Posted : 10th April 2012
Updated : 16th November 2012
Note :
I dont mind if anyone would like to take the photos from this article. But please give credit to whoever its due. Most photos are rare ones and was not easy to find. Some photos the credit should go to Malcome Wade & Khoo Salmah. Please dont remove the copyright and credit wordings!! 26th June 2012
""""Those who wish to use the photos or information, please give credit.""""
I woke up on a cool day to visit some areas in Perai for some social reason. As usual, my phone was the 1st gadget I grabbed to check messages & twitter notifications.
The tweet from Ambiga Sreenivasagan caught my attention.
For quite some time, I had noticed how Malaysian politics is becoming from bad to worse where leaders & grassroots members of every political party are politicizing in almost each and every matter.
Having been in this line since 2001, I realize that maybe, its time for a break. Very soon everything will be part of my life's history. So I decided to put up photos and some info on Perai based on my research conducted since 2006.
Perai has many hidden historical gems as it has grown to be a planned town, transportation hub, pier, port, a far cry from the entry point for pirates attack in 1791. I had stopped the research since i was busy with other commitments.
Born in Perai and living here since the last 32 years, I'v seen, heard, learn lots and lots of Perai history. The Perai you can see today which is where I live now, has undergone massive changes.
No more villages, large fields, wooden houses, seafood restaurant by the Perai River, trunk roads and many more. I decided to conduct the research of my birth place because i am eager to know and learn more about it.
I still can recall some of the places during my childhood days.
- The railway track behind Supreme Garden where I hace seen the platform built from red bricks, where i believe crops from the estate were stationed before being transported.
- There use to be a large field and an wooden house in front of the current BORR Toll Office in Perai.
- The Perai roundabout.
- The field where the Customs quarters was located, beside the Perai Government clinic.
- The row of shops on the left as we enter Perai after the roundabout, and thats where i use to cut my hair.
- The two lane road all the way from Perai to Bukit Tengah.
- The square shape steel bus stop and many more.
Perai, Prai, Pyre, Prye, Pry - here are some info and photos that I manage to collect.
No more villages, large fields, wooden houses, seafood restaurant by the Perai River, trunk roads and many more. I decided to conduct the research of my birth place because i am eager to know and learn more about it.
I still can recall some of the places during my childhood days.
- The railway track behind Supreme Garden where I hace seen the platform built from red bricks, where i believe crops from the estate were stationed before being transported.
- There use to be a large field and an wooden house in front of the current BORR Toll Office in Perai.
- The Perai roundabout.
- The field where the Customs quarters was located, beside the Perai Government clinic.
- The row of shops on the left as we enter Perai after the roundabout, and thats where i use to cut my hair.
- The two lane road all the way from Perai to Bukit Tengah.
- The square shape steel bus stop and many more.
Perai, Prai, Pyre, Prye, Pry - here are some info and photos that I manage to collect.
I once came across a write up from a journal that stated Perai, initially was known as Praya which is a Portugese word, meaning ‘ahead above is sea’ which i found logical.
Ahead of Perai - is our sea front. I couldn’t locate the specific location of the journal, so let’s leave a side the story of it.
Before Perai, this pre – planned town during the Straits Settlement had the same pronunciation but different in spelling. Intially it was penned down as Pry, Pyre, Prye, Prai and now Perai. Prye was such an important location for the British because the Federated Malay State Railway Station which was stationed here.
I am sure many of us are not aware of how the Perai port, railway station, jetty and wharf looked like in the early days. I found a photo of the areaand it is proven that Prye those days was a very busy transportation & import-export hub. Elephants, herbs, sugar cane and many crops was shipped out from here.
The above photo shows how the port / hub for import export looked like.
Ahead of Perai - is our sea front. I couldn’t locate the specific location of the journal, so let’s leave a side the story of it.
Before Perai, this pre – planned town during the Straits Settlement had the same pronunciation but different in spelling. Intially it was penned down as Pry, Pyre, Prye, Prai and now Perai. Prye was such an important location for the British because the Federated Malay State Railway Station which was stationed here.
I am sure many of us are not aware of how the Perai port, railway station, jetty and wharf looked like in the early days. I found a photo of the areaand it is proven that Prye those days was a very busy transportation & import-export hub. Elephants, herbs, sugar cane and many crops was shipped out from here.
The above photo shows how the port / hub for import export looked like.
After coming across the above photo, my wife and I visited the area. We found the steel that use to hold the fence. We also found a large steel where I believe it was the crane holder as could be seen on the above folder.
Prye, for sure, was a busy hub which was managed by the British. Developments in the area such as market, schools, police station and post office speak for it self on the development of Prye on those days.
Prye, for sure, was a busy hub which was managed by the British. Developments in the area such as market, schools, police station and post office speak for it self on the development of Prye on those days.
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| Perai Wharf |
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| Perai Market |
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| Perai Post office |
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| Perai Railway Hub |
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| The Journal states a school was started in Prye as early ay 1880+ |
There were 3 schools in Prye in those days and it shows that education was given priority and quite a number of people have been living over here.
