless their cotton socks, weren’t too keen on the idea. So, they said, “Cari tempat lain lah!” (find another spot! ), and voila, here it stands!

  • But Bujang wouldn’t be Bujang if he didn’t unearth a secret! Take a little walk around the flagpole, folks, and you’ll see something truly special. Mosaic artwork hidden in plain sight depicts Kuala Lumpur in all its muddy glory back in the day! A reminder of how far this city has come.

Your support means the world and keeps the spirit of exploration alive! If you’ve found the content valuable, please consider buying me coffee. Your kindness not only fuels quality content but also acknowledges the time invested. 

Note: All images used on this blog are in accordance with fair use copyright guidelines, or educational and informational purposes. I strive to attribute images to their original creators whenever possible. If you are the copyright holder of any image and believe its use here violates your copyright, please contact me so we can remove the image or obtain proper permission.