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The Ipoh Telephone Exchange – Part 1 – The Girls Have Fun
History tells us that the first telegraph line connecting from the British Resident at Perak house in Kuala Kangsar to the house of Deputy British Resident in Perak at Taiping, by the Department of Posts and Telegraph in 1874. This telegraph line measured 42.5 km and travelled across forest at Bukit Berapit, it signalled the beginning of the era of telecommunications in Malaysia. However, during Japanese occupations, the telegraph lines were nearly broken down by the Japanese army.
Initially, as in many countries the post office and telegraph office were one and the same department, but in 1946 the Telecommunications Department of Malaya was established, this being the beginning of what we know today as Telekom Malaysia. Not long after in the early 1950's The Ipoh Telephone Exchange Building was designed by architect B M Iversen. Today it still stands with small alterations and is now known as Telekom Malaysia, Ipoh. Some early photographs of the building follow in Part 2 of this series.
Turning to the three photographs above, these show some of the girls of the telephone exchange enjoying themselves outside of the office.
To go to Part 2, click here
To read more about Berthel Michael Iversen, click here
To read about the first Ipoh Post and Telegraph Office, click here
To read about the second Ipoh Post and Telegraph Office, click here