top of page
 Clock Tower 1931It is considered the oldest clock tower in Malaysia, originally built in 1881 of wood and timber. The tower was rebuilt with bricks in 1890 and initially served as a fortified police station until 1950. It is located in the Jalan Kota in Taiping. The tower is part of a larger, now-demolished square fort. |  House of Captain Cina 1884The residence of Kapitan Cina Chung Keng Kwee, was built in 1884, and belonged to one of the more prominent leaders and businessmen of the Chinese community at the time. It was situated very close to the Taiping Post Office, Telegraph Office, Railway Station, and Rest House at the time it was built, signifying the prominence of its owner. It is a typical example of a colonial Straits townhouse and occupies two lots, which are currently designated as nos. 57 & 58 Barrack Road. |  TMGS 1889Founded in 1889 as the English Government Girls’ School, it became the first English girls’ school in the Federated Malay States. It was later renamed Lady Treacher Girls’ School, and eventually Treacher Methodist Girls’ School, in honor of Mrs. Treacher, wife of the then British Resident of Perak, whose support greatly shaped its growth and development. |
|---|---|---|
 Taiping Market 1884Built in 1884, the Taiping Market is Malaysia’s oldest and most iconic, renowned for its distinctive architecture and historical significance. This image captures its original façade, along with bullock carts that were a common sight of the era. Though renovated and expanded over time, the market still retains much of its old-world charm. |  Lake Gardens in 1950sEstablished in 1880 on a reclaimed tin mine, the Taiping Lake Gardens is Malaysia’s first public garden. Spanning over 64 hectares (or, 146 football fields), it is celebrated for its natural beauty, English-inspired landscape design by Charles Compton Reade and Lady Swettenham, and remains a beloved destination for strolling, paddle boating, and cycling among both locals and tourists. |  Perak Club early 1900sThe Perak Club, established in 1881 in Taiping, was the premier social and sporting hub for British colonial officers and their families during the height of the tin mining boom. Featuring a clubhouse, reading and billiard rooms, dining hall, tennis courts, and more, it reflected the town’s prosperity. Originally exclusive to the British, membership extended to government officers, miners, and planters in 1907. |
 Open Cast Mining 1900sOpen-cast tin mining in Taiping, early 20th century. This image shows rows of miners working with basic tools and bamboo scaffolding, extracting tin ore by sheer manpower. Tin was the lifeblood of Taiping’s economy, driving its growth and laying the foundation for Malaya’s position as the world’s leading tin producer during that era. |  Taiping Bus Station 1959The Taiping Bus Station, used to be located opposite Peace Hotel, adjacent to the now Larut Matang Hawkers Centre. 3 Red Omnibuses stand waiting. A lone policeman with truncheon hanging at the back, an Indian Lady walking by wrapped in sarong, men waiting, life going on. Many journeys started here. Many memories were made here. |  Old Taiping Mosque 1897The oldest mosque in Taiping, with an intriguing six-sided facade, was built in brick in 1897. It is located at Jalan Kota |
 Maxwells Hill 1960This photo, taken around 1960, shows the colonial bungalows of Maxwell Hill (now Bukit Larut) in Taiping, Perak. Established in 1884, Maxwell Hill was Malaya’s first hill station, built as a cool retreat from the tropical heat. |  Jalan Besar 1880This image depicts Jalan Besar (Main Road) in Taiping, between the years 1880 and 1882. The architecture of the buildings on the left, with their two stories and shuttered windows, is characteristic of colonial-era shop houses found then all over South East Asia. |  All Saints Curch 1885All Saints Church in Taiping was the first Anglican (English Protestant) Church in the Federated Malay States. It was consecrated in 1887. |
 Taiping Railway Station 1960The original Taiping Railway Station, opened in 1885, was the first railway station in Malaysia. Built to serve the Taiping–Port Weld line, the nation’s very first railway, it played a vital role in transporting tin ore from Taiping to Port Weld for export. The present Taiping Railway Station, built on a different site, has since replaced this historic structure. |  Post & Telegraph Office 1876Established in 1876, the Telegraph Office, or PWD103 was at the terminus of the Taiping-Port Weld railroad. It was built under the instruction of the Governor of the Straits Settlements of the time, Sir Frederick Weld, who wanted a telegraph line connecting Taiping and Penang to be set up. Postal services were added some time later, and the Posts & Telegraph Department was born. This heritage building lives on as the Telegraph Museum, inaugurated by the Sultan of Perak in 2018. |  Telegraph Museum 2018In 2018, the historic 1876 Telegraph Office was reborn as the Taiping Post &Telegraph Museum, preserving the story of Malaysia’s first telegraph office. |
bottom of page