Ipoh World

Pictured here in Perak in 1906 are Sir Ernest Woodford Birch, ICS, CMG, KCMG and Lady E W Birch. He was the Eighth Resident of Perak at the time and served in Perak from 1904 to 1910. The Resident was a position agreed as part of the Pangkor Treaty. His predecessor in the appointment was Sir John Pickersgill Rodger.

Ernest Birch was born in Ceylon in April 1857, the eldest son of J W W Birch who was assassinated by the Malays in Pasir Salak in 1876. He was knighted in 1890 for service to the Crown and passed away in 1929.

At ten years of age was sent to England to reside with his grandfather) the Rev. James W Birch, Vicar of All Saints, Hertford. Educated successi vely at Hertford Grammar School, Sidney College, Bath, Elstree School, and Harrow (Dr. Butler's house) until 1874, he then went to Oxford and read with a private tutor for twelve months with a view to entering the University and afterwards the Indian Civil Service. Both these schemes were frustrated by the murder of his father at Pasir Salak, in
Perak, on November 2, 1875. In January, 1876, he was graciously allowed by H.M.'s Government to enter the Colonial Office, Downing Street, and worked there until 1878, if, when he was appointed a cadet in the Civil ld Service of the Straits Settlements. His educanttional qualifications were deemed high enough nt to allow him to receive this appointment without competition. Upon his arrival in Singapore 'd, he was given a position in the Secretariat under as Sir Cecil Clementi Smith, G.C.M.G.,  where in 1880 he played an important part in the Commission on the Police Force.

A variety of appointments then followed: Malacca in charge of the Land Office; Singapore again in the Land Office and subsequently, Second Assistant Colonial Secretary and in this post was responsible for the Commission of Inquiry into the attempted murder of Mr W A Pickering the Protector of Chinese; 1888 saw him back in Malacca as Magistrate and Collector of Land Revenue with the additional roles of District Officer at Alor Gajah and Jasin; Acting British Resident of Selangor; and in January 1893, Secretary to the Government of Perak. Here he introduced a new land survey system and pushed forward the Kerian irrigation plan. When Sir Frank Swettenham, Resident of Perak, went on leave, Sir Ernest was appointed as the Acting British Resident of Perak. It was August 1895.

As the Acting British Resident of Perak, he called his first meeting of the State Council on 2 November 1895 the twentieth anniversary of his father's murder and took pains to remind the Sultan and assembled chiefs of the events 20 years before.

On the return of Swettenham to duty, Birch returned to his previous post, but soon was on the move again taking in Negeri Sembilan as British Resident; Principal representative of the British North Borneo Company and Governor of Labuan; and finally, in February 1904, he was appointed as the British Resident of Perak.

During his administration in Perak, he was very popular with the local people which led to a marble fountain being erected in his memory not long after he left Ipoh, at the southern end of Belfield Street, Ipoh, (at that tine a Chinese community area known today as 'Little India') by the Ipoh Chinese business community. Key activities that Sir Ernest contributed to during his time as Resident of Perak include:

He was succeeded as Resident by Sir Henry Conway Belfield and whose name was given to Belfield Street, Ipoh.

To read more about The Pangkor Treaty / Pangkor Engagement, click here.

To read more about J W W Birch click here.

To read about William Pickering, the First ‘Protector of the Chinese’, click here.

To read more about Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham, click here.

To read more about the E W Birch Memorial Fountain, click here

To read more about the Birch Bridge (later Brewster Road Bridge), click here

To read more about Towkay Yau Tet Shin, click here.

To read more about The God of Prosperity Temple and the People’s Park, click here.