Preamble 'Kampong Serani’, Map Of The Eurasian Homes, Catholic Homes Around CIC 1810-1980s, Mary Massang-Nieukey, Father John Baptist Pasqual, Kelawei Road Catholic Cemetery, Church Of The Immaculate Conception, License For Land Ownership, College General, Noah’s Ark, Pulau Tikus Convent,
PART 4.1 Father Pasqual’s Personal Catholic Missionary Enthusiasm in Pulo Ticus ENDS, Settlers of Kampong Serani - Founding-Parishioners, Founding-Students at The Introduction of Modern Education, St. Joseph’s Novitiate, Saint Father Jacques Chastan of Kampong Serani, Father Rudolph De Souza, Father Finian De Silva, Sir Hugh Clifford, James F. Augustin.
PART 4.2 Kampong Serani – Pulau Tikus – The Final Curtains, Father Louis Ashness, Father Robin Andrews, Father Benedict Nieukey, Aunty Emily Rodriguese, Eviction Notices, Newspaper Articles and Reports Gave Excellent Support, DESPITE All the Prayers, Pleads & Protests by Preservationists! ‘Kampong Serani Pulau Tikus Penang Since 1811’ Was Flattened In 1994.
PART 4.3: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, ‘HERITAGE HOUSE’ OF THE PENANG EURASIANS, PHOTO: ‘AND SO IS KAMPONG SERANI NO MORE AND A BLURRED VISION OF A HERITAGE LOST’.
CHAPTER4
The vicinity later known as 'KAMPONG SERANI’, the Catholic Village, was known and inhabited by the Thai-Portuguese Catholic Community Traders from Kedah and Phuket-Thailand during the Portuguese Trade Supremacy in the region. The locals referred to them as ‘SERANI’, but they later adopted the British coined word ‘Eurasian’ for documentation purposes.
In PULAU TIKUS, on Penang Island, there were pockets of Malayan/Thai Portuguese settled in between the estuaries of Bagan Jermal (now Road) and Cantonment (now Road) which currently are covered drains flowing towards, now known as Gurney Drive; from Burmah Road. There were no metal roads, only pathways then.
Map of the Eurasian Homes in Pulau Tikus as remembered by CYRIL JOSEPH JEREMIAH (1909-1997) and VALENTINE COX (1920-2004) and compiled by Anthony Sibert in 1995.
Note: Number 1 is exactly on the site of Church of the Immaculate Conception (CIC), the word ‘sekolah’ indicates the Church-owned Convent School and Noah’s Ark in Kampong Serani (‘T’ shaped).
Note: The metal roads remembered are Cantonment Road, Burmah Road and Bagan Jermal Road (In a 1807 map it was known as Pineapple Lane alongside what is now known as Midlands in Pulau Tikus). All other accesses were earthen pathways.
CATHOLIC HOMES AROUND CIC 1810-1980s
1. Andrews, Baptist, Boudville, Coombs, D’Almeida, Daniel, D’Oville, D’Aranjo, DeSouza, Fletcher, Gasper, Gregory, Hendricks, Holloway, Jambu, Jansen, Jeremiah, Joseph, Kuen, Labrooy, Lowe, Massang, McIntyre, Mitchel, Nieukey, Nunes, O’Hara, Oliveiro, Pasqual, Peterson, Rodriguese, Robless, Rozells, Taylor, Torres, Wambeck…
2. Aeria, Beltran, Boudville, Cornelius, Cox, D’Souza, Emaung, Gregory, Jacobs, Jalleh, Jeremiah, Joseph, Martin, Martinez, Mitchel, Oxley, Pasqual, Phun, Rozario, Rozells, Samson, Scully, Sibert, Symonds…
3. Agerabeck, Baum, Boyle, Carrier, Coombs, Daniel, DeMello, DeCunha, Fletcher, Jeremiah, Martinese, Massang, Pasqual, Peters, Rodriguese, Scully, Woodford…
4. Agerabeck, Boudville, Cox, D’Oville, D’Aranjo, Langan, Leandros, Lessler, Pasqual, Rodriguese, Rozells, Scully, Smith, Williams, Balhatchet, Baptist, Reutens…
5. Aeria, Carrier, DeBruyne, Gregory, Humphries, Leandros, Miller, Pasqual, Reutens, Scully, Woodford…
Stories from the early settlers, and handed down by the late MARY MASSANG-NIEUKEY, tell of their arrival during the Portuguese Trading operations, which had stopovers at Batu Ferringhi [Ferringhi being the word that the Malays used to refer to the Portuguese traders who parked their ships at the rock island for fresh supplies] and Pulau Tikus [the island off the coast of Tanjung Tokong/Bunga, opposite the Penang Swimming Club], and at low tide walked south for about three miles on the shoals of sand banks which appeared like the back of rats leading on to what is historically known now as Pulau Tikus (cf. Nieukey, Ambrose, undated jottings).
