Times of Malaya

Times of Malaya when Pioneers, Planters, Miners, Civil Servants, Merchants, Police and the Military - both regulars and volunteers, during British Colonisation period, lived in the Straits Settlements of Singapore, Malacca and Penang and the Federated Malay States of Perak, Selangor, Pahang, Negri Sembilan including Unfederated States of Johore, Terengganu, Kelantan & Perlis. From 1786, the arrival of Francis Light; 1819, landing of Stamford Raffles with the Honourable East India Company & the administration of the Straits Settlements by British India through to being The Crown Colony in 1867 leading to WW1 and WW2 in Malaya. The Times of Malayan Emergency to the independence of Malaya in 1957 and the Republic of Singapore in 1965.

Monday, 29 November 2010

Straits Settlements Post Box 2 (King George V) Penang

Another Straits Settlements Post Box located along Dato Kramat Road in Penang

A "squarish" Post Box with the Royal Cypher GR - King George V ( from 1910 - 1936)

Straits Settlements Post Box ( Regina Victoria) Penang

An old Post Box ( left) next to present one ( right). The old Post Box has the Royal Cypher, Regina Victoria ( VR) - from 1837 - 1901. Considered as one of the oldest British era Post Box existing in the Straits Settlements of Penang.

The location of the post boxes is along Beach Street. Posing next to the post boxes was the man who paints the post boxes ( unfortunately did not had the chance to ask his name)

Straits Settlements Post Box ( King Edward VII ) Penang

A Post box located outside the old Federated Malaya States Railway Station, Penang ( Now Customs House). The Royal Cypher is King Edward VII (ERvii) from 1901 - 1910.

Straits Settlements Post Box (King George V) Penang

A Post Box opposite the Eastern & Oriental Hotel in Penang with a King George V Royal Cypher.

The GR Royal Cypher is used during King George V reign from 1910 - 1936

British Malaya Post Box Kuala Lumpur

A British Malaya Post Box during the King George V ( GR) - 1910 - 1936 - The GR could have been covered by the sticker

The Post Box stands outside the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur

Friday, 26 November 2010

Eat, Talk, Coffee.. etc in Kedai Kopi, Kopi Tiam Malaysia/Singapore – No 5

Oops, a wine shop in Ipoh...but its next to the famous Ipoh White coffe, Kopi Tiam in Old Town

A gathering in a Kopi Tiam in Balik Papan

The service station of a Kopi Tiam in a prewar shop house in Taiping

Rolling dough in Hoong Toh, Ipoh for their famous Chinese pastries

Eat, Talk, Coffee.. etc in Kedai Kopi, Kopi Tiam Malaysia/Singapore – No 4

Penang food stall serving food( Economy Rice) "ala" Squatting style

Penang Kopi Tiam serving Dim Sum or Yam Char during the night

Penang food stall serving porridge within a shop house

Penang food stalls serving food amongst the trees ( for better shade I suppose!)

Eat, Talk, Coffee.. etc in Kedai Kopi, Kopi Tiam Malaysia/Singapore – No.3

A Kopi Tiam stall at the junction ofKimberley Street, Penang

A water boiler in a Kopi Tiam along China Street

The sitting area of a Kopi Tiam in Penang

The service station of a Kopi Tiam in China Street( above) & in an alley along Campbell Street
( below)

Noel Coward visited the Raffles in Singapore,1931

Mad Dogs & Englishmen :
In tropical climes
There are certain times
Of day
When all the citizens retire
To take their clothes off and perspire.
It's one of those rules
That the greatest fools
Obey,
Because the sun is far too sultry
And one must avoid its ultry
Violet ray.

The natives grieve
When the white men leave
Their huts.
Because they're obviously,
Definitely
Nuts.

Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Go out in the midday sun.
The Japanese don't care to,
The Chinese wouldn't dare to,
Hindus and Argentines
Sleep firmly from twelve to one,
But Englishmen
Detest a
Siesta.
In the Philippines
They have lovely screens
To protect you from the glare.
In the Malay states
There are hats like plates
Which the Britishers won't wear.
At twelve noon
The natives swoon,
And no further work is done,
But mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday sun!

Such a surprise
For the eastern eyes
To see,
That though the English are effete,
They're quite impervious to heat.
When the white man rides
Every native hides
In glee.
Because the simple creatures hope he
Will impale his solar topee
On a tree.

It seems such a shame
When the English claim
The Earth,
That they give rise
To such hilarity
And mirth.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,
Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo,
He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he,
Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm.

Mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday sun.
The toughest Burmese bandit
Can never understand it.
In Rangoon
The heat of noon
Is just what the natives shun,
They put their Scotch
Or Rye down
And lie down.
In a jungle town
Where the sun beats down
To the rage of man and beast,
The English garb
Of the English sahib
Merely gets a bit more creased.
In Bangkok
At twleve'o'clock
They foam at the mouth and run,
But mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday sun.

Mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday sun.
The smallest Malay rabbit
Deplores this foolish habit.
In Hong Kong
They strike a gong
And fire off a noonday gun
To reprimand
Each inmate
Who's in late.
In the Mangrove swamps
Where the python romps
There is peace from twelve to two,
Even caribous
Lie around and snooze,
For there's nothing else to do.
In Bengal,
To move at all
Is seldom if ever done.
But mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday sun!

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Monday, 29 November 2010

Friday, 26 November 2010