Ladang Prye Tamil School, Prai Tamil School & St Marks School was believed to have started around 1936. But recently I found a journal that stated a school was started in Prye as early 1880+.
Ladang Prye Tamil School, Prai Tamil School & St Marks School was believed to have started around 1936. But recently I found a journal that stated a school was started in Prye as early 1880+.
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| The Malaysian Journal : 1st school in Prye was in 1879 |
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| The Railway Office |
Penang was the only station in the world where its Railway office was situated separately from the railway station during the Straits Settlement.
For those who would like to travel on train, they need to purchase ticket from the Island ( Currently Customs Office ) and hop into the ferry.
Passengers were brought to the Prye Pier before they boarded the train to either Bangkok or Singapore bound.
It was a well planned stratergy for export of goods . The tracks were built by going through or passing estates so that crops could be easily transported.
An example from the current situation is the MSM Factory in Perai. The tracks are based up to the central part of the company to facilitate the daily transportation and supply of sugar.
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| The Old Railway Station |
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| Perai Railway Station Hub that would be demolished soon |
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| JMB Vermont Monument in Esplanade surrounded with Indian Labors. |
It was the same in those days. Tracks were built passing through the estates.
The well known estates during the Straits Settlement are Prye Estate, Alma Estate & Batu Kawan Estate.
There were several methods of transportation that were widely used. Other than the train, boats were also used.
The well known estates during the Straits Settlement are Prye Estate, Alma Estate & Batu Kawan Estate.
There were several methods of transportation that were widely used. Other than the train, boats were also used.
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| Prye Estate |
All these estates were owned by Brown, Scott & Vermont who planted sugar as they were one of the main suppliers.
JMB Vermont, who was also the manager, was regarded as the ‘Grand Old Man’ for his contribution on sugar supply during 1880 – 1890’s.
A monument in recognition of him was once built in Esplanade.
In 1906 the estate was sold to Pinang Syndicate Ltd and the new owners opted to plant rubbers.
Prye Estate compromises a large area where it was up to Batu Kawan and Permatang Pauh. Prye Estate was believe to be the main place of the owners to run and manage the industry back those days than. Those who had lived in Prye Estate would be aware of the existence of 3 Bungalows. I believe it was to accommodate the 3 owners of these large estate ( Brown, Scott & Vermont ).
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| The adv on Singapore NST for the sale of Prye Estate |
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| Air view of Kampung Teluk before it was developed in 1990's |
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| The basement of the sugar cane crusher |
The proof of the sugar plantation remains. Evan now, the basement that had placed the sugar cane crushing stone / crusher can been seen in Batu Kawan. The crusher has been taken away and I was told by a friend that it is now being kept by a local. When I received the photo of the crusher, what amused and shocked me was the design of the crusher. It immediately reminded me of the same type and design of stone which was found in Lembah Bujang.
Sometime in 2006, I had visited Lembah Bujang and came across that stone.
Lembah Bujang civilization started hundred of years before the plantation here begun.
So, how did the crusher had the same design and what is the connection between the two places?
I knew there was something internally related to Batu Kawan & Lembah Bujang. (Click here for brief history on Batu Kawan)
Sometime in 2006, I had visited Lembah Bujang and came across that stone.
Lembah Bujang civilization started hundred of years before the plantation here begun.
So, how did the crusher had the same design and what is the connection between the two places?
I knew there was something internally related to Batu Kawan & Lembah Bujang. (Click here for brief history on Batu Kawan)
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| Left ( Batu Kawan ) , Right ( Lembah Bujang ) |
Were Batu Kawan & Bukit Mertajam part of the Lembah Bujang territory?
Well, years before during school days, I heard that a relic was once found in BM. But not many locals were aware about this. This relic was found by Col James Low in 1845 when he was exploring to find a ruined Buddhist Temple.
It is engraved with pre ‘Pallava’ sript which transcripts about a King ‘Thus vanquish, the enemies of King Ramaunnibha'.
Well, years before during school days, I heard that a relic was once found in BM. But not many locals were aware about this. This relic was found by Col James Low in 1845 when he was exploring to find a ruined Buddhist Temple.
It is engraved with pre ‘Pallava’ sript which transcripts about a King ‘Thus vanquish, the enemies of King Ramaunnibha'.
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| Cherok To Kun Relics at the compound of St Anne's Church |
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| J. Low journal on the Relic |
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| Perai Map in 1890+ ( Pyre River ) |
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| J. Low Journal on the attack by pirates through Prai River in 1791 |
Other Part of J.Low journal on Prye & Batu Kawan
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As i began the research, i realized that every new story i found links to another.
There are many more hidden stories & secrets. I came across info that Perai had the best soil and best for making bricks.
The Railway hub which was built by the Brits also caught my attention.
Some of the roof piece has Tamil wordings inscriptions on it.
A friend were supposed to help me find the roof but i had delayed it. He now has retired and if i do start this research on Perai again, a long journey awaits me.