Back at PHUKET THAILAND, the remnants of the Thai-Portuguese Catholic Community fled Phuket in 1811 when the massacre of Catholics extended to the island. Under the leadership of their Parish Priest FATHER JOHN BAPTIST PASQUAL, they made their way to Pulau Tikus. Prior to his arrival, ‘Pulo Ticus’ (the way it was spelt on the Church Record that Father brought with him) was mainly settled by Thai-Portuguese Catholics most of whom came from Phuket and were Father Pasqual’s relatives and friends. He set up his Church in a tent and the dead were buried around it, on land that is presently the KELAWEI ROAD CATHOLIC CEMETERY. It is believed that his relative Thomasia Pasqual and others such as Leandros, gave up their lands between the present College Lane and Leandros Lane to Father Pasqual where he built the first CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. The neighbouring land was for his poor Catholic parishioners. Descendants of these early settlers referred to the land as ‘KAMPUNG SERANI’.
FRANCIS LIGHT was in full control of Penang and through his land policy encouraged settlers. License for Land Ownership was raised in 1797 when the East India Company in Calcutta enquired by what authority the inhabitants had settled in Penang as only a few could produce licenses but no steps were taken to evict them. In 1818 the Directors of the EIC said that the settlers were respectable people and they could stay. In 1823 the Land Recorder ruled that the possession of the land entitled them legally to remain in Penang.
It was in this vicinity that the FRENCH CATHOLIC MISSION purchased a sizable piece of land from one Mr. Mitchell and in 1808 revived COLLEGE GENERAL, which was first established in Ayuthia Siam in 1665 and moved to Pondicherry India and then Pulau Tikus Penang, to train priests for the Catholic Churches in Asia. The general architecture and atmosphere were that of a monastery – awe-inspiringly proclaiming discipline and absolute silence. The building itself was set deep in a wide expanse of jungle interspersed with mangosteen, coconut, durian, banana and pineapple trees, huge angsana trees and lallang; and access to the seaside was only through pathways on both sides of the fences.
College General Pulau Tikus in 1866 with the Seminarians and workers at ground level and the four College Professors on the first floor on the opposite of Kampong Serani in Kelaiwei Road.
It was next to Kampong Serani that FATHER PASQUAL first built a wooden chapel covered with attap leaves in 1819 on land where the church is currently sited, and which served as the proper Church of the Immaculate Conception until 1835 when a brick structure was erected. The neighbouring land was for his poor Catholic parishioners. Descendants of these early settlers referred to the land as ‘Tanah Wakaf’ and it became popularly known as ‘Kampung Serani’. These Thai-Portuguese Catholics looked upon Father Pasqual not only as their spiritual leader but also as their benefactor who provided them with a settlement to develop their community during the pioneering days of Penang.
Below is the 1848 WalercDcour Painting of Fr. Bohet’s first brick CIC 1834 by John T. Thomson replacing the Atap Roof Wooden Church of Fr. Pasqual who returned to Thailand in 1823.
Among the watercolours by John Turnbull Thomson 1848
(Plate 130 photographed), it is reasonably clear to note from the painting that
the name of the Church on the gable is
in Latin for ‘Immaculate Conception’ The whole area was considered as
College General as College Lane, College
Square, College Avenue and Kelawei Road were then only pathways. The Portuguese architecture of
the Church prevailed until 1899 when the Church was rebuilt in Gothic
architecture and later renovated in the 1960s.
In Kampung Serani, Father Pasqual and his community built two ‘Malay-type’ premises to serve as ‘church schools’ for boys and girls. The boy-school, beside the Church, was later renovated and popularly referred to as ‘NOAH’S ARK’ based on its design as well. It was destroyed in 1994 to make way for development.
