My Father, The Kirkbyite

Today, it is exactly three years since the passing away of Apak, my father (AL-FATIHAH for Hj. Ahmad Termizi b. Mat Nor).

In his memory, I am posting here an article that was first published in the coffee table book Kirkby College: A Heritage.

This story was written with the help of Azman, my brother. He started the piece, and I added to it and completed it before adding the photos.

For lack of space, the article that was eventually published was heavily edited and much shortened. Here, you will read the full and original version of the story.

What saddens me is that the book came a month too late for Apak. It was published and launched in conjunction with the Kirkby College Grand Reunion in November of 2008.

So Apak never got to see the book, nor read this short story of him as a Kirkbyite, written by his sons.


MY FATHER, THE KIRKBYITE

I call him Apak, a common term of endearment for father, widely used in Perak. Apak was born Ahmad Termizi bin Mat Nor on 1 March 1936 in Kampong Selat, Layang-Layang Kiri, near Parit, Perak. His was a typical kampong within the rural Malay belt, located on the banks of the Sungai Perak.

Growing up, I used to enjoy our occasional trips to his kampong when we go to visit Tok Mat Nor, my grandfather. One thing I’d always noticed was that, whenever we bumped into Apak’s childhood friends at the kampong mosque or the local coffee stalls, they would speak fondly of their “long-lost” friend. And then they would also praise his academic feats. Yes. And Apak’s academic achievements would prove to be the reason for him to be packed and sent away from his kampong, leaving behind his friends.

Much to the dismay of his uncles and aunties who had wanted their favourite nephew to be enrolled into a religious school, Tok Mat Nor had other plans for Apak. He wanted Apak to realize his full academic potentials by having an English-based education. So, Apak was sent to the famous Anderson School in the big town of Ipoh, at the tender age of 12, for his secondary education.

And as it turned out, this was to pave the way for his long and eventful journey to the Malayan Teachers’ Training College in Kirkby, England.

Apak spent two years at “Kampong Kirkby” near Liverpool. Amongst his friends from the 1956-1958 batch include Jaafar Saidin, Isa Ramli, Marmuji Koso, Zainal Abidin Mohamed, Tunku Yusof Jewa and Cheah Kok Choy.

Apak is a man of few words. So, although we heard bits and pieces of his days in England from Apak himself, most of the stories about Kirkby came to me through my Emak, Non Aziah. And then of course there were the many old, black and white photos from his Kirkby days at Tok Mat Nor’s house.

For instance, there was this long-framed group photo of Apak and his batch hung above the entrance to the master-bedroom at Tok’s house. It used to raise my curiosity. Standing below it, I would squint my eyes trying to make out what that long picture was all about. There were plenty more photos stashed away in a cupboard in the living room where Apak’s old books were kept. And then there were some more, in a big suitcase under the front verandah.

Although he didn’t much admitted it, I know the Kirkby days were something very special for Apak. Even as a kid I could somehow sense it. And now that I’m all grown up and been through the rigours of higher education and trainings of my own, I can’t help but feel proud that my very own Apak was one of those few to have been selected to train in faraway England back in those days.

Upon returning from Kirkby in 1958, Apak was posted to teach at a primary school in Kg. Melayu Sg. Raya, Ipoh. He was then transferred to Parit and Telok Bakong. He ended his teaching job as the first headmaster for Sekolah Menengah Kampong Gajah, a school he had helped to open. The royal town of Kuala Kangsar was his next stop when he was appointed as an education officer taking charge of primary schools in the Kuala Kangsar district. This was later followed by stints in Tapah, Teluk Intan, and finally Ipoh, where he retired on 1 March 1991.

True to his Kirkby background, Apak has a strong passion for teaching and education. He loved his profession. In fact, he even once had a wish that at least one of his children would become a teacher like him.

In his own way, Apak had started instilling in us the virtues of education since my brothers and I were mere kids. He inspired us to enjoy books by purchasing us the Grolier’s Children’s Encyclopedia, “The New Book of Knowledge”. This encyclopedia had really opened our eyes to the world of knowledge and learning. I remember us spending many happy hours sitting on the floor flipping through the pages, enjoying the pictures, singing out the nursery rhymes and sometimes trying to do the origami with Emak.

