Hua Hong Ice Factory : Great Grandfather

My great grandfather ran a tight ship when he oversaw the running of a 3 in 1 rice, ice and rubber factoy in Pulau Kerto from 1927 until he passed away in 1944. Perhaps it was because he was fairly well educated, in the traditional Fujian sense, with several years of informal tuition in the village, and besides according to an elderly aunt, he had that special charisma to do so.

Before he retired, he was always at his office in the office complex which was on the left side of the plank walk to the wharf or jetty. He was often seen watching his workers from the corridor.

My grandfather had already constructed a railway to make it easier for ice blocks and rubber sheets to be transported to the waiting boats at the jetty. The plank walk according to my father was really sturdy, made of the best wood available - belian. so if one was bare footed, it was extremely hot to walk in the mid afternoon on the plank walk. People would definitely run to the ice factory or the office complex. He said it was not because the workers were very enthusiastic about their work, but it was because it was too hot for them to walk slowly.

The office complex was made up of four sections, a visitors' room in the middle, a special store room (for my great grandfather's coffin too) was next to it. And the office was at the rear,. The section nearest the river had a few small cubicles for bachelors to stay. There was a long corridor, running parallel to the four sections, from the front to the back. Like all practical people, my grandfather constructed a long bench for people to sit and rest, all the way, fixed to the wooden railings of the open balcony. It was quite a good playground for kids to run around.

When my father was the manager, after the war, he kept his gun in a glass cabinet in the office. I cannot remember if we had a security man to look after the whole factory but one of my relatives said the factory always had guards. During the Japanese Occupation there was even one Sikh man who was the guard. He betrayed my father and caused him to be imprisoned by the Japanese.

My great grandfather's office had an open concept. The clerk sat at the back of the room. Great Grandfather had a belian work desk, which faced the door. The desk was especially ordered from Singapore. It had five drawers. The middle drawer had a lock and he put all the cash there. Great Grandfather also had a special safe, made in England.

When the workers received their salary at the end of each month, they would crowd around my great grandfather's desk. The clerk did all the accounts, counted the money and passed it to my great grandfather in the morning and my great grandfather would then count the money and arranged the notes carefully in front of him. The workers respected him and received the cash very graciously. Coins were all kept in a tin which was suspended above his desk, using a pulley system. Every evening before the office closed he would run over the accounts with the clerk. One of the first clerks was called 9th Uncle by my aunts and uncles. I would call him 9th Grand Uncle or Gou Chiik Gung. He was a good Methodist and extremely honest and trustworthy.

That was how the company was run and great grandfather made sure that no money was ever missing.

In those olden days, grand father and great grandfather would have three meals and two snacks.

Grand mother Wong would make paus, mi yang, buns and delicacies and have them sent to the two men at 10 o'clock and 3 o'clock. Tea would also be sent in tea kettles, covered in a rattan basket or carrier. This rattan carrier is no longer seen in the market today.

rattan tea cosy/warmer

(All photos from Google)

In the olden days, wives of Foochow men in Sibu, were supposed to be able to make snacks for their men without fail. According to our family oral history, when it rained very heavily in the afternoons, Grandmother Wong would even go to the office with an umbrella. She was a very dutiful wife who looked after her father in law and husband very well.

Without a doubt, Great Grandfather and Grandfather always had good meals at home. Chickens, ducks and pork were always present at their meal times and they would always eat first before the rest of the family.

In the olden days men with good life was judged by what they ate. They were also judged by what their women folks could provide. Hence my Grandmother Wong was a good daughter in law and wife as she made sure that breadwinners of the family had 3 meals and 2 snacks. In Foochow it is called Sang Dong Lang dieng ning.