NOAH’S ARK in Kampong Serani - In 1906, the DE LA SALLE BROTHERS took over the Pulau Tikus Church School for boys and referred to it as the St. Xavier’s Branch School. The 1st St. Xavier’s Branch School, opposite the St. Joseph’s Training College on Kelawei Road, where trainee teachers did their practicum. Those who are now in their 80s attended this School and lived in the area. It was demolished for development and is the current site of BELISA ROW on Burmah Road Pulau Tikus.
Behind the Church and beside the Parish House, FATHER BOHET built the first Church School for Catholic Girls to replace the ‘Atap-hut’ church school of Father Pasqual. In the 1850s the HOLY INFANT JESUS
HIJ SISTERS took management of the school which was named the Pulau Tikus Convent School now known as the Pulau Tikus Primary Convent, which was sold to the government in 2004.
PULAU TIKUS CONVENT PRIMARY & SECONDARY in the early 1950s and developed from the 1850s
The medium of teaching in the schools in Georgetown and Pulau Tikus [predominantly Serani pupils] was MALAY, a language used in Kampong Serani then. Until the end of Pre-Vatican II (1960s) there were yet Catholic CIC Parishioners who used Malay Language Prayer Books; ‘Porkara Akhir: Maximes Eternelles, Terkarang uleh Kh. Alph. De Liguori, 1875’ and ‘Kabaktian Sahari Harian dan Pri Sambot Ser Ser Elkaniset, Terchap Di Hongkong Dalam Rumah Tera Missions Etrangeres, 1890’.
PART 4.1
In early 1820s, FATHER PASQUAL’S PERSONAL CATHOLIC MISSIONARY ENTHUSIASM IN PULO TICUS seemed to wane under the administration of the French Catholic Mission who were in full control of the Catholic Church in Malaysia. He had to rely on the French Priests to help him in the Parish. This coincided with the British Government’s colonial interests in Penang. After burring his beloved father Pasqual. the Pulo Ticus Church Record from Phuket shows that in May 1823 Father Pasqual performed his last burial services for one of his parishioners. He made his way back to Thailand and Church Records of the Santa Cruz Church, just outside Bangkok, indicate that he was its Parish Priest from 1834 to 1836, after an illustrious priestly life spanning Bangkok, Phuket and Pulo Ticus Penang. When the British Land Recorder came in 1823 the College General of the French Mission took ownership of all of the land under Father Pasqual’s administration. Thus, we now have College Lane, College Square and College Avenue which were once part of Kampong Serani.
While the SETTLERS OF KAMPONG SERANI were blessed to have been the FOUNDING-PARISHIONERS of the organised return of the CATHOLIC FAITH to Malaysia since 1641 through the Portuguese and French Catholic Missions and later, through the presence of the College General at Pulau Tikus, to the rest of the country and the Far East.
Frontal View of College General from Kelaiwei Road in the 1980s, currently the site of Gurney Plaza, from a Catholic Enclave to a Commercial Centre in Pulau Tikus.
The SERANIs were equally blessed to be the FOUNDING-STUDENTS at the introduction of MODERN EDUCATION into Malaysia and the Far East by the DE LA SALLE BROTHERS and The HOLY INFANT JESUS SISTERS who came in 1852 and subsequently took over the two schools in 1907.
In 1918 the ST. JOSEPH’S NOVITIATE, opposite Kampong Serani, at Pulau Tikus was established as the Teacher Training College for Brothers recruited in the La Sallian Schools in the Far East. ‘Noah’s Ark’ in Kampong Serani was used as a training school for teaching practice.
Frontal View of College General from Kelaiwei Road in the 1980s, currently the site of Gurney Plaza, from a Catholic Enclave to a Commercial Centre in Pulau Tikus.
EIGHT GENERATIONS of Kampong Serani inhabitants took advantage of their roles as founding parishioners of their Church and the Modern Education provided by the La Salle Brothers and HIJ Sisters. They worked with full dedication to the growth and development of their faith and the day-to-day affairs of their kampong Church of the Immaculate Conception as elders, choir members, altar servers, cleaners, gardeners and general maintenance workers.