Apak’s far-sightedness also saw my brothers and I entering a “good school” in Ipoh. It was the late 60s and I guess the schools in Bota Kanan, where we were staying then, were not up to the mark for him. The best schools were in the big towns. So, as what his father had done more than a decade earlier, Apak sent us to stay with our maternal grandparents, Tok Hussein and Opah Badariah, and enrolled us into the SRJK Ashby Road. Apak was already preparing us for our future lives.

Apak used to monitor – in his own peculiar ways – our progress at school. For example, when I got to study at Sekolah Menengah Sains Perlis, a boarding school far north in Perlis, Apak had ordered me to write home at least once a month – in English! What I didn’t know until quite recently was that each time my letter reached home, Apak would be ready with a red pen in hand. The first thing he would do was to “mark” the letter and “circled” all the grammatical errors I had made. By the time the others eventually got to read the letter, “it was just like reading an English exercise book, what with all the red markings here and there”, my brother Azman once told me.

Apak has six children altogether with Emak. I’m the eldest. Then came Azmi, Azman, and our sister Nor Aliza who passed away at a very young age. This is followed by Azizah, and finally Azizul. Thanks to Apak’s guidance, all of his surviving children succeeded in getting a decent education. I managed to graduate from the University of Manchester as a town planner. Later, with his blessings, I also went to Japan and got a Master’s degree from Tsukuba University. My brother Azmi, the artist in the family, graduated from the School of Architecture at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Azman studied Communications at Institut Teknologi MARA and started out his career as a journalist.

As for Azizah, although she made the grades to do law, she opted to go to Universiti Sains Malaysia instead where she graduated in Education. With that, she became a teacher, thus fulfilling one of Apak’s wishes. The youngest in the family, Azizul, followed in the footsteps of Apak and went to England. He studied accountancy at the Northumbria University in Newcastle .

Although Apak was strict with regards to our education, he can be full of fun to be with. He introduced us to English football long before the EPL had seen the day of light. We used to watch Star Soccer together on our black and white TV in the mid-60s. He was very good at making beautiful kites. We used to buy all the materials needed, and then go into the woods in search of suitable bamboo for the frame. Then we’d spend hours flying the kites together at an open area close to the railway line near Tok Hussein’s house.

Like many of his Kirkby days friends, Apak was also an avid photographer. With his Kodak Brownie in hand, he would holler at us instructions to pose properly for him. He would insist that we be in our best batik shirts for the photo shoots. Sometimes we’d be in short-sleeved shirts, complete with neckties. Of course, the neckties would always look a tad too long on us. They were his.

Apak was a decent cook too. He could whip up a delicious meal of spaghetti for us all. Sometimes, when we wanted something different for breakfast, it was potato chips or toasts with fried eggs and baked beans for us. Mind you, spaghetti, chips and baked beans are hardly your typical Perak dish. So I guess these must have been some of the legacies of his two year stay in Kirkby.

Another legacy of his Kirkby days – and a valuable lesson in life for me – is the loyal and faithful friends he has kept. He has many. But two of them whom I know well are Uncle Jef (Jaafar Saidin) and Uncle Muji (Marmuji Koso). These two are like family. Why, even all of Apak’s uncles and unties know them. Recently, I have been lucky enough to get to know more of Apak’s friends from Kirkby. And what a cultured group of people they are, I thought. No doubt, a result of their proper training which allowed them to return home as “polished ladies and gentlemen with savoir faire”. So described one Yunus Raiss, a Kirkbyite himself.

Despite his sometimes serious demeanor, my Apak is a loving person, and can be pretty sentimental too. For instance, on the night when I left for England in September of 1979 to further my studies, it was Apak who got glassy-eyed when my plane roared off into the sky at Subang Airport and disappeared into the darkness of the night. Not Emak. This, I found out many years later, from Emak. That’s my Apak for you.

