Brief History - Three Colonies

THE PORTUGUESE IN MALACCA

IN 1511, A FLEET LED BY ALPHONSO D'ALBUQUERQUE, THE PORTUGUESE VICEROY OF INDIA, CONQUERED MALACCA; THUS SETTING THE TONE FOR NEARLY 450 YEARS OF COLONIAL RULE UNDER SUCCESSIVE COLONIAL MASTERS. IN 1512, THE PORTUGUESE BUILT A FORTRESS AT THE FOOT OF ST PAUL'S HILL, NEAR THE MOUTH OF MALACCA RIVER. THE FORTRESS WAS NAMED A' FARMOSA (THE FAMOUS). HOWEVER, THE DUTCH AND THE BRITISH DESTROYED MUCH OF A' FARMOSA. TODAY THE SANTIAGO GATES IS ALL THAT REMAINS OF IT. AFTER THE DUTCH HAD CAPTURED MALACCA FROM THE PORTUGUESE IN 1641, THE GATES WAS REPAIRED AND A PANEL WITH THE COAT OF ARMS OF THE DUTCH EAST INDIA COMPANY AND ITS MONOGRAM "VOC" (VEREENIGDE OOST-INDIA COMPANIE) WAS ADDED ABOVE THE GATES. ST PAUL'S CHURCH STANDS ON TOP OF ST PAUL'S HILL. BUILT IN 1521, IT IS NOW LITTLE MORE THAN A RUIN, HAVING BEEN DESTROYED BY THE DUTCH.

 

THE DUTCH AREA

AFTER ITS CONQUEST OF MALACCA, THE DUTCH BUILT BRICK HOUSES AND A LARGE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING, THE STADHUYS (TOWN HALL) TO HOUSE THE DUTCH GOVERNOR AND HIS STAFF. CHRIST CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1741 - 1753 TO COMMEMORATE THE CENTENARY OF DUTCH OCCUPATION OF MALACCA. ORIGANALLY PART OF THE DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH, CHRIST CHURCH BECAME AN ANGLICAN CHURCH WHEN THE BRITISH UNOFFICIALLY TOOK CONTROL OF MALACCA IN 1795. IT WAS OFFICIALLY CONSECRATED FOR ANGLICAN USE IN 1838.

 

BRITISH MALACCA

IN 1824, WITH THE SIGNING OF THE ANGLO-DUTCH TREATY, THE BRITISH EXCHANGED BENCOOLEN FOR MALACCA, AND MALACCA CAME UNDER BRITISH CONTROL. BRITISH RULE EVENTUALLY ENDED IN 1957. HOWEVER, MUCH OF THE BRITISH COLONIAL LEGACY IS STIL VISIBLE IN MALACCA TODAY, THE MOST PROMINENT BEING THE QUEEN VICTORIA FOUNTAIN. THE FOUNTAIN WAS ERECTED IN THE CENTRE OF THE DUTCH SQUARE IN 1905 IN MEMORY OF QUEEN VICTORIA, WHOSE PROFILE CAN BE SEEN ON ALL OF ITS FOUR SIDES. THE TAN BENG SWEE CLOCK TOWER WAS BUILT IN 1886, ITS CLOCK FACE WAS IMPORTED FROM ENGLAND. THE CLOCK WAS REPLACED WITH A JAPANESE ONE IN 1982. PPC SHOWS THE MALACCA REST HOUSE. AS IN OTHER TOWNS IN MALAYA, BRITISH BUILT REST HOUSES (SMALL HOTELS) FOR ITS OFFICIALS TO STAY IN WHILE ON THEIR TRAVELS. THERE WERE THREE SUCH REST HOUSES IN MALACCA - ONE AT BANDAR HILIR, ANOTHER AT THE RAILWAY STATION, AND THE LAST ONE BY THE SEA AT TANJUNG KLING. THE MALACCA CLUB WAS FOUNDED AROUND 1900 AND IT WAS THE SOCIAL FOCUS OF MALACCA'S EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, IT COMBINED THE FACILITIES OF BOTH A SPORTING AND A SOCIAL INSTITUTION. IN 1908, ITS PRESIDENT WAS THE HONORABLE MR EVANS, THE RESIDENT COUNCILLOR. ARCHITECTURALLY, THE BUILDING IS AN ECLECTIC MIX OF THE BUNGALOW FORM, ISLAMIC DOMES AND EUROPEAN COLUMNS AND PILASTERS. THE MALACCA MEDICAL MISSION AND VOLUNTEER DRILL HALL ARE TWO OTHER BUILDINGS THAT REMAIN FROM THE BRITISH COLONIAL ERA. IMPORTANT EVENTS IN BRITISH WERE ALSO CELEBRATED IN HER COLONIES. WHEN KING EDWARD VII WAS CROWNED IN 1901, THE EVENT WAS CELEBRATED ENTHUSIASTICALLY IN MALACCA.

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