Lloyd Cameron-Lewis<lloyd@cameronlewis.ca>

My grandfather Charles Cox worked in the prison service and worked, I believe, at the Taiping Jail in the 20's and 30's. My mother spent her childhood in Taiping and was, I believe, married there. My father was in the Police force and was based in Penang where I was born. Subsequently, my Grandfather was transferred to Singapore and spent WW2 as a guest of the Japanese in Changi. Subsequently he worked at the Outram Road Prison in Singapore.

Qaiser<qaiseralituri@yahoo.com>

Hi dear friend , i m pakistani and also a student . U r great to help people . My friend who went to malaysia for employment, but unfortunately he is in malaysian jail, now there iz no contact with him . Plz will u give me phone numbers of malaysian jails . I shall be higly thankful to u .

Justin<kazinkosfoamcore@gmail.com>

i'm currently a college student attending the university of california san diego in america and was raised in america, but both my parents are from malaysia, and my mom's family is from taiping. i believe (although i am not sure) my grandfather's house is just farther along the road in the above picture. i know it's across the street from a school. anyway i tell my friends that my grandfather's house is only down the street from a jail, and also the jail is more than 100 years old. They can't believe i would go there. it's pretty cool that i can remember many of the places in these pictures, but it feels so far away now. now that i think about it, i always enjoyed coming here because it never seemed to change from one visit to the next (and maybe because all my responsibilities were left thousands of miles away). sometimes i try to describe taiping to my friends, but you can never know what it's like unless you've been there and how different it is from anything in the u.s.

George B Morrison<george.b@clara.co.uk>

The only story I have to tell, is that I took a picture of the Prison in 1951, when I was in the British Royal Marines and station in Taiping, I did revisit the area in 1981 with my wife Thelma. being on a bus tour from Singapore enroute to Penang. The 40 Commando Royal Marines head quarters was at Kuala-Kangsar. In 1981.A great place, lovely. Enjoyed seeing the monkeys jumping around.

ET Lee Popeye<pwlee666@yahoo.com>

I do know that every tuesday and friday, salted fish meal will be served to the inmates. I knew this because every times I pass thru the jail to school, a strong odour of salted meat will linger around. (year 1983-88)

Jill<jill.remnant@mazelaw.co.nz>

Well.... last time I was in Taiping, just last year, I was told that I should be thrown in that jail, as I'd stolen some hearts in Taiping!! And that is one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me!!! [Jill, at least you will stay at the oldest jail in the country ;-), kayes]

kayes<kayes@pc.jaring.my>

TAIPING'S MANY FIRSTS

Taiping had the first of many things, like the 1st railway in the country, 1st hill resort, 1st telegraph office, 1st turf club, 1st golf course etc etc. Below is a complete list.

1 Open tin mining activity in the peninsula (1844).
2 Hill resort - Maxwell Hill (1844)
3 Swimming pool - Kolam Renang Kemahkotaan (1870).
4 Mosque - Masjid Tengku Menteri (1870).
5 Rest house (1870).
6 Artillery warehouse (1870).
7 Magistrate court (1874).
8 Balai penghulu (1875).
9 Resident's house (1877).
10 Port - Port Weld (1877).
11 English school - Central School Kamunting (1878).
12 Police force team (1879).
13 Government offices (1879).
14 Telegraph and post office (1880).
15 Lake gardens - Taman Tasik Taiping (1880).
16 Hospital, private and government (1880).
17 Club - New Club (1880).
18 Railway station and warehouse (1881).
19 Museum - Muzium Negeri Perak (1883).
20 Market building - Taiping Market Square (1884).
21 Prison - Penjara Taiping (1885).
22 Railway track - from Port Weld to Taiping (1885).
23 Turf club - Perak Turf Club (1886).
24 Anglican church - Old Saints Church (1886).
25 English girl's school - Treacher Girls' School (1889).
26 Clock tower - Menara Jam Besar (1890).
27 Esplanade - Padang Esplanade (1890).
28 Malay newspaper - Seri Perak (June 1893).
29 English newspaper - Perak Pioneer (July 4, 1894).
30 Tamil newspaper - Perak Verthamani (1894).
31 Armed Forces - Malay States Guides (1896).
32 Teaching college - Maktab Perguruan Melayu (1898-1900).
33 Ceylon association (1899).
34 Punjabi association - Khalsa Diwan Malaya Association (1903).
35 Indian association (1906).
36 Recreation park - Coronation Park (1920s).
37 Airfield - Padang Kapal Terbang Tekah (1930).
38 Golf course.
39 Library - Perpustakaan Merdeka.
40 Fire brigade.