They take pride in College General Penang, which was once a part of Kampong Serani, is now known worldwide as not only serving the priestly formation of clergy in the Far East but also as ‘the College of Martyrs’ for having had their former students persecuted due to their defense of the Catholic Faith. Pope John Paul II in 1984 and 1988 canonised seven martyr saints who were alumni of College General Penang.
THEIR 4TH PARISH PRIEST 1830-1833 FATHER JACQUES CHASTAN was in Penang from 1828-1833 as
a professor at College General (1828-1830) and Parish Priest of the Church of
the Immaculate Conception Pulau Tikus (1830-1833) and was obviously familiar to
Kampong Serani Settlers. In
1833 he left for Korea to do missionary work. In 1839 he surrendered to protect
his Catholics with the hope that his sacrifice would cause the persecution to
stop and was excuted. On May 6th 1984 FATHER CHASTAN WAS DECLARED A SAINT
– the only Catholic Parish Priest from Malaysia, by His Holiness Pope John Paul
II, and he was in Kampong Serani.
Eurasians are pleased that the first Malaysia priest
ordained in 1922 was Eurasian FATHER RUDOLPH DE SOUZA who
was appointed the 21st Parish Priest of the CIC Kampong Church in 1935-1936.
In 1950 the fourth Malaysian ordained a priest FATHER
FINIAN DE SILVA was appointed the 24th Parish Priest: 1950 – 1965 at the
Kampong Serani Parish where he remained until his death in 1965. He was quite a
reserved person who executed his duties in accordance with the Catholic
traditions of the time. Also, in 1965 and in Rome, Vatican Council II was
concluding its revision of the Church Universal, which would result in changes
in church practices e.g. the place at the
altar for the priest and the change from Latin prayers to English and other
local languages. This had a tremendous impact on the traditional worship
practices of Eurasian Catholics in Kampong Serani.
Kampong Serani residents from 1810 to 1994 availed themselves, together with other Penang Eurasians, to the excellent teaching methodology provided by the LaSallian Brothers and HIJ Sisters. As Penang’s administration and commercial houses developed there was an increasing need for people who could read, write and count in English (cf AUGUSTIN, J. F.1984) Eurasians had the advantage of a good educational background and professional training coupled with their experience in the bureaucratic system. There were many teachers, nurses, technicians, doctors, dentists, lawyers, and engineers. There were others who occupied positions in the colonial services. They worked in the postal service and at the port authority or were office clerks in the Government and Municipal services, and business houses (c.f. Augustin, J.F., op.cit.). J.F. Augustin (1936) wrote ‘…according to the Census of 1931 Eurasians numbered about 17,000 [including Penang Eurasians].
Although it is small, measured on the basis of population, Eurasian activities in public, professional and sporting life are far out of proportion to their numerical strength. The people are decidedly literate in a country, where only about 10% are literate; and as far as occupations are concerned, they may be said to be largely urban, with a special aptitude for technical and industrial pursuits. By their courage, initiative and reliability they have proved themselves eminently suitable in all branches of Government and Municipal Services. Eurasian women too form the mainstay of the nursing staff of hospitals and the teaching staff of the girls’ schools, and are entering public services and mercantile offices in large numbers.
It is to their credit that they have filled them well and earned the recognition of SIR HUGH CLIFFORD who placed it on record that “during the twenty years he served in the Straits Settlement and the Malay States, it always seemed to him that THE WHEELS OF ADMINISTRATION HAD BEEN FORMED BY EURASIANS who crowded in such numbers in the clerical services in the early days of development in the FMS. Without these solid wheels to carry the affairs of this Government he did not know where the Government would be.” (Straits Echo, August 1, 1927). In addition, they were the ones who spoke good, when they had to, accent-free, and easily understood English (cf. Daus, Donald. 1989) which remains as an important second language. In fact, Eurasian Malaysians have adopted the English Language as their mother-tongue and use it as a language in their homes without any impediment on the Malaysian life-styles.