Since retiring, Apak has been staying in Kampong Kepayang Fair Park, Ipoh. He is now 72 and enjoys very much the weekend visits of his grandchildren

End




A young Ahmad Termizi, ready to fly off to Kirkby



At the front gate of MTTC, Kirkby, with close friend Jaafar Saidin. Just visible in the background

are the distinctive pipes for central heating which used to criss-cross all over the campus

Teaching Practice at an English school somewhere near Liverpool

With sons (circa 1965)

In Putrajaya with wife and grandaughter, 2007

1956-58 Batch Members ready for Hari Raya Aidil Fitri Prayers, 1957

Standing L to R: Marmuji Koso (Selangor), Jaafar Saidin (Kedah), Zainal Abidin Mohamed (Kedah), Hashim Mydin (Kedah), Abdullah Abd Rahman (Kedah), Syed Annuar Muhayuddin (Perak), Mohd Alkaf (Kelantan), Zainol Rashid Ahmad (Perlis), Ismail Hj Salleh (Kedah).

Front row L to R: Tunku Yusof Jewa (Kedah), Md. Ali Mohamad (Johor), Tarmizi Ridzuan ( Johor), Isa Ramli (Perak), Ahmad Termizi Mat Nor (Perak), Abd Halim Shukor ( Johor)



Apak (front row, third from left) in his element, dressed as a ‘pirate’ during the Freshies Parade



Discovering Kirkby

The word "Kirkby" may not ring a bell amongst most Malaysians. But in my family, everybody knows that this is where Atok, went to school at the Malayan Teachers' Training College (MTTC).

Kirkby is a small town with a current population of around 40,000 located just 10km away from downtown Liverpool. It is also about one-and-a-half hour's train ride away from Blackpool, where I used to do my A-Levels. But out of sheer ignorance and being "too busy" perhaps with studies, I did not make it to Kirkby until very recently, last December.

I set off from Blackpool by train via Wigan. The journey is not that long, but with it being winter, it does have its fair share of challenges. Firstly, fending off the sub-zero temperature. Secondly, I had to rush it as the daylight hours is very short. Even so, and although I've never set foot  in Kirkby, looking for the former MTTC ground itself was quite easy.

You see,  I've had tip-offs from Apak's former college mates, and especially Frank Moorhead, a son of one of the former lecturers at MTTC. I had also looked up maps and figured out the exact boundaries of the MTTC. I guess all those training as a town planner is quite useful after all.

As soon as I stepped off the train at Kirkby Station, I set about getting my bearings. And as I walked towards the South Park Road, I soaked in the atmosphere of this quaint  little town and started imagining the ways of the Kirkbyites all those years ago. How they'd descent upon the station as they set off for their Teaching Practices. How they'd walk in groups, passing by the Railway pub as they visit the Kirkby Stores  to buy the papers, and so on.  

I had heard so much about Kirkby. I had seen old photos and even paintings of it by Uncle Jeff, a close friend of Apak from the Kirkby days. And of course, I had read so much about it too: form the Kirkby Website by Low Sau San, and the coffeetable book, Kirkby College-A Heritage. But today, I was finally discovering it for myself.

The MTTC campus is  actually located just on the outskirt of Kirkby town centre. The local commercial centre comprises a short row of small shops along the main street which is Glover's Brow. Today, some of the services found here include a newsagent, convenient stores, a betting shop, a Chinese take away and an estate agent.

But, the key to finding the former site of the MTTC is to get to the South Park Road. The South Park Road is a narrow road with little traffic nowadays. But it was just off this road that the main entrance gates to the MTTC was located. My guess is that, back in the 1950s, this road would have been the main thoroughfare and gateway for all Kirkbyites to get to the shops, the railway station, and beyond.

As I walked along the main street and the former MTTC campus ground, I had the good fortune of meeting and talking to a few people who did have some knowledge about the former college. This includes Sally-Ann Davies who stays in the residential area which has been built over the MTTC ground. Another is a gentleman who pointed out to me the exact location of the former MTTC entrance gates, and that the College border fencings was located just behind the Waverly House.

