From Hillview to Wellesley: The Evolution of a Pioneering Boys’ School

By Eugene Quah

April 2024 LEST WE FORGET
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The school in 1965. The current building, completed in 1938, was built over an old wooden bungalow that once belonged to Arthur Harold Savage. Source: Majallah S.R. Wellesley 1965, No. 1.
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References
  • [1] “Admission to Wellesley Primary School, 1937,” Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, pg. 9, October 26, 1936.
  • [2] “Advertisements,” Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, pg. 5, February 16, 1910.
  • [3] “Advertisements,” Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, pg. 9, February 8, 1924.
  • [4] “Government Girls’ School,” The Straits Echo (Mail Edition), pg. 1445, December 11, 1923.
  • [5] “Governor at Wellesley Primary School,” Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, pg. 7, November 28, 1936.
  • [6] “Hillview - Boarding School for Boys,” Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, pg. 3, December 28, 1917.
  • [7] “Local and General,” Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, pg. 2, December 30, 1895.
  • [8] “Modification of Colony Education Policy,” Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, pg. 3, October 27, 1936.
  • [9] “Police Court,” The Straits Echo (Mail Edition), pg. 126, February 9, 1925.
  • [10] “Social and Personal,” The Straits Times, pg. 8, December 18, 1922.
  • [11] “What About His Education? ‘Hillview’,” Straits Echo, pg. 7, June 2, 1916.
  • [12] Arnold Wright & H.A. Cartwright (1908), “Twentieth Century Impressions of British Malaya,” pg. 612.
  • [13] Federal Government of Malaysia (2002), “Malaysia, Buku Rasmi Tahunan, 2002,” pg.12.
  • [14] Federation of Malaya (1949), “Indent On Crown Agents For Wellesley Primary School Apparatus And Materials”, Document. Arkib Negara: 1957/0474936W
  • [15] Khoo Salma Nasution (2006), “More Than Merchants - A History of the German-speaking Community in Penang, 1800s-1940s,” pg. 76-77.
  • [16] Laurence Nunns Guillemard (1924), “Straits Settlements Governor’s Annual Address,” Presented on 8th October 1924 to the members of the Council.
  • [17] Methodist Episcopal Church (1920), “Annual Report of the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church,” Volume 102, pg. 685.
  • [18] Methodist Episcopal Church (1920), “Hillview,” Malaysia Conference 1920, Minutes, pg. 456.
  • [19] Quah Liang Keng, editor (1965), “Majallah Sekolah Rendah Wellesley,” No.1, Volume 1.
  • [20] Quah Liang Keng, Private papers, 7th principal of Wellesley Primary School (1969-1976)
  • [21] S.C. Yeomans (1929), “Concerning Local Schools,” The Straits Echo (Mail Edition), pg. 143, February 20, 1929.
  • [22] Straits Settlements (1931), “Blue Book for the Year 1931,” pg.4, 22, 72, 129.
  • [23] Straits Settlements (1936), “Proceedings of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements for the Year 1936,” pg. 29.
  • [24] Straits Settlements (1937), “Annual Reports for the Year 1937,” pg. 474.
  • [25] Zarinah Daud (1990), “It Started as a ‘Teaching’ School,” New Straits Times, May 30, 1990.
Eugene Quah

is an independent researcher and writer who is working on a book tentatively called “Illustrated Guide to the North Coast of Penang”. He rediscovered the joys of writing after moving back to Penang from abroad.


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