Convinced of the importance of the English Language as a universal language for communication coupled with their experience in their growth
process, the opportunity to heed the advice of JAMES
F. AUGUSTIN 
in 1957 in real terms was at hand. The Penang State
Government introduced the Penang Free Trade Zone with English speaking
foreigners setting up their own industries. The Eurasian’s economic situation
was rapidly changed and he was ‘given a fresh economic outlook’ and began ‘to
face more and more away from Government Service and seek new avenues of
employment.’ So much so that currently there are signs of more Penang Eurasians
working in the Private Sector rather than the Public Sector. This enabled
Kampong Serani inhabitants to purchase their own homes elsewhere.
Population numbers especially at the close of the 1900s most assuredly overwhelmed the Penang Eurasians, which had an impact on not only the economic structure but also their involvement in the propagation of their faith. Nonetheless, their evolution enabled them to learn from various colonial masters, who took turns ruling their territories. They are living examples of the adaptability of the ruling systems, which were set up by the first colonialists.
The Eurasians on the other hand lived within a fixed community and had a large circle of friends and relatives. They did not need to be conscious of their status. On the contrary, they were clearly proud of it. They saw themselves as a successful result of a century-long development (cf. Daus, Donald. 1989).
In fact, a prominent SXI teacher Mr. Ambrose Reutens and his family, moved into the Kampong. Born in Pulau Tikus, he was nominated as a Member of the Municipal Council in 1946-50. He was elected Member of the Municipal Council Penang (Kelawei Ward) in 1951-52. Residing in Kampong Serani, he was Vice-President of the Penang Eurasian Association.
A view from Burmah Road on the Church at Kampung Serani on the left and
on the right, what used to be A Cooperative Store run by Eurasians and later
a Coffin Shop owned and Managed by an early Eurasian entrepreneur
Mr. George Baptist. Now Belisa Row on Tanah Wakaf Kampong Serani Pulau Tikus.
‘KAMPONG SERANI PULAU TIKUS’ was still occupied by the descendants of past occupants although they were less dependent on the Church for their material needs. From 1965 until his death in 1973, the third Eurasian FATHER LOUIS ASHNESS was appointed the 25th Parish Priest. A sportsman who mixed well socially within and outside the church, he was enthusiastic about the changes made by Vatican II and in the process had visions of renovating the Church to accommodate the increasing catholic population, his way.
He set up a
temporary church at ‘Noah’s Ark’ in Kampong Serani as, in good timing, the St.
Xavier’s Primary School had moved to their new premises at Brother James Road.
The ground floor of Noah’s Ark became the living quarters of his personal
workers and their families, as well as to store all the traditional church
paraphernalia like candle stands and memorial tombstones of earlier
contributors to the old church. The first floor of three classrooms was
renovated to that of a place of prayer and worship. Renovations to the old
Church took some time but were completed within Father Ashness’s remaining
years. Father Ashness harboured intentions of building low-cost flats amidst
other developments in Kampong Serani but this was not
meant to be as he passed away in 1973. Noah’s Ark remained as workers’ living quarters.
Others in need of housing moved in and in time with shortage of space and
increased family sizes together with the lack of a church budget for
maintenance and preservation, Noah’s Ark by the 
early 1990s was in a state of shambles and unfit for
restoration.
FATHER ROBIN ANDREWS was the 26th Parish Priest: 1973 – 1975 and the 30th Parish Priest: 1992 – 1994.
FATHER BENEDICT
NIEUKEY was
Assistant Priest 1974 – 1977 of the Parish Church. Father Benedict Nieukey
(1934 – 2009) was truly a son of the soil of Kampong Serani Pulau Tikus
Penang. He studied at Noah’s Ark, the St. Xavier’s Branch School, the St.
Joseph’s Training College in Pulau Tikus to be a LaSallian Brother and later at
the College General in Pulau Tikus to be a Priest; all within reach of his home
in Kampong Serani. He is buried at the Kelawei Road Cemetery in Pulau Tikus.
It was in this house that AUNTY EMILY RODRIGUESE 
was born and
bred in ‘Kampong Serani’. When told that she would have to move out as the
kampong was up for development she repeatedly and emotionally used to say ‘over
my dead body’. And so, it was to be, as she passed away in 1983 in her
treasured kampong home, below.
Her funeral services were seen to by her relative Fr. Ben Nieukey. On her request she was cremated with specific instructions to her nephew Michael ‘Ginger’ Weber that her ashes be scattered off Pulau Tikus Island. Photo above is that of Aunty Emily’s home, directly behind Noah’s Ark, on the day her son Laddy and Grandson Philip, who supplied these photographs including Aunty Emile’s, were moving out just before it was demolished in 1994.