Unfortunately, nothing much of the old college is left to be seen now. As time passes by, not even any of the locals would be able to recall that Kirkby used to be the proud home to the Malayan Teachers' Training College.

That is why I hope that the idea of putting up a commemorative plaque on the campus site would become a reality soon. Kirkbyites would welcome it, I'm sure. And the locals too could be proud to know of the historical significance of their little town.

I left Kirkby that evening feeling very cold, hungry and tired. But deep down, I was very happy and contented.


I have been to Kirkby, Apak. I now have new pictures to show, and stories to tell, my brothers and sister, as well as my children. Hopefully, with these, the memory and legacy of Kirkby lives on among your children and grandchildren.



At the Kirkby station. The station building is on the left just after the railway crossing bridge. The bridge carries the road Glover's Brow and a pedestrian way which leads directly onto the South Park Road to the right of this photo



The South Park Road which would lead one directly to the former MTTC campus. The Railway pub seen here is a landmark at the junction between the South Park Road and Glover's Brow. From here, the MTTC campus is just about 150m away to the left

The view along South Park Rd looking directly towards the College ground

The junction between South Park Rd and Glover's Brow (looking in the opposite direction from the photo above)

The far end of the South Park Rd before it swerves to the right and continue on from here. But you can see that it also branches off at this point and the road actually continues straight on. From this point, there used to be a lane which continues a little (about 75m) before coming to a halt. THIS is where the College gates used to be!



Just for comparison, here's an old pic of Apak (r) and Uncle Jeff (Jaafar Saidin) in front of the College gates back then




The friendly Sally-Ann Davies. She stays on the housing estate which has been built over the College grounds. She was on her way to post her Christmas cards when I stopped her to ask about the MTTC. Her mother used to stay around here, she said,  so she knows about the College




Green open space within the residential area which is built over the College site. View looking towards where dormitory  Blocks 3, 4 and 5 used to be 



Another view of the residential development. This one is in the direction towards where dorm Blocks 8 and 9 once used to stand

The Waverly House which used to be the landmark right at the entrance to the College. It is now a protected building and still standing proud

The Carters Arms pub on Glover's Brow

The blue-fronted  shop is called Village News. When the Kirkbyites were here, it was known as the Kirkby Stores and much frequented by Kirkbyites for their supply of newspapers, sweets and stationary

The new Kirkby station building. Its just a small station, but serves its purpose to link Kirkby to the bigger cities of Liverpool and Manchester in the North West of England

Images from UK visit

Kirkby Railway Station sign-post. This is actually Kirkby's new station. The old station used to be slightly away from this site

The railway line leading to Liverpool from Kirkby. Just behind those trees (in the background) on the embankment to the right  of the railway line is the southern border of the Malayan Teachers' Training College (MTTC)

My first view of the MTTC former campus ground. This is where my father, Ahmad Termizi Mat Nor , used to study as a young trainee teacher between 1956 to 1958. The green open space used to be almost right at the center of the former campus ground

The MTTC former campus now has been redeveloped into an up-market residential area. The row of houses in the background is where the dormitory blocks (closer to the main entrance of college) used to be

Frost on bollards in Poundbury, Dorset

Holly plant shrubs by the River Lea. 'Tis the season to be merry, no?

Birds on Blackpool beach during sunset

Books on the book rack in the Architecture & Planning Department Library, University of Manchester. This is where I used to spend hours slogging it out

House boats on the River Lea. No need to pay rates

Signage on the National Cycle Network which runs by the River Lea and just close by the Olympic Stadium 2012 currently being built

Sekolah Menengah Kampong Gajah: The school that my father built

The Roll of Principals in the Bilik Gerakan of Sekolah Menengah Kampung Gajah

Last Friday I went to Lumut for a working trip-cum-family vacation. After Teluk Intan, instead of taking the Bagan Datoh-Sitiawan route, we took the slightly longer but more memorable Kampung Gajah-Bota Kanan route.

