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The Clemetson Residence, At Tiger Lane
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Subject :The Clemetson Residence, At Tiger Lane
Published By : None
Location : Tiger Lane, Ipoh
Estimated Year : 1948
Media Type : Photograph
Source : Judith Clemetson
Remark :
The pictures show No.14, Tiger Lane (Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah), Ipoh - which was home to the Clemetson family. Judith Clemetson provided us with the following description, about the house and her childhood memories.
“Our father worked for KED pre and post WW2 and this was presumably a Company property as we did not own it. I was born in Batu Gajah hospital and lived the first 8 years of my life at No.14 before heading to school in UK as my older sisters had done before me. After our father returned to UK in 1965 I understand the house became a school and that ugly extension was built on at the side of the building.
When I returned to Ipoh in 1996 after leaving there in 1960, the house was obviously empty and neglected but at that time it had a fence and a padlocked gate so I was only able to gaze sadly and fondly at it through the wire. When I returned last year I was half expecting it to have gone. It was looking even sadder but this time there was no fence so with a beating heart, in case I was had for trespassing, I ventured to the front door, which said ‘library’ on it - evidence of its second life. Peering through the windows all the lovely downstairs rooms had been partitioned off (classrooms?).
I didn’t want to risk going in because of the safety aspect, and neither did I risk walking round the outside because of snakes! I remember as a small girl sitting on my swing down in a lower part of the garden under a huge Plain tree, and a snake came slithering out! I screamed like mad. It was killed by the gardener, but it was a long time before I would go on the swing again!
The gardens were our father’s pride and joy. He loved to garden and loved his orchids. The view then was looking straight out over golf course to the distant hills - no built-up dual carriageway that is now Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah. And at night my eldest sister remembers standing on the verandah and gazing in wonder at the stars. No light pollution in those days! It is so sad to see such a once majestic and well loved house turn to rack and ruin.”
We thank Judith for the pictures and the information.
Filename : 20110129-004