EVICTION NOTICES
At this point in time the Church, the official owners of the site, initiated the eviction of the settlers in Kampong Serani on the grounds of making way for development. The settlers, not as cohesive as in earlier times, with changing life styles and needs and even some being non-Catholics, appealed in support of the development of a portion for low-cost housing and used the preservation of heritage Noah’s Ark to enhance their plea in long drawn negotiations. In 1992, descendants of the early settlers led by Aunty Regina Pasqual Sibert [Aged 91] and Aunty Mary Scully Joseph [Aged 85] who lived their early lives in Kampong Serani and the rest of their lives in Pulau Tikus together with their children and some members of the Penang Eurasian Association staged a peaceful demonstration in defense of ‘Serani’ heritage. It was also observed that young Khoo Salma, Penang’s outstanding Heritage Preservationist witnessed the situation and has since then encouraged Eurasian Heritage exposé. Newspaper articles and reports gave support. In 1994 ‘Kampong Serani Pulau Tikus’ was flattened. A buffer to their sadness could well be in the case of the College General once also in original Kampong Serani, was flattened, also in the name of development, in 1984.
There was press coverage.
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND REPORTS
GAVE EXCELLENT SUPPORT.
STAR 7.1.80
Quotes: The Residents claimed that 50 to 60 families would be affected by the order to move.They said most of them would have nowhere to go as alternative housing within their means would be difficult to find in such a shaort period…they received their notices from a lawyer on Jan.4 and 5… To quit by Feb.29.
Seventy-eight-year-old Ms Rodrogues recalled that her elder brotherwas born in Kampung Serani in1890. “This land was given to the Church for poor Catholics to stay” she said. “We should not be chased out just by one miseable piece of paper,” another resident said.
“The land here is large enough for the church to develop part of it for profit and still have some space left over for low-cost flats for us,” they said.
NST SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1984: ONE LINE QUOTES FROM TWO SETTLERS :
ROLAND ANDREWS “Residents want to carry on living in Kampung Serani”.
Mr. L.J.TEGJU criticised the Bishop of Penang for being indifferent towards the whole matter.
Pathways around the homes in Kampong Serani Pulau Tikus
QUOTE from Chong Yoke Lin’s Paper: Portuguese-Eurasian (Serani) of Penang:
‘In Pulau Tikus, the Serani community grew with the church. The Noah’s Ark is a building that stands behind the Church of the Immaculate Conception. It is said to resemble the famed Noah’s Ark of Biblical times.
The houses of the residents are found to be clustered round the church even today. Thwe houses still have a a distinctly Malay flavour in archecture.
The degree of assimilation of culture is obvious in the community. Their ancestors spoke Malay, with some Siamese and Portuguese. Even today the older generation still speak Malay and English at home.
Through the years, there have been a lot of inter-marriages with the Chinese and Indians.
The Serani community in Kampung Serani is basically a closely knitted society. Even today there is a strong sense of kinship among its inhabitants.
This rich heritage of the Seranis is facing a threat of being wiped out due to the threatened eviction of these residents from the kampung.’
NST 9/3/87 Penang Sun.- Headline: Low-cost flats for Kampung Serani folk. … The developer who acquired Kampung Serani form the Roman Catholic Church will give house owners there a low-cost flat each when they are evicted.
…Kampung Serani is a Eurasian settlement in Pulau Tikus steeped in history dating back to the last century.
…Many of the villagers claim that the Roman Catholic Church is only the trestee of the land meant for the poor. They said the Church had no rightto go into a joint-venture agreement with a developer.
PENANG Sun. : EURASIANS PROTEST DEMOLITION PLAN
NATION MONDAY March 16 1992 THE STAR
PEA queries ownership of Kg Serani. Turn Noah’s Ark into heritage house: Eurasian community. By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG
Quotes: Penang: Kampung Serani in Pulau Tikus now belongs to the church, but where did the church get the land from? This was the question raised by some members of the Penang Eurasian Association (PEA) yesterday.
“There are no documents available in Malaysia stating who landowners were. The only way to find out is from records at a library in London,” said PEA Member Ambrose Neiukey.
“In the early days, it was assumed when Eurasian settlers donated the land to the church, it will be used for the benefit of poor Catholics,” said PEA vice-president Prof. Dr Leonard deVries.
Eurasians in Pulau Tikus have settled in Kampung Serani since 1811. It was the community who brought about the Noah’s Ark and the nearby church.
PEA member Anthony Sibert said: “It is difficult for the community who have links with Kampung Serani for almost 181 years to accept thet the owner of the land (the church) has been negotiating with developer since 1980, with complete disregard for the Eurasian community.
“The onus to deal with the community was given to the developer.”
According to Sibert, the bishop had renewed contracts with the developer twice to develop the area since the first five-year contract was made in early 1980.
“When the contract expired, it was renewed for another five years . Late last year the contract was renewed yet again, this time for four years.”
Turn Noah’s Ark into heritage house: Eurasian community:
Quotes: PENANG; The Penang Eurasian Association (PEA) wants a heritage house in which both Malaysians and tourists can appreciate the diversity of the Eurasian community.
“A heritage house can contribute to the rich culture of Malaysia,” said PEA member Anthony Sibert. The PEA has classified the Noah’s Ark as worthy of such recognition.
“We consider Noah’s Ark of historical importance and must be preserved as it is one of the earliest schools in the country,” said PEA vice-president Prof Dr Leonard DeVries.
The PEA wants to know if the developers could leave Noah’s Ark as a heritage place for the Eurasians. “Kampung Serani is full of Eurasian culture. The houses are even structured differently from most ordinary buildings. “If these structuresare brought down, we have little left to show of Eurasian culture.,” said Sibert.
“As a minority community, Eurasians often have to remind others that as Malaysians, we have played our part and will continue dong so for the development and progress of this country,” said Prof Dr deVries.
On Sunday March 16 1992, about 80 descendants of the early settlers led by cousins Aunty Regina Pasqual Sibert [Aged 91, third from right] and Aunty Mary Scully Joseph [Aged 85, third from left] who lived their early lives in Kampong Serani. As founding students, they attended the modern education provided by the HIJ Sisters at the Kampong Serani Convent School behind their Church and next to Noah’s Ark, the boys’ school. Spending the rest of their lives in Pulau Tikus they, together with their children and some members of the Penang Eurasian Association, staged a peaceful demonstration in defense of ‘Serani’ heritage. It was also observed that young Khoo Salma, Penang’s outstanding Heritage Preservationist witnessed the situation and has since then encouraged Eurasian Heritage exposé.
NATION FRIDAY March 27 1992 THE STAR: Woman bulldozed out of her home. By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG
PENANG: A bulldozer knocked down the house of a 65-year-old woman for the second time even with the electricity and water supply intact.
In the first instance, on March 12, a bulldozer knocked down the front of Holloway ‘s house while she was in the garden.
Immediately after ramming into the house, the bulldozer was driven off. Residents, however were able to note the number plate.
Yesterday, the whole of Madam Teresa Holloway’s House in Kampung Serani, Pulau Tikus, was brought down.
NEW STRAITS TIMES, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1980
DATO’ J.F. AUGUSTIN: ‘Noah’s Ark’
‘St. Xavier’s Branch School in Pulau Tikus was not opened until 1907. The Church was built in 1819. In the mid-1850s the Parish Priest opened a “village school”. The headmaster was a Mr. Anchant and the medium of instruction was Malay.
The “Ark” is now more than 100 years old, with a character of its own and well worth preserving.’
NEW STRAITS TIMES, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1980
‘Preserve ‘Noah’s Ark’
CONCERNING the article about ‘Noah’s Ark’ (NST, Oct.16) I am delighted that an attempt is being made to have this building preserved.
As one involved in the preservation of local ancient buildings and conservation areas, the action pursued by local residents is justifiable due to the historic and architectural interest of the “Ark”.
No doubt the building requires renovation, both internally and externally; and with suitable landscaping, this would enhance its beauty.
Hopefully, it will never be replaced with monstrosities, such as tower blocks, nor surrounded by concrete jungle. Modern development for the site would be unacceptable, out of character and detrimental to the environment of this unique locality.
