Do you know that the old name for Jalan Bendahara in Melaka was Wolfestan Road?

 

Wolfestan Road was renamed Jalan Bendahara. Wolfestan Road is one of a few road in Melaka during the Melaka Sultanate era. The road was named after Littleton Pipe Wolfestan who was attached to the colonial office from 3 December 1889 when he arrived in Melaka. Wolfestan had served in Penang, Singapore and Kedah before returning to Melaka from 1910 to 1920. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Melaka and the Chinese Baba Peranakan - Bristish Association held a farewell dinner for Wolfestan a week before he retired.

 

During the dinner, Tun Tan Cheng Lock highlighted that Melaka has grown better with health services, electrical lighting, road improvement and some other matter.

 

Apart from being rich in culture and cuisines, Wolfestan Road is also rich in history, which involves a combination of purity and wordly elements associated with goodness as well as tyranny.

 

A church is located at the beginning of the road and at the end of the road there is a place for people to rejoice and commit immorality.

 

The church at the intersection of Bunga Raya Pantai is St. Peter Church, an oldest catholic church in Malaysia which was built in 1710.

 

Lots of people would gather at the church during religious festivals.

 

On the intersection of Jalan Munshi Abdullah, the Meng Seng Charitable Association painted in grey, serves the less fortunate. Not many knew of its contribution to the community and its role in forming the country.

 

The Meng Seng Charitable Association was established in 1923 in a shophouse on Lorong Bukit Cina before moving to Kee Ann Road and finally to its present location.

 

The local folks frequented the Meng Seng Charitable Association building to seek medical assistance, to present cultural performances, to search for books in its library and the adults would go for night classes provided.

 

Meng Seng Charitable Association building was fully completed in 1941 but not long, the Japanese Army had converted this noble place into a black hole.

 

It became a fearful Japanese Kempeitai location where among those killed were the committee members of Ong Teck Ghee, Lim Tai Tian and 50 other members.

 

Meng Seng Charitable Association also played an important role in the achieving of independence for Malaysia. Tunku Abdul Rahman used this place in 1954 to address the people to continue to fight for independence after his first failed attempt in London.

 

Those participated Tunku’s talk, offered gold accessories, watches, cash and other kinds enabling Tunku to make another trip in April 1954.

 

Opposite of the Capitol theatre is a huge colonial bungalow owned by a famous rubber planter, Chan Koon Cheng.

 

Before converting to a theatre, the Capitol Dancing Hall opened in 1936 was a place for lively dance, Foxtrot, Tango and Cha Cha. ‘Tea Dance’ was held on Thursdays and Saturdays. The lighting and the sound system was considered advanced those days. The poet writer, Hugo Williams had wrote in one of his book that the hall is “All the Time in The World’

 

On the left side of the Wolfestan Road, there was an area called “The Coconut Islands” where immoral activities was common among squatter houses.

 

Wolfestan Road is where Melaka first see its highest building, the 9-storey flat in the 1960s.

 

Today, its intersection with Jalan Temenggong is the famous “Little India” The oldest shop owned by K. Periakaruppan aka PK, 79, is Sri Lakshmi Villas where vegetarian foods is served from 1962