The title deed (l) of the shoplot (r) belonging to Chew Boon Juan with the names of Chung Thye Phin and Alma Baker |
The Title deed for No 32 |
Hence it was a revelation that a legal document, a title deed, dating back to 1905 that provided some flashback of his friend and associates. The title deed referred to a shop lot No 32 in the “Township of Sungei Raia”.
It was later changed to No 75 Main Road, Kg Kepayang, the unit directly next to Ban Chin Hoh Chiew Kee, Boon Juan's business address.
The original owner of No 32 was Chew Chui Houn in 1897. It was transferred to Chew Boon Juan in 1905 and charged to several individuals.
Two very significant names of individuals stood out in
the document. One was Chung Thye Phin and the other was ‘Alma Baker’ who was Chew
Boon Juans business partner. Both individuals were upstanding and prominent persons.
Chung Thye Phin was a member of the Perak State Council and the son of the Kapitan China of Perak Chung Keng Kwee.
As time would show he was a close friend. Boon Juan would
build his mansion in Ipoh next to Chung Thye Phin. Years later in 1923 the two together
with their wives took a 13 month world tour.
The other name on the document was the witness “Alma Baker”. Charles Alma Baker was Chew Boon Juan’s partner in the Gunong Lanno tin mine since 1903 an association which would last twenty years.
He was also one of the richest men in Kinta at the
time. He initially made his first fortune doing government survey work for the many
tin prospectors. Thereafter he invested in tin mining earning him his 2nd fortune and then rubber
plantations where he made his 3rd fortune.
Alma Baker in all probability was the person who showed
Chew Boon Juan and his brothers to invest in plantations on an estate scale.
Another document, a topographical map of Kinta, showed plantations in the
vicinity of Kampong Kepayang.
The signboard of Chew Boon Juan's shop,Ban Chin Hoh Chiew Kee. at Kg Kepayang. It is now kept at Chew museum |
The topographical map indicating 'Ban Chin Ho Estate'. |
One estate on the map had the name Ban Chin Ho coincidentally the
same name of Chew Boon Juan’s business premises in Kampong Kepayang. The
earliest date on the map indicated 1919.
While there is no evidence to prove that Chew Boon Juan ever owned the said plantation it is a fact that the brothers owned large tracts of land throughout
Perak.
End
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