 Hotel
Puri has a distinguished beginning. It was the ancestral
home of the descendants of Tan Kim Seng (1805-1864). He was a third generation
Straits Chinese born in Malacca. His grandfather migrated to Malacca in
the 18th century from Eng Choon Village in the district of Fujian Province,
China. He became a very successful businessman in Malacca. When Singapore
was founded in 1819 by Stamford Raffles, he moved to Singapore. Growing
even richer in Singapore, he contributed generously to society. He built
Kim Seng Bridge to facilitate people crossing the Singapore River. He was
the first to donate 880 Straits Dollars towards a fund for the establishment
of the first Chinese school in Singapore called Chong Wen Ge in Telok Ayer
Street. The building still stands today adjoining Thian Hock Keng Temple,
the oldest temple in Singapore. In 1854, he donated $13,000 to the British
Government for the construction of the first reservoir and the introduction
of pipe water to Singapore. The Kim Seng Fountain in Elizabeth Walk was
built in commemoration of this contribution.
Tan Kim Seng never forgot his place of birth, Malacca. His contributions
to Malacca were equally significant. The Malacca Kim Seng Bridge and Kim
Seng Clock Tower are but just some of his legacies.
The ancestral home was
rebuilt by Tan Kim Seng's grandson, Tan Jiak Choo at a cost of 14,000 Straits
Settlement Dollars in1876. The house sits on a piece of land which has
in its possession the original Dutch title dating back to 28.4.1819. It
is located in one of the oldest streets in Malacca called Heeren Street
by the Dutch and known as Holland Street to the Chinese till this day.
It was also nicknamed Millionaires' Row as most of the Chinese millionaires
of the pioneering period lived on this street. After Malaysia's independence,
the street was renamed Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock in memory of the Founder
of the Malaysian Chinese Association now a component party of the ruling
United Front, and also for the important role he played towards the achievement
of Malaysia's independence. His son Tun Tan Siew Sin was the Finance Minister
for Malaysia for 15 years. Their ancestral home remains at No 111. Several
of the other millionaires' ancestral homes have been refurbished by their
wealthy descendants and still remain today along this same street. |
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The
original building now housing Hotel Puri stretched from
the street to where the hotel kitchen is today, a full 100m long. It has
three airwells to let in air and light, and a water well which supplies
water in the days when pipe water was unknown. Where the beer garden and
the L-shaped new wing stand today was an open area. The compound was used
as a stable for the Tan family horses and parking area for horse carriages.
In addition, it also housed a mini zoo said to have included a tiger and
several deer. Except for the western influenced architecture of the Chee
ancestral home opposite Hotel Puri, other buildings along this street including
Hotel Puri is typical of Peranankan culture, a mix of Chinese, Western
and local flavours.
In reburbishment and development
of the hotel, extreme care was taken to conserve the unique architecture
as much as possible. The building from the front to the inner court or
the Ancestral Hall was carefully reinstated preserving the original structures
together with its carved doorways, windows, partitions and interestingly
sculptured airwell. Chinese couplets of good fortune, health, and happiness
adorning doors, windows and entrances just as the Chinese residences in
China, were meticulously restored. The floor and wall tiles and marble
were arduously cleaned and polished. These tiles were imported from 19th
century England, hence the similarity to those in the old houses in England
of the same period. The section of the building from the inner court unfortunately
had to be demolished as it was in an irreparable condition. However, new
structures were designed to mesh in with the old wing to reflect the original
architecture as much as possible. The Hotel ensures that normal hotel comforts
are accorded to guests without sacrificing the fine facets of conservation.
Every care is taken to provide the homely, relaxing, warm and quiet environment
of a typical Peranakan home.
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