Old Sibu - Fire and the aftermath in 1928

The 1928 fire of Sibu was a real tragedy. This is the back lane of the Old Street after the big fire.

Here is another photo of the aftermath of the fire in 1928

After the fire of 1928, the first block of concrete shophouses were built, Old Street.

My father was 18 years old at that time and he was getting ready to go to study outside Sibu with his two younger brothers. My grandmother had also just passed away.

My grandfather had made some money (1914-1920 great rubber prices) for the family through his rubber gardens and wanted his sons like other rubber planters' sons to study in Singapore and then in Shanghai and even Beijing if they could qualify. The fire most probably dampened the spirits of many Foochow families.

Another rubber planting family, the Wong family from Sungei Merah was also planning to do the same. Strangely, Mrs. Wong was unable to sleep two nights before the fire according to a family story. So the morning before the fire, she walked all the three miles to Sibu and took her cash from the Hock Chu Huo, or Mr. Wong King Huo.

She took out all her cash, put it in a flour bag and walked all the way home. That night she was able to sleep really well. When she woke up, she went about her chores, only later to be told that Sibu had been razed by a huge fire.

Note : My grand uncle Headman Lau Kah Tii and Rev James Hoover were also quite helpful in introducing the Foochow boys to study in Chritian schools in Singapore and China. Mrs. Wong's sons all went to university in China and Hong Kong.