Arlene House (Chung Thye Phin Building)
Published on Nil| by arlenehouseipoh.business.site
Arlene House (Chung Thye Phin Building)
The conservation, preservation and restoration of Arlene House – 1905 (Also known as Kapitan Chung Thye Phin Building and Phin Kee Chan), located at No 18, Jalan Dato Maharaja Lela (Station Road), 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
We are performing conservation, preservation and restoration works on Kapitan Chung Thye Phin Building (built in 1905). In our pursuit to conserve, restore and record the building’s history & heritage attributes, personalities and business activities that have once occupied and operated in this building, we would appreciate the public i.e. Ipoh’s old town residents or persons/historian who have personal knowledge to share further information, images, photos, events and/or stories of this building and its occupants/business activities, to enable us to have better understanding in our planning, preservation, conservation & restoration works and recording of the history and heritage attributes of the building for the public/future generation to reminiscence and appreciate.
Information and images shared and posted in this page are provided by the owners, authors/makers of this page and/or shared/obtained from other sources/persons where acknowledgement/credit have been made whenever possible. The information and images provided herewith shall not be copied, reproduced and/or reprinted in any form/media without the expressed consent and approval of the owners and/or authors/makers of this page and only be allowed to be shared within members/friends/group of FB for purpose of education, discussion and comments only.
The Untold Story of Our Journey – Discovery, Love At First Sight.
Conservation of Arlene House (Kapitan Chung Thye Phin Building)Today, we wish to share some insights (1st Milestone) of Our Journey.
Will bring you back to year 2011, to appreciate some visual-images captured 9 years ago.
Not many Ipoh residents nor the public would have re-collections of the founding history of this building. It was named “BANGUNAN SZTOLEE” by the previous owner.
The last activities of this building, nine years ago was the RHYTHM MUSICAL LOUNGE !. Yes, it had its share of being one of the historical “live band, music and dance bar” of yesteryears. It was the most popular bar in Ipoh’s Old Town of its time!, providing entertainment and fond memories to many of its customers.
Further back history, the ground was occupied by the Georgetown Pharmacy. Preceding it was the George Town Dispensary, dating back to post WW2.
It was by fate, chance, that one day we set eyes on this building. Knowing its existence much earlier, but did not really gave it a 2nd look. Neither did we noticed its detailed built-heritage until we admired from afar, the opposite road. Its charming architectural designs, trade marks were unfolded when we scrutinized the façade carefully.
We did not know of its rich history, nor legacy prior to acquiring this building. Or to the fact, it was once the Headquarters of Chung Thye Phin, the “Last Kapitan of Perak and Malaya”. It was through subsequent researches, history records that led us to learn of its intrinsic heritage values.
The building was in dilapidated conditions. Coatings worn, mushy and peeling. Moldy patches all over its façade. Masonries and plasters damaged by wears and tears. Vegetations growing on its parapets, gutters, downpipes, cornices and columns! Some built-heritage fixtures fittings were sealed, destroyed or removed by previous owners-tenants.
Electrical wirings, components were haphazardly installed, rusty, worn and exposed. Downpipes, drains, sewers damaged and clogged. Doors, windows, walls were covered with cobwebs, not used or cleaned over ages. Water seepages, leakages were noted on ceiling boards and walls.
Despite what we saw, “the most unappealing state of conditions of its exterior”, we were not satisfied. With an inquisitive mind, we were eager to explore further, to see its interior!.
The exterior was the “Discovery”. The “Love at First Sight” was the impetus, consideration, decision for us to acquire the building. It was an unexpected asset we discovered in its interior! For this, we may consider sharing a 2nd Part Video later.
We shall be publishing this video for the first time, 1st Part (1st Milestone) of Our Journey. These visual-images were captured before we embarked on the conservation, preservation and restoration works of the building.
The Untold Story of Our Journey – Discovery, Love At First Sight (Part 2).
Conservation of Arlene House (Kapitan Chung Thye Phin Building)
As promised, we have decided to share further insights on the 1st Milestone of Our Journey. Today, we shall be sharing part of the visual-images of the interior of building in 2011, for the very first time.
We have censored some sections of the interior, i.e. mysterious “Asset” that you may be eager to find out or know what it is? The “Central Bay” and “Stairwell” sections are also ommited.
It was difficult tasks ahead. A long Journey that we didnt anticipate.
Substantial researches, investigations works, finding & interviewing persons whom had knowledge or worked in this building for descriptions, information of businesses, personalities and interiors, tracing & studying the damaged/destroyed built-heritage fixtures-fittings, analysing and understanding its designs-constructions had to be performed before hand.
Those were some of the time consuming, tedious planning and adhoc works to be undertaken before any conservation and preservation works could be performed or carried out.
The mysterious Asset, Central Bay and Stairwell sections shall be reveal and disclose at an appropriate time for the public to appreciate.
MADE IN IPOH establishment works are in progress. You may follow at
Facebook to get the latest updates, behind the scene, activities and opening date.
Not to our surprise, the interiors conditions were extremely bad, totally not maintained at all. The building was in serious dilapidated states.
The roofs were leaking. Some timber trusses, battens and ceiling joists were damaged and broken. Water leaks and seepages were noted on ceiling boards, walls, windows and hallways. Some damaged ceiling boards and timber joists have fallen. Dirt, debrises and cobwebs were all over, with moldy walls and staint floors.
There was also a resident pigeon living inside!
The 1st and 2nd floorboards were badly damaged. Very risky, as it could just punched through by the load of your weight if not careful. Our exploration were limited, as we couldnt access to certain sections of the building.
That was the beginning of our nightmare in 2011…!
The Last Kapitan Of Malaya
” The Last Kapitan Of Malaya ” – Official Appointments.
Chung Thye Phin was appointed a member of the Perak State Council (See Pic, dated 1904) in 1900, at a very young age of 21 years then, after completing his education (pictured in western suit wearing a boater hat).
He replaced his father, a position held by Kapitan Chung Keng Quee since the Council was first formed in 1877 by Sir Hugh Low (4th British Resident of Perak) and remained on the Council till his resignation in 1927. He was also appointed a member of the Perak Advisory Board and admitted to the List of Qualified Jurors in 1904. He was just 25 years of age at that time !.
He had the opportunity to serve and contribute to the State and community affairs through the Council, chaired by His Highness, the Sultan of Perak, Sir Idris Shah, GCMG, GCVO (President) and later His Highness, Sultan Sir Iskandar Shah, GCMG, KCVO, and his close friend and business associate, the Honorable Sir Ernest Woodford Birch, C.M.G. (8th British Resident of Perak), who was the son of James Wheeler Woodford Birch (1st British Resident of Perak in 1874). JWW Birch was assassinated in 1875, preluding to the Perak War.
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