Memorable, because during my pre-school days, we used to stay in Bota Kanan, and we frequently took the 20 km Bota Kanan-Kampung Gajah route on our occasional trips to Sekolah Menengah Kampung Gajah – my father’s school.

Apak was appointed as the first headmaster of Sekolah Menengah Kampung Gajah back in 1965 when I was a mere 4 year old toddler (oops, there goes my age!). It was his first big job after graduating from the Malayan Teachers Training College in Kirkby. For before that, he was a teacher in various schools in Ipoh, Parit, Bota Kanan and Telok Bakung.

It must have been a big challenge for him. For Kampung Gajah was a backwater of sorts. The area was more known for its Malay nationalism uprising against the British during the 1870s. It got into the history books when J.W.W. Birch, the first British Resident for Perak, was killed by Dato’ Maharaja Lela at place called Pasir Salak.

With the kampong folks more being more interested in tending their farms and padi fields, it was must have been an arduous task, I would imagine, even to persuade the parents to send their children to school!

But I think he must have done a decent job. The school prospered. And he gained the respect of the kampong folks. One crafty means of winning their hearts was by having the annual school "Pesta Durian".

Yes, what better way to do it? With Kampung Gajah being at the heart of Perak’s “durian belt” and Apak being a “hantu durian” himself I guess it must have just clicked together.

I remember going to one of those Pesta Durian. The school compound was literally filled up with so many “longgok” of durian and other fruits. It was a happy and joyous occasion for everyone – teachers, students and parents alike.

When we whizzed past Kampung Gajah last Friday, the mere sight of the school was enough to jolt me into stopping the car and turning around to enter into the school compound.

As soon as we entered the school compound, memories of my trips here with Apak more that forty years ago came flooding back.

And proudly, I exclaimed to my kids, and the Mem Besar, that this is the school that Atok built.

Apak was the headmaster of the school for five years until 1970. The school has, since then, been renamed Sekolah Menengah Dato’ Seri Maharajalela, taking after the name of the famous local Malay warrior.

(Above) Driveway to the school blocks. The old entranceway to the school compound used to be from the opposite side, that is, from the direction of the Sungai Perak

The two original school blocks

(Above) A closer view of the two original school blocks. Apak’s office used to be on the ground floor on the right hand side of this photo. It was a simple office modestly furnitured with wooden tables, chairs and racks. I remember a large calendar with the words “Rajan & Co.” used to hang on the wall. Crates of Kickapoo carbonated soft drinks could also be found “hoarded” in the room (much to my delight)

The ‘cute’ and unique stair case in between the two old blocks. Very simple, and doesn’t employ the boxed-up intermediate landing area found in most of today’s schools. The space under the stairs was where durians used to be gathered by the basket-loads during Pesta Durian

The Roll of Principals. Apak’s name is right there at the top of the list. I had to persuade the administration staff to open up their Bilik Gerakan to take this photo. Although initially reluctant, a quick phone call to the current principal did just the trick. With his kind permission, the staff were very obliging. Thank you Cikgu Nayan

The school hall, a new building addition to the school. It was not there when I was a kid

The Kirkby Alumni Reunion: what it means for me

My daughter Nadiah viewing the Kirkby Exhibiton at INTAN Bukit Kiara

Uncle Jef's (Jaafar Saidin) oil painting of the MTTC campus was on exhibition

Many old photos of Kirkby days. This collage has one photo with Apak in it taken on the morning of Hari Raya in 1956

The Kirkby College Alumni Grand Reunion was held over two days from 28 – 29 November 2008. It kicked off with the Kirkby Educational Exhibition at INTAN, followed by a Convention on Teachers Education officiated by the Minister for Education. The finale was the Kirkby Grand Reunion Dinner at PICC, Putrajaya graced by Her Royal Highness Raja Permaisuri Perak, Tuanku Bainun.

It was a momentous occasion for Kirkbyites. Half a century after returning home from Kirkby, and after contributing with their youthful zest and energy to the development of our young nation, the government has finally given them due recognition and their rightful standing in the education community which they fully deserve. We are, after all, talking about a pioneering group of educators, a group of people with immense impact and a lasting legacy on the development of education in Malaysia.

For me, it was an emotional experience.

This reunion came a month too late for Apak, my father. Apak had passed away exactly one month earlier. If only… if only Apak was still around, he would have savoured this moment too. That, I am very sure of.

Even if, for whatever reason, he had not been able to be at the functions himself, I would be there on his behalf. And the event would be duly reported to him - complete with photos and memorabilia attached. This is because Apak had known about this reunion. You see, he had received a personal invitation from the organizers. Alas, it was not to be.

I have told myself a long time ago that, when Apak passes on, I should take up the responsibility of continuing his friendship. So, here I am now, a full-fledge Associate Member of Persatuan Alumni Maktab Kirkby Malaysia.

I took my family to see the Kirkby exhibition at INTAN yesterday. Although it was just a small one, I'm sure it was enough to bring back the good old memories of Kirkby for all the Kirkbyites. If Apak was there, he too would have been able to relate to the many photos, maps, paintings and documents on exhibition.

For me, it gave me a sense of fulfillment just to be there. I felt so lucky to be able to experience a piece of something which my father had actually experienced for himself more than fifty years ago. I had always known that Kirkby was something special to Apak. Yesterday, at the exhibition, I came that little bit closer to understanding why it was so special.

The Mem Besar, Syafiq and Anas gawked at the exhibits. Even my youngest daughter, Nadiah, got excited when she managed to point out to me a group photo of her Atok.

Amongst the many items on display, I could certainly recognize two oil paintings of the MTTC campus. They were the paintings by one of Apak’s closest friends from his Kirkby days, Jaafar Saidin. I had seen the paintings many times before at Uncle Jef’s home in Alor Setar, and later in Kulim. Apparently, he had given the paintings away to the organizers of the exhibition as a token of his contribution to make the event a success.

Later in the night, I attended the Kirkby Grand Reunion Dinner at PICC, in Putrajaya.

Again, I felt blessed and lucky to be there.

For I was now amongst the Kirkbyites in full force. They came dressed in their best, donning jackets proudly displaying their Kirkby MTTC crest. The camaraderie, the respect for each other, and the dignified presence that they projected over-awed me.

Throughout the event, I couldn’t help thinking that these are the very people whom my father – my own Apak, had rubbed shoulders with. These are the people with whom my father must have studied, worked, and played with.

It must have been an honour for him. It was for me... just to be in their presence.

Hj. Ahmad Termizi bin Mat Nor

.

.

My dear beloved Father – Apak, to all his children – passed away last Sunday.

Al-Fatihah

buat

HJ. AHMAD TERMIZI BIN MAT NOR

Lahir 1.3.1936
Kembali ke rahmatullah 26.10.2008

Kembalilah ke sisi Penciptamu duhai Ayahandaku
Sesungguhnya kami akan mengikutimu
Engkau adalah orang yang terdahulu dari kami
Dan kami pasti akan menyusuli

Engkau sentiasa di dalam ingatan kami
Dalam ingatan anakanda, cucu serta semua keturunanmu

Diiringi do’a

Ya ALlah, Ya Tuhanku
Muliakanlah kedudukan Ayahanda kami
Gandakanlah pahala amalan-amalan beliau
Ampunilah segala dosa-dosa beliau

Ya ALlah, Ya Tuhanku
Cucuri rahmat ke atas roh beliau
Tempatkan beliau di kalangan orang-orang yang Engkau kasihi
Dan di kalangan orang-orang yang Soleh.

Amiin

Kirkby saw first announcement on Malaya's independence

I read with interest an article in the NST today, 15 April 2007, entitled "He was there when Tunku said it".

The article was about one Zainul Arshad Zainul Abidin who was there at the Malayan Teachers’ Training College in Kirkby, England, when Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj first announced, on 7 February 1956, that the British government had agreed for Malaya to gain her independence on August 31, 1957.

Zainul Arshad Zainul Abidin, 19 years old then, was training to be a teacher at the Kirkby College.

He was quoted: "Tunku said that he wanted us to receive the news first because he felt that as teachers, we would be spearheading the development of education in the ‘new Malaya’."

The Malayan Teachers’ Training College in Kirkby was set up by the Malayan Government in 1952 to train young Malayans to become teachers. It produced about 1,500 graduates. I have written an article about the College on this blog earlier. That article can be viewed here.

Kampong Kirkby, Lancashire, England

Our country gained independence in 1957.

But the road to nation building started way back. Did you know that the Government of the Federation of Malaya established the Malayan Teachers’ Training College at Kirkby, in far-away Lancashire, England in 1951?

The intention was to train talented young Malayans of various racial background to become good educators. In short, they would be the catalyst in the development process of this young nation which shall come into being.

Many stories have been told about the pioneer group of college students. This first group of 148 students were sent to Kirkby in the winter of 1951. They sailed onboard a ship called S.S. Chusan and the journey to London took them 21 days. From London, it was another 4 hour's ride by train to Liverpool. Young and fresh-faced, it must have been a daunting experience for them to have to leave their kampong in sunny Malaya and to have to put up with the cold and windy weather of Lancashire.

But settled in they did. And from the many fond accounts that I've heard of their time in Kirkby, they must have grew on to the love the place. Perhaps partly due to homesickness, I suppose, they even took to calling their new place  'Kampong Kirkby' ! (photos of the campus, below).

During its heyday Kampong Kirkby, I was told,  received many distingushed visitors. This includes Y.A.M. Tunku Abdul Rahman when he was negotiating our independence from the British. In fact, it was in Kampong Kirkby that the Tunku, first announced that the British had agreed to Malaya's independence.

Meanwhile, the young Malayans excelled in training. As noted by a lecturer, 'they went about their training with zest and adventurous spirit'. And what's more, they were excellent ambassadors for the nation, too. Yunus Rais, a former trainee himself, commented: “Creme de la Creme, they did their country proud while they were in the UK, and contributed handsomely to educating the young for nation-building on their return".

In all, about 1,500 young Malayans were sent to Kirkby between 1951 to 1962. And this includes my father Ahmad Termizi Mat Nor, shown in photo below (standing, on the right) in front of the college gates.

The ‘Kirkbyites’, as they like to call themselves, returned home well-equipped and up to the challenge. They had distinguished careers, all of them. They taught in schools in many of our towns and villages. And some were even posted in Brunei. They became headmasters, education officers, and university registrars. In recognition of their excellent service and dedication, many have been ‘datukships’ and other awards.

As a testimony to their camaraderie and resourcefulness, many of them still keep in touch through e-mail groups, annual reunions and newsletters.

One fine gentleman by the name of Zainal Abidin Manaf faithfully produces newsletters on a regular basis and e-mails or send them by post to all parts of the world wherever Kirkbyites are to be found. Madam Low Sau San, now residing in Australia, maintains a website Kirkby Reunion dedicated to the College in Kirkby. Yet another gentleman, Ramli Shaari, has a blog Memories of MTTC with loads of well-taken, interesting photos of college life.

Sept 15, 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the foundation of Kirkby. Most of the ‘Kirkbyites’ are now already in their early or mid-seventies. And many have passed on. Even the place they fondly call Kampong Kirkby is now no more, as the College site as has since been redeveloped into a sprawling housing estate.

Therefore, it is quite understandable that many Kirkbyites are anxious to keep the memories and traditions alive long into the future.

It would be great if someone could write a book, or perhaps produce a documentary, on this proud and unique group of Malaysians who, half a century ago, left the shores of Malaya in the line of duty, to serve the nation.

Lest we forget, the Malayan Teachers' Training College, in Kirkby, was a Malayan educational institution. It is, therefore, a part of our history. And that makes Kampong Kirkby a part of our national heritage - even if it is located in wind-swept Lancashire, and that the campus blocks are no more in existence.