My Story... I Lived Above Ban Hoe Seng, Old Town Was My Playground.

Yeoh Poh See at the handlebars with cousin Angeline. 

My name is Yeoh Poh See and I was born at the end of the war to my parents Yeoh Cheang Peng and Chew Gaik Ee. My home was at Ban Hoe Seng, Old Town, Ipoh.

That time Ban Hoe Seng was at 62 and 64 Belfield Street. It was a 3 storey building and owned by my grandfather Chew Boon Juan.

On the ground floor they had a business selling motorcycles. It was run by my Uncles Chew Choon Siew and Chew Choon Kok.

I lived at the second floor of Ban Hoe Seng

My family lived on the second floor as did my second aunt Chew Gaik Hoon and her family. I had such wonderful memories of my time Ban Hoe Seng and Old Town.  

I remember playing with my younger cousin Angeline at the square in front of my uncles shop where there was a beautiful marble water fountain. The fountain was in memory of Birch and it is a pity that it was demolished.

Poh See and Angeline at the Birch Fountain

Opposite from my house window was the shop that sold Kwan Loong Medicated Oil. In the evenings they would beat the drum to attract buyers to purchase the medicated oil.

Those days it was very safe to be a child in Old Town. My brother studied at St Michaels Institution and used to walk to school.

During my time our playground was the Birch Memorial clock tower and the surrounding grounds. The railways gardens too was always nice and pleasant.

My playground ...at the Birch Clock Tower ...

and the Railway Station gardens

We would cut across the Pakistani Mosque behind the shop to get to the clock tower.

 I remember my father taking me to eat nasi kandar at the stall under the trees in front of the post office.

A later pic of Yeoh Poh See   

I lived at Ban Hoe Seng until I was 12 before we moved away. It was a truly wonderful time.

JAG