I urge other Xavierians, local conservationists and interested organisations to give their full support to the preservation of this building of historic and architectural interest. OLD XAVIERIAN England’
Sunday star March 15 1992: Comment: Preserve Noah’s Ark as Eurasian heritage house By DATUK
See Blog Post entitled ‘TRIBUTE TO MASTER SOPIEE OUR NOAH’S ARK TEACHER 1948’
DESPITE ALL THE PRAYERS, PLEADS & PROTESTS BY PRESERVATIONISTS! ‘KAMPONG SERANI PULAU TIKUS PENANG SINCE 1811’ WAS FLATTENED IN 1994.
PART 4.3
4.3: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, ‘HERITAGE HOUSE’ OF THE PENANG EURASIANS, PHOTO: ‘AND SO IS KAMPONG SERANI NOMORE AND A BLURRED VISION OF A HERITAGE LOST’.
From a different perspective, the destruction of original site of the Eurasians in Pulau Tikus and in particular the remaining portion of Kampong Serani in 1994, can be considered as the long awaited ‘LIBERATION OF THE SERANI FROM THE CHURCH’ at least in terms of the dependence on the Church for a place to live. Eurasians are now free, so to speak, to develop their own individual potential so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and physically balanced and harmonious, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Penang Eurasians take solace in the thought that the mission of their forefathers has been accomplished. With so many non-Eurasian converts today the mission for the propagation of the faith has been passed on.
Nevertheless, Pulau Tikus Serani bred TONY SIBERT felt very strongly that a monument of sorts be erected
by the Church, the inherited owners of Kampong Serani, and the Developers who
had already acquired the land. He garnered the support of his University Sains
Malaysia Penang colleagues, Associate Professor Dr. LEONARD DE VRIES
And 
Dr. IVOR CAUNTER.
Statements were made including one from the then
Penang Eurasian President Mr. STANLEY DEWITT
Finally, a meeting was called by the then Bishop of Penang who came with his Procurator Fr. Michael Thoo and two representatives of the developers. Tony Sibert presented the case mainly emphising the history of land with the support of Lenny De Vries, Ivor Caunter and Stanley Dewitt with fellow Serani, the 30th Parish Priest:1992-1994 of the Kampong Church FATHER ROBIN ANDREWS.
After some debate the Bishop instructed the Developers to concede to their request. All that was left in the Site Plans of the Developer was a tennis court for the luxurious condominium built across ‘Noah’s Ark’ and Kampong Serani. The site of tennis court was exactly on the land of the Gregory home for generations. The Meeting agreed that a ‘HERITAGE HOUSE’ OF THE PENANG EURASIANS will be built on the approximately 10,000 sq.ft. site with a built-up area of 5,000 sq.ft.
In good faith, as always with the Church, the requesting team suggested that the Owner of the Site remains with the Bishop of Penang. The Heritage House will be leased for 90 years to the Penang Eurasian Association for an annual rental of RM120/. The Association shall have the sole control and management of the Heritage House of the Penang Eurasians provided always that the purpose and use of the Heritage House of the Penang Eurasians shall be lawful and shall not contravene any Statutes, Acts of Parliament, By-laws and Regulations. Other relevant matters are contained in the Agreement of Lease.
Possession of the Heritage House was given to the Association at a Signing Ceremony at the premises by the Bishop of Penang and by the Association’s Representatives Mr. Stanley Dewitt, Mr. Anthony Sibert, Dr, Leonard De Vries and Dr. Ivor Caunter. The documents therein are with the Penang Eurasian Association and the Bishop’s Office.
Later, on the request of the then President of the Penang Eurasian Association Mr. Gerald Green, the road leading to the Heritage House was renamed to Solok Serani. On this note, please allow me the temptation to jest a little – Solok in Bahasa Malaysia is ‘dead-end’ so it is ‘Serani Dead-end’, for goodness sake!
AND SO IS KAMPONG SERANI NO MORE AND A BLURRED VISION OF A HERITAGE LOST.
Top-half of the picture, on the left, is the development on former Kampong Serani. Bottom-half, the Pulau Tikus Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception called after the Church the (Thai-Portuguese) Seranis came from in Phuket Thailand, by the 1st Parish Priest Father John Baptist Pasqual in 1811.
1.3.2014/23.5.20 aesibert@